Sports
S’Eagles Will Bravely Defend Their Chances In Cameroon – Amuneke
A member of the Technical Study Group (TSG) of the coming TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, Emmanuel Amuneke spoke to CAFOnline.com about his view of the 9 January – 6 February 2022 tournament. Amuneke who won the 1994 AFCON title with Super Eagles and was Tanzania’s coach in the 2019 edition in Egypt, says he expects a better edition.
“I expect it to be better than the previous edition. The 2019 edition in Egypt was the first Africa Cup of Nations with 24 teams, and this will be the second time. We have newcomers like Gambia and Comeroons, this shows that African football is progressing. AFCON is a tournament watched and followed around the world. Therefore, despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this tournament must rise to international standards. Africa must show that its flagship competition is making giant strides. We are going to discover new stars. I am very positive,” Amuneke said.
Speaking about favourites in the competition he said that Algeria is the reigning champions, and they are the favourites. Senegal is a very strong team, so are the hosts Cameroon, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia. It will be very difficult to predict who will win the title because we have so many great teams here.
“There are big changes in African football, players with a global dimension, it is promising. In Europe today, African footballers play the leading roles in their clubs and evolve in the top clubs in the world. That must be reflected in this competition.”
According to him, despite the African football progress, all African representatives came out in the first round in Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup because their representatives were missing things.
“We have to wait to get an idea of our next representatives in Qatar 2022. Either way, we must learn from our mistakes in Russia 2018. We weren’t very far, but our representatives were missing things. It was not the quality of our players that was the problem, but we struggled to find tactical solutions to the equations posed by our opponents. The main thing is to have learned the lessons and try to move forward next time,” he added.
He said it’s clear that the teams will have a certain advantage and a great opportunity, despite that the play-offs have nothing to do with the Africa Cup of Nations. The teams present in Cameroon are of great quality, saying that he, personally cannot predict the future AFCON winner because all the teams are of such quality. With this competition, the teams will know at what level they can be and have an idea of what remains for them to do. In terms of preparation, we couldn’t get better.
He said that Nigerians would have liked to see players like Victor Osimhen who is doing very well in a very tough league in Italy. But the most important in life is health and we pray he will regain his health very quickly. He will play other tournaments for his country and certainly the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
Osimhen is a young footballer, but he is part of the present and future of Nigerian, African and world football. It’s sad not to see him at TotalEnergies AFCON, but he will be there soon. Despite everything, the selected players have a lot of quality. Nigeria will bravely defend their chances in this competition.
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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