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Tag 2021 AFCON Qualifiers

  • Mar, Fri, 2020
Sport

2021 AFCON qualifiers postponed over coronavirus

Postponement
Cape Town, March 13, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) Two rounds of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers scheduled for March have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Friday.

Rounds three and four of the pool qualifiers were due to be played in the international window from March 25 to March 31.

But the CAF emergency committee has postponed the games until further notice, without providing alternative dates.

The Nations Cup finals in Cameroon have been moved forward to next January and February to avoid the rainy season, which means the qualifiers will have to be completed this year.

That could see a delay to the start of the African qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup which were due to start in October.

The Nations Cup qualifiers would have involved 48 countries.

Many players would have been travelling from the major European leagues in Italy, France, England, Germany and Spain, where the coronavirus has disrupted domestic fixtures.

CAF has also postponed qualifiers for the 2020 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for April and this month’s Women’s Under-20 World Cup preliminaries.

“We would like to assure you that CAF is monitoring the situation closely and working with the competent authorities such as WHO (World Health Organisation) on the impact of the virus in the continent and CAF competitions,” a statement said.

The African Nations Championship (CHAN), a national team competition for home-based players, is still on in Cameroon from April 4 to April 25.

But this is dependent on the findings of the CAF medical committee who will visit the country this weekend to assess preventative measures taken by the Local Organising Committee.

Morocco’s football federation has called a meeting for Monday to decide whether they will play in the tournament.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Mar, Wed, 2020
Sport

Rohr calls up 2 first-timers, recalls Iheanacho for Sierra Leone fixtures in AFCON qualifiers  

Call-ups
Abuja, March 4, 2020 (NAN) Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernor Rohr has listed 24 players for two 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixtures against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone this month. 

The players invited to camp include team captain Ahmed Musa, vicecaptain William Ekong and veteran defender Kenneth Omeruo.

On the list which has three goalkeepers, eight defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards are also two first-time call-ups, as well as a returning old-timer.

Kingsley Ehizibue of FC Koln and Holland-based forward Cyril Dessers have been called up for the first time, while England-based former Under-17 World Cup winner Kelechi Iheanacho returns to the fold.  

There are also goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Leon Balogun and Olaoluwa Aina, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forwards Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria, on six points from their first two matches and in a comfortable lead in their pool, host the Leone Stars at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on March 27.

They will then head to Freetown to confront the Stars at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in the return four days later.

Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said in a statement on Wednesday that all invited players are to report in Asaba on March 23.

“The team’s technical and administrative officials are also expected to report on the the same day,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that victory in both games will virtually guarantee Nigeria a spot at the 33rd AFCON scheduled for Cameroon early next year.

They will thereafter be away to Benin Republic in Porto Novo in June and then at home against Lesotho early September.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Wigan Athletic, England); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy)

Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kingsley Ehizibue (FC Koln, Germany)

Midfielders: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Etebo Oghenekaro (Getafe FC, Spain); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain)

Cyril Dessers (Heracles Almelo, The Netherlands); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France)
(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

  • Feb, Sun, 2020
Sport

Super Eagles, Leone Stars to clash in Asaba in 2021 AFCON qualifier, NFF says

Eagles
Abuja, Feb. 16, 2020 (NAN) The Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba will host next month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone. 

Ademola Olajire, the Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), announced this in a statement on Sunday, quoting the federation’s General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi. 

“We have finally settled for the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba for the qualifying match against Sierra Leone and it will be played on March 27,’’ Sanusi was quoted as saying.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the venue, named after former Nigeria captain and coach Stephen Keshi of blessed memory, has hosted several international matches since 2018.

Since it was opened two years ago, it has hosted matches involving the Super Eagles and the Nigeria under-23 male squad.

Uganda were the first opposition entertained at the 15,400-capacity venue by the Super Eagles, in a friendly match which ended scoreless.

This came days after Nigeria sealed a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ticket in South Africa in November 2018.

The Eagles have since beaten Seychelles 3-1 (2019 AFCON qualifier) and seven-times African champions Egypt 1-0 (a friendly) at the same venue.

They also had a scoreless draw with Zimbabwe in a pre- 2019 AFCON friendly in June last year.

The under-23 team on their part beat Libya and Sudan in 2019 Under-23 AFCON qualifying matches at the same venue.

Olajire disclosed that with NFF now having picked March 27 for the first match, the Sierra Leone Football Association is now likely to opt for March 31 for the return leg.

“That day is the final day in the FIFAwindow, and it is expected as the last possible date for the return leg scheduled for the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown.’’ 

NAN reports that victory in next month’s Match Day 3 fixture against the Leone Stars will take the Super Eagles closer to the 2021 AFCON finals.

