Sports
Confed Cup: Rangers Still Hopeful
Enugu Rangers’ midfielder, Chiamaka Madu has asserted that the Flying Antelopes will qualify for the group stage of the Caf Confederation Cup if they display half of the zeal and determination shown by Zesco United when the return leg is played in Lusaka this weekend.
The Flying Antelopes are on the brink of elimination after they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by the Zambians at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. The midfielder who was an unused substitute in the tie disclosed that the Zambians could not have matched Rangers on their good day and that they must show the same eagerness to beat their opponents in the return leg.
“It was another day we were undone by hard luck. We played very well but we just couldn’t understand what went wrong,” Madu told newsmen.
‘’Zesco United were not a special side but they came with the mindset to play football and with little luck they utilized the chances they had. We can still qualify if we also go to Zambia with the same mentality to play with all we have.
“It won’t come easy but I believe we can do it. Our problems may be myriads presently but if we concentrate on football alone things will go our way. It may be rough presently but I am certain that we are going to overcome our present challenges.’’
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.