SPORTS
Nigerians Celebrate Super Eagles Round of 16 Qualifications
… ‘It’s a Step to Becoming Champions
By Ben Nwachukwu, Abuja
Football loving Nigerians have continued to celebrate the emergence of the senior national team; Super Eagles to become the first to make it to the knockout rounds of the on-going 32nd Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt on Wednesday evening, as highly improved central defender Kenneth Omeruo’s well-tucked in header from a Moses Simon’s corner kick earned the maximum three points against Guinea at the Alexandria Stadium.
The fans who claimed that the Super Eagles below average first half almost caused them heart attack noted that it gave way to a lively second half, during which enterprising Odion Ighalo, who earned all the three points for Nigeria in the opening game after coming on as a substitute against Burundi on Saturday, had an ample opportunity to score thwarted by Guinean defenders that checkmated Ahmed Musa’s pass from an instantaneous counter-attack.
They lamented that though the Super Eagles have made history by becoming the first country to zoom into the Round of 16, the team’s attack with Alex Iwobi, Odion Ighalo, Chukwueze, Simon, Ahmed Musa et al still have more work to do if they must return with the prized trophy next month.
The Super Eagles played 27 minutes without a shot either on target or off target while the Syli Nationale had three shots on target to their credit before Iwobi’s forced clever one was saved by Guinea’s goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone after Moses Simon had shot wide.
With this result it is the first time since the AFCON finals (also staged in Egypt), Nigeria won their two matches of the finals.
At the beginning, the Syli Nationale were more business-like, working hard in search of early goal which eventually eluded them even with three shots on target including one that distressed Daniel Akpeyi.
Coach Gernot Rohr benched Captain Mikel Obi and William Ekong and Chukwueze for Simon while Ighalo started in place of Paul Onuachu however the Super Eagles did not look penetratingly creative in the first half hour and it was principally the union of Kenneth Omeruo, Leon Balogun, Chidozie Awaziem and Ola Aina at the rear that guaranteed a barren score line at the break.
Iwobi who was described by the commentator as the most enterprising player on Nigeria’s side had movement and venture but gave the ball away in turn and Ighalo lamented after side-netting with Musa waiting eagerly to raze the net from close range in the 32nd minute that he did not look up. Earlier, he had, with a poor first touch, rummaged a good pass from wing wizard Musa after the deputy Captain’s run down the left, and Iwobi also wasted another excellent pass by the quick winger.
Only a draw from their last match of the group phase against Madagascar on Sunday will see the Super Eagles to finish top of the group and remain in Alexandria for their Round of 16 fixture.
Following are the results of Match Day 1 fixtures in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday and dates of the remaining fixtures:
Akwa United FC 1-1 Abia Warriors FC
Bayelsa United FC 1-1 Kano Pillars FC
Katsina United FC 1-1 Bendel Insurance FC
Niger Tornadoes FC 0-0 Nasarawa United FC
Shooting Stars FC 1-1 Plateau United FC
El Kanemi Warriors Vs Kwara United FC (postponed )
The following Match Day two fixtures
Would be played on Sept.
25:Ikorodu City FC Vs Enugu Rangers international FC
Enyimba international FC Vs Lobi stars FC .
(NAN)
Following are the results of remaining Match Day one fixtures played on Sunday in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)Heartland FC 1-3 Enyimba international FCKwara United FC 1-2 Niger Tornadoes FCBendel Insurance FC 0-0 Rivers United FCPlateau United FC 1-0 Katsina United FCKano Pillars FC 3-0 Ikorodu City FCSunshine Stars FC 3-0 Bayelsa United FCAbia Warriors FC 0-2 Remo Stars FCNasarawa United FC 1-1 Shooting Stars FC.
(NAN)
The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, said his team can beat any team with the quality of players in the team.
Eguavoen stated this after his team spanked the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-0 in the 2025 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.
“We have quality players to beat any team but we respect team anyway.
Any coach can come in and do the same job with the Super Eagles.“It is a mindset, we have the potential and how you perceived your opponent, given the information about them and then go out and do the job,“he said.
Equavoen attributed the victory to the formation adopted by the technical crew, adding that any formation could be used to ensure that the team was successful.
“We can decide to use any system. It is something we discussed and I slept over it. I know with the caliber of players that we have, we can decide to play any formation.
“Football is about you win, lose and draw, I don’t believe we have a poor result,” he said.
He, however, said that the former Super Eagles coach didn’t do a good job but it has to do with believe, what is at stake and what you want to achieve.
“Psychologically as a group, we are agreed, where we are and where we are going to be. We will definitely achieve it,” Equavoen said.
He commended the performance of the defence , describing it as superb, adding that the team had been training together for one week.
The coach said that asking six players to warm up for the second half was to buy time, adding that there was no need to rush to change.
He said the Cheetahs of Benin Republic were a good team, adding that they came with a good game plan.
Report says that Eguavoen was appointed interim coach after the deal between the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and coach Bruno Labbadia failed.
NFF explained in a statement that it failed due to the stringent regulations of German tax authorities.(NAN)
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