CHAN: Super Eagles bank on history to win bronze

HISTORY favours the Super Eagles to win the bronze medal of the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) as they face the Warriors of Zimbabwe on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium, South Africa.
Nigeria since 1978 had never lost a third place match in Africa thus stand the chance of leaving the Rainbow Nation on Sunday with bronze.
Nigeria and Zimbabwe will be meeting for the ninth time at the senior level. 
Interestingly, Zimbabwe will be chasing their first win in 33 years over Nigeria. The only time Zimbabwe
defeated Nigeria was the first meeting of both sides on August 1, 1981 in a friendly which ended 2-0 in Harare.
The Super Eagles last defeated the Warriors at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt 2-0 with goals from Christian Obodo and John Obi Mikel.
Also, the Warriors have over the years become easy preys for the Super Eagles but coach Ian Gorowa could rewrite history in Cape Town this time as anything is possible in football.
Coach Stephen Keshi is expected to make a major change in the line up of the Eagles this time as many Nigerians are clamouring for the introduction of teenage goalkeeper, Dele Alampasu as the third place match means little to the country.
Camp sources also indicated that second choice keeper, Daniel Akpeyi may take over from Chigozie Agbim this time as the latter has not been able to impress many Nigerians in his last five appearances.
Though, the Eagles lost 1-4 via penalties to the Black Stars in the semi-final last Wednesday in Bloemfontein, some Nigerian soccer fans were of the opinion that he (Agbim) ought to have stopped one of the kicks like his Ghanaian counterpart, Stephen Adams did during the penalty shootout.
Also, Gbolahan Salami who missed the last game is expected to be on duty against the Warriors and possibly start from the bench as Barnabas Imenger jnr who always come on as a substitute making the startling line up this time.
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CHAN 2104: Nigeria battle Morocco in q/final

ATLAS Lions of Morocco on Monday night emerged Nigeria's opponents in the qurter-final of the ongoing third African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The Lions rallied to a 3-1 win over the Cranes of Uganda to top group B with five points and  booked a showdown with the Eagles on Saturday.
Nigeria had defeated hosts, South Africa 3-1 on Sunday night at the Cape Town Stadium with goals
from Ejike Uzoenyi, who got a brace and Ifeanyi Ede, who converted a spot-kick awarded his side.
Uzoenyi belives there is no stopping the Eagles having reached the knockout stage saying that "We are here for a goal and we will not relent until we achieve that goal".
His teammate, Shehu Abdullahi also expressed optimism that winning CHAN is not impossible after the elimination of the hosts.  
"Tell Nigerians that they have not seen anything yet, we are here for nothing but the trophy and we have shown that with our game against South Africa, but I must say that is not our best match,” said the Kano Pillars midfielder.
Meanwhile, Masimba Mambare’s lone strike also on Monday night gave the Warriors of Zimbabwe a
1-0 victory over the Stallions of Burkina and a place in the next stage of the biennial showpiece.
The Warriors of Zimbabwe will take on group A leaders, the Eagles of Mali in the quarter-final on Saturday.
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Caption: Super Eagles' duo of Ejike Uzoenyi  (L) and Gbolahan Salami. Both have appeared on the score sheet in the ongoing third African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.