They currently perch at the top of their pool with the maximum six points from their first two matches and a goals difference of plus three.

A 2-1 win over Benin Republic in Uyo on Nov. 13 was followed by a 4-2 whiplash of Lesotho in Maseru four days later.

The Super Eagles have further dates against the Squirrels of Benin Republic in Cotonou in June and the Crocodiles of Lesotho in Nigeria in September.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Super Eagles ‘ll grow into AFCON qualifiers, says Akanni

Eagles

Abuja, Nov. 13, 2019 (NAN) A former Super Eagles defender, Waidi Akanni, has expressed optimism that the Nigerian national football team would keep improving and getting better with each 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match.

Akanni was reacting to the hard-fought 2-1 victory recorded by the Super Eagles against the Squirrels of Benin Republic in their Group L encounter on Wednesday.

The match, played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, saw the Super Eagles come from behind to defeat their West African opponents 2-1.

Akanni, a former chairman of the Lagos State Football Association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the most important thing about the game against Benin Republic was that the Eagles secured victory.

“The most important thing is that we got the three points. It is true that we struggled in the opening part of the game but it was due to lack of cohesion, especially in the midfield.

“It is not unusual because it is the first game of the qualifiers, but going forward, I believe the boys will play better as a team,” he said.

Squirrels’ Stephane Sessegnon opened scoring in the fifth minute to send Nigeria into panic mode before Victor Osimhen levelled up in the 45th minute.

Samuel Kalu then won the match for the Super Eagles with a close-range effort in the 62nd minute to seal a 2-1 victory.

Nigeria’s No. 10 jersey, which former Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi had made his own for years, was handed to new entrant, Joe Aribo, against the Squirrels.

Akanni said that the 23-year-old Glasgow Rangers midfielder gave a good account of himself.

“Joe Aribo was solid. He has easily blended into the national team. What the Eagles need now is playing together more. The players will get better,” he said. (NAN)

KIA/JPE/WAS

Edited by Joseph Edeh and ‘Wale Sadeeq

 

 

 

 

Sport

AFCON 2021 Qualifiers: Nigeria draws Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Benin

Draw
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, July 18, 2019 (NAN) Nigeria has been drawn with Sierra Leone, Lesotho and Benin Republic in Group L of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The draw took place on Thursday evening at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo.

African football icons Nwankwo Kanu, Samuel Eto’o, Khalilou Fadiga, Geremi Njitap, El Hadji Diouf and Jose Clayton were in attendance.

CAF Deputy General Secretary of Football and Development, Anthony Baffoe, was in charge of proceedings and he was assisted by Algerian football great Rabah Madjer, Eto’o and Nigeria’s Kanu.

The 48 teams were drawn into 12 groups of four teams in addition to the four winners of the preliminary round.

In Group A, Mali will join Guinea, Namibia and the winners between Liberia and Chad for size, while Group B has Burkina Faso, Uganda, Malawi and Djibouti/Gambia.

AFCON 2019 quarter-finalists South Africa will have their hands full in Group C against Ghana and Sudan.

AFCON 2019 hosts Egypt have been paired with Kenya, Togo and Comoros Island.

While Togo and Comoros Island could not reach the 2019 Nations Cup, Kenya made the trip to Egypt but could not go farther than the group stage.

Hosts Cameroon will participate in the qualifiers even though the team are guaranteed a spot in the finals regardless of their ranking in the group.

Their matches and results will count in determining the qualification of the other teams from their groups, namely Cape Verde, Mozambique and Rwanda.

Preliminary round of the qualifiers will be played in October 2019, while the group stage will kick off in November and will end in November 2020.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Finals of the 33rd edition except Group F.

In that group, Cameroon automatically qualify as hosts alongside the highest placed of other three teams.

The top two teams will book their place for the 33rd edition of the championship.

Below is the full draw:
Group A – Mali, Guinea, Namibia, Liberia/Chad

Group B – Uganda, Malawi, Burkina Faso, South Sudan/Seychelles.

Group C – South Africa, Sudan, Ghana, Mauritius/Sao Tome.

Group D – Gabon, Angola, DR Congo, Djibouti/Gambia.

Group E – Mauritania, Central African Republic, Morocco, Burundi.

Group F – Mozambique, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Rwanda.

Group G – Egypt, Kenya, Togo, Comoros Island.

Group H – Zimbabwe, Zambia, Algeria, Botswana

Group I – Guinea Bissau, Congo, Senegal, Eswatini.

Group J – Tanzania, Libya, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea.

Group K – Madagascar, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia.

Group L – Sierra Leone, Benin, Nigeria, Lesotho.(NAN)
VO/JPE/MST

(Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola)