Sports
Minister Tasks S’Eagles On 2026 W’Cup Ticket
The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan-Enoh, has urged the Super Eagles of Nigeria to start their qualifying campaign strong and pick a ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they host Lesotho tomorrow in Uyo.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
The minister said this yesterday in Abuja, ahead of the team’s opening home game against Lesotho tomorrow.
The Eagles will thereafter lock horns with Zimbabwe on Sunday in match day two of the doubleheader qualifiers.
He stressed the need for the team to be ruthless and avoid taking the same route that led to the heartbreaking non-qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“The memory of losing out during the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians.
“The team should avoid leaving their fate to permutations. We should bring out our best to pick the first six points in front of us,” he said.
Owan-Enoh expressed confidence in the team’s ability and highlighted the immense pride the nation holds for the Super Eagles.
He urged the technical crew and the players to put their best foot forward in the two crucial games.
“I have complete faith in our talented squad. The Super Eagles have a rich history of success, and we believe they are fully capable of securing two wins in the upcoming matches.
“This is not just a football game; it is a representation of the spirit and resilience of the Nigerian people. I encourage our players to give their all on the field and make the nation proud,” he charged.
The minister also commended the coaching crew, led by Jose Peseiro, and support personnel for their dedication and hard work in preparing the team.
“As the Minister of Sports Development, I want to assure the full support of the government.
“We will continue to invest in sports infrastructure, training facilities, and program that nurture the talent of our young athletes,” he said.
Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow’s qualifier, 22 players have arrived the Super Eagles camp in Uyo as they fine tune preparation ahead of the fixtures against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Sixteen players arrived the team’s camp yesterday, increasing the number to 22.
Bendel Insurance goalkeeper, Amas Obasogie is now the only player being expected in camp.
Obasogie replaced injured Udinese of Italy shot stopper, Maduka Okoye in the team.
The Super Eagles were expected to hold two training sessions (on Tuesday and Wednesday) before facing Lesotho tomorrow.
The match against the Likuena is slated for the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Jose Peseiro’s side will also do battle with the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Huye Stadium, Butare, on Sunday.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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