CHAN 2014: Super Eagles can stop Bafana Bafana---Siasia

ERSTWHILE coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia believes Nigeria have what it takes to beat hosts, South Africa in Sunday's last group A match of the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) billed for the Cape Town Stadium.
Siasia noted that the performance of the Stephen Keshi-piloted side in the last game which brought the team back in contention for the quarter-final ticket after a 4-2 win over the Mambas of Mozambique has rekindled the never-say-die spirit of a Nigerian team.
The man who coached Nigeria to win the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics said that the only way to conquer Bafana Bafana in front of their teeming fans is for the Eagles to ensure total concentration.
"Yes, the boys did well against Mozambique but they need to raise their game on Sunday to beat South Africa to qualify because it a must win for us. They must not lose concentration come what may. The South Africans will no doubt enjoy home support but if our players can go out to raise their game and guard against any silly mistake, we will definitely win," said the former Nigeria's forward.
He noted that the Eagles must improve in goalkeeping as well saying that the goalkeeper (Chigozie Agbim) must be made to realise and correct his follies in the last two games before the crucial game against the hosts.
"It is going to be a final of sorts because as hosts, South Africa will not want to end the competition this way and we have to show our worth too on the continent," said the man who coached the Flying Eagles to win the silver at 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Holland.
Meanwhile, Keshi has equally warned his wards to be up and doing if they want to beat South Africa.
He noted that the presence of the three players from Bafana Bafana could spell a doom for the
Nigerian team on Sunday.
“South Africa is a very good team. (Itumeleng) Khune, (Siphiwe) Tshabalala and (Bernard) Parker
are very experienced players who can change the game at any moment,” said the 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations (AFCON) winning coach.
Nigeria with three points after 1-2 loss to Mali in the opening game need a win on Sunday to move to the knockout stage of the competition while South Africa with four points from two games need a draw to advance.
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Caption: Striker Gbolahan Salami, who scored Nigeria's only goal in the 1-2 loss to Mali in the opening game.

CHAN 2014: I'm parading rookies--Keshi

SUPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has said that the 1-2 loss suffered by his wards in the hands of Mali in the opening group A game of the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) did not come to him as a surprise.
An exasperated Keshi said after the match at the Cape Town Stadium last weekend that he is prosecuting the biennial competition with a bunch of inexperienced players.
"I was expecting this kind of result because of the anxiety that comes with this kind of championship for players that have not been exposed to tournaments like this,” the man who coached Togo to the 2006 World Cup declared.
He stated that the CHAN opener defeat has served as a lesson for his players to up their game while acknowledging that the Malians deserved victory on the day.
"We did not play our game. We only started playing well in the last five to 10 minutes and that
was too late. At the half time break, I asked them to feel free and express themselves and I don't know if
that worked because we still lost the game," said the former coach of Mali.
He also blamed the lacklustre performance of his wards to lack of competition on the domestic scene just as he savoured the great opportunity being provided for local players to be exposed.
"I think this is a perfect opportunity for home-based players to move forward and get exposure. If it’s about the league of each country, we have been out of action for like four months and we have had these players for only three weeks, but I don't know if that was responsible for today," Keshi who captained Nigeria to the 1994 World Cup said.
Mali had through the goals from Abdoulaye Sissoko (18th minute) and Adama Traore (50th minute) recorded their first ever victory over Nigeria at the senior level, with Gbolahan Salami's glancing header in the 54th minute serving as consolation for the African champions.
Nigeria will on Wednesday also in Cape Town face the Mambas of Mozambique who also suffered a
1-3 loss to the hosts, Bafana Bafana in the first group A match.

Caption: Stephen Keshi.

CHAN 2014: Nigeria open campaign against Mali

REIGNING African champions, Nigeria's Super Eagles will face the Eagles of Mali in the second group A match of The third African Nations Championships (CHAN) which begins on Saturday (January.11) in South Africa.
The match holds at the Cape Town Stadium at 21.00 (7pm Nigerian time) after the opening match of the competition between the hosts, Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the Mambas of Mozambique at 5pm.
Nigeria it will be recalled beat Mali 4-1 in the semi-final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enroute to their victory just as Saturday's clash provides the Malians an ample opportunity to avenge the defeat.
Three members of the AFCON winning squad, Chogozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe and Ejike Uzoenyi
will be on parade for the Super Eagles.
Keshi has however, warned Nigerians not to expect his team to win this time saying that he will miss some of the key players like Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona who have secured foreign clubs after Nigeria's qualification, just as he declared that Nigeria are not going to South Africa to make up the numbers.
Meanwhile coach of South Africa, Gordon Igesund believes the victory over Spain late last year in an international friendly would propel Bafana Bafana to excel at CHAN 2014
“After beating Spain, we should carry on with the habit of winning and [the African Nations Championship] is a type of tournament where it is important for the team to do well,” Igesund told 'City Press'.
The tactician is equally confident based on the strength of his team which composed of players
from the Premier Soccer League (PSL)-Kaizer Chiefs, Bidvest Wits, Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka
Swallows, Platinum Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic and University of Pretoria.
“The challenge is to get Bafana going to a point that we get into the top eight in Africa so that we can be seeded when the draw for big tournaments is made,” Igesund said.
The hosts will no doubt bank on the experience of goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune alongside Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bernard Parker, among others to go for their first CHAN title after finishing in the quarter-final in their debut two years ago in Sudan.
The Mambas of Mozambique coached by Joao Chissano are well prepared for the tournament with the
players drawn from Liga Muculmana and rivals Costa do Sol who supplied five players each
while Ferroviario de Maputo, Maxaquene and Ferroviario de Beira have three players each. 
Mozambique in one of their build up games to CHAN 2104 lost 1-2 loss to the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and the result according to Chissano has exposed his team's weaknesses which would be corrected before the all-important opener against Bafana Bafana.
The debutants bank on experienced players in veteran defender Dario Khan, Miro, Gabito and Alvarito to combine with youngsters in Maninho and Diogo to make a statement in the Rainbow Nation.
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Caption: Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim.
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Why I beat Mikel to Glo-CAF award---Yaya Toure

MANCHESTER CIty player, Yaya Toure has said that his five-star performance in the national team contributed more to his emergence as the 2013 African Player of the Year.
The Ivorian international stunned millions of Nigerians who stayed glued to their television sets on Thursday night to watch the live transmission of the colourful Glo-CAF award held at the Eko Hotels and Suites when he beat Nigerian international John Obi Mikel to the famous award for the third year running
Toure, who expressed surprise while presenting his post victory remark later told a Ghanaian radio station, Citi FM that his victory was largely due to his contributions to the national team of Cote d'Ivoire.
"I think the award was given based on one's work with his national team and we, the contenders were judged based on that.
"A good national team showing is crucial for us. Of course, great club form is also important because it is never easy combing both things. Playing week in, week out at that level for Manchester City is very difficult."
"It has been one year since I won the last Player of the Year award so it is really challenging," said the former player of Beveren of Belgium, Metalurh Donetsk of Ukraine, Olympiacos of Greece, AS Monaco of France and FC Barcelona of Spain.
Toure did not hide the fact that Mikel (Chelsea of England) could have equally been a worthy winner of the prestgious Clo-CAF award.
"To be very honest with you, being touted as the favourite and not winning is really painful. I really feel for Mikel because he also deserved to win it. That said, I will just will just keep working hard and improving myself," he submitted.
Harmonysport.blogspot.com can authoritatively reveal that Toure clinched the award with (373
votes) as a result of Francophone influence as the voting pattern showed that he was preferred to Mikel who finished with 265 votes.
Out of the first 22 countries on the voting list, Mikel only won (10 points) in his country, Nigeria and Sudan while Toure led in all the remaining 20 countries except in Ghana and Congo (Asamoah Gyan), Egypt (Mohammed Aboutreika) and Gabon (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang).Two-time winner Didier Drogba finished third with 236 votes.

Caption: Yaya Toure.
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CHAN 2014: I have no team yet------Keshi

HEAD Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has said that he is yet to get a solid team for the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) which begins on January 11 in South Africa.
Keshi made this known while speaking shortly after the home-based Super Eagles defeated the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia 2-1 in a friendly at the National Stadium, Abuja.
"We are not yet a team, we are still working to get a team. You cannot get a team under three weeks, it’s impossible, expect you are magician," he said.
The man who coached Togo to the 2006 World Cup however, said he was impressed with the performance of his team.
"I am very impressed with the performance of the team especially on tactical play. If I get this kind of performance in all our games in CHAN, I will be satisfied.
"We played against a very good side. This is the first team of Ethiopia, very experienced team, they have been together for a long time," said the former Super Eagles captain.
The Delta State-born tactician said the outcome of the match was a lesson to his boys.
"This match serve as a lesson to us. We have never conceded a goal from a throw-in. Today we saw that goals can be scored from throw-ins, we have learned from that and we will try to correct our mistakes."
"The essence of this match is to give younger players experience though they have been together for long. So, this game is just for exposure and we have learned a lot from it," said the winner of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON),.
The former trainer of Mali acknowledged that his wards played a bit under pressure which they would overcome in a matter of days.
"Really my boys played under a little pressure, they wanted to impress the crowd, they wanted to impress the media. In the first half they played together and I think it should be like that, but in days to come they would improve," he said.
Goals from goals Ifeanyi Ede and Ugonna Ozochukwu gave Nigeria a 2-0 lead in the first half before goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim's blunder gave the Ethiopians a consolatory goal..
Nigeria drawn in group A at CHAN 2014 will begin their campaign on January 11 in Cape Town against Mali while they will also face Mozambique and the hosts, South Africa in the group.
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Caption: Keshi

