Sports
S’Eagles Land In Volgograd, Set To Battle Iceland
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived in the southern Russia town of Volgograd ahead of today’s must-win FIFA World Cup Group D encounter against Iceland.
A statement from the spokesperson of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire read that they flew from their Essentuki base yesterday morning and were settled in their Hampton-by-Hilton Volgograd Hotel a little after 1pm.
Tidesports source reports that focus has been on the encounter with the Euro 2016 quarter finalists since Eagles’ loss to Croatia in Kaliningrad last Saturday.
Victory against the feisty Scandinavians will renew hope for a place in the knockout rounds while defeat would mean early and unflattering elimination from the quadrennial showpiece.
The statement quoted Coach Gernot Rohr as saying that he had been drawn to a plethora of suggestions in the media space on best formations, patterns and appropriate player-position-cum-strength postulations following the reverse against Croatia.
He was quoted as saying that he knows what is best for the team and will deploy same on today.
“We have watched the game against Croatia again to see our mistakes so that we can correct them.
“It will be a tough game, because we have to be at our best and be more professional with our defending especially from set-pieces.
“We have to be fully focused and not lose concentration all through the game and I believe with hard work we can get a good result.
“In truth, there is no need to add to the pressure we have now. More pressure on the team will not necessarily translate to better results,” Rohr was quoted as saying.
According to the statement, all players in camp are fully fit, meaning Coach Rohr is presented with an opportunity to pick among all 23 players, and to cobble together the combination and formation that he believes will best guarantee victory.
The statement added that Nigeria’s number three man, Senate President Bukola Saraki, will be on ground to support the Eagles at the 45,000- capacity Volgograd Arena.
Tidesports source gathered that Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad and which is 940 kilometers to the south of Moscow, extends alongside the Volga River and has a population of one million people.
Victory for the Super Eagles today would be a turning point in Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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