FA Cup: Arsenal can't stop Adebayor--Tottenham manager

TOTTENHAM Hotspur's Manager, Tim Sherwood believes Emmanuel Adebayor is in a devastating form to make victory possible at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday when they face Arsenal in the third round of the English FA Cup.
The Togolese international has maintained hundred per cent scoring form since his return after the exit of Andre Villas-Boas who had sent him to Team B, as Sherwood has kept faith with him.
The former Monaco forward copped an injury during the last game where he scored the opener in the 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, but his manager believes Arsenal fans should not celebrate yet as the lanky striker is fit enough for the game.
Interestingly, Adebayor in less than 24 hours will be facing the North London club which brought him to limelight.
"How important will Adebayor be tomorrow? It's huge," Sherwood said. "I think if Arsene Wenger saw him limping off at Old Trafford, I'm sure there were a lot of pleased Arsenal fans and management and players.
"But, unfortunately, he's going to be walking out against them tomorrow. It didn't look great did it when he came off on that stretcher but he is a warrior. There is no holding him back at the moment."
Meanwhile, the Gunners Manager, Arsene Wenger equally acknowledged that Adebayor whom he signed from Monaco in 2006 is a threat given his current form.
"What is amazing for him is how fit he was when he came back – how quickly he adapted to top-level competition again. He (Adebayor) is a player with special talent, I'm in a good position to know," said Wenger.
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Caption: Adebayor in action against Southampton.

I am tired of Dynamo Kyiv---Ideye

NIGERIAN international, Brown Ideye is willing to leave Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine saying that  he is fed up with the inability to have enough playing time in the club.
His team-mate in fellow African from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dieumerci Mbokani has apparently forced Ideye to become a bench player and this, the Edo State-born player is prepared to make a thing of the past by going to try his luck elsewhere.
“I have worked hard for Dynamo Kyiv. I scored 12 league goals in my first season at the club and 17 goals last season. The coach (Oleg Blohkin) knows what I can do but since I am no longer getting the opportunities I deserve, I believe it’s time for me to pack my bags and leave,” he said.
Ideye who joined the Ukrainian club from Sochaux of France on €9 million (about N2 billion in June 2011  has two goals to his credit in the ongoing season as against eight scored by the Congolese forward and this he attributed to the limited appearances he is bein given in the team.
“He (Mbokani) has made 17 league appearances so far this season while I have only started three games. Why would he not score more than me when he plays more? The fact that I even managed to score two goals under such conditions is a testament to my ability.
“I don’t think I have been treated fairly because Mbokani, with due respect has not achieved what I have in the game. I am a Nations Cup winner with Nigeria, I have played at the FIFA Confederations Cup and will hopefully play at the 2014 FIFA World Cup if God permits; Mbokani has not.
“They are only giving him more playing time because they spent a lot of money bringing him to the club and will want to justify the transfer fee.
“I have given my blood and sweat to Dynamo Kyiv. It was my goal that helped the club to qualify for the Uefa Champions League last season so to be treated like this is just not right,” the former Ocean Boys FC striker said.Ideye, who won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa with the Super Eagles.
He however, banked on the assurance by Kyiv president, Ihor Sukis, of releasing him if any good offer comes.
“I had a serious but honest discussion with the president and we reached an agreement. He said I will be allowed to leave if the club receives a good offer but you know how these things work; nothing is decided until a deal is actually reached," said the former Neuchâtel Xamax of Switzerland player.