Yobo confident of victory against Ethiopia

Super Eagles team captain Joseph Yobo has assured Nigerians of a good result against the Walyas Antelopes of Ethiopia today in Rustenburg.

Speaking during the team's press conference in Rustenburg on Monday afternoon, Yobo noted that the Rustenburg pitch would help the Eagles' style of play that was greatly impaired by the sandy pitch of the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit where the team had played its last two games.

Yobo also said he was quite confident of the Eagles moving to the next stage and even the final because 'after so many caps he needs to win something for Nigeria' and he wants the 2013 Nations Cup trophy and was ready to help the team get there.

There was however a mild drama when questions on his fitness got the Fenerbahce defender furious at the gathered pressmen.

On his part, Coach Keshi remained jovial throughout the press conference except when he came to Yobo’s aid on the issue of fitness. He maintained that everyone in his team was all right and ready for the Ethiopia encounter.

Keshi declares Yobo fit, as Efe returns

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has slammed reports that team captain Joseph Yobo is not fit enough to play for the team at the Nations Cup.

Speaking at the team’s press conference in Rustenburg on Monday, the former Eagles captain expressed his disappointment at the reports making the round that Yobo was unfit and too old to play in the team that is eyeing a third African title.

He noted that such reports were shabby treatments of African players that were trying hard to impress compared to treatments of European stars.

“I don’t get it. There are players in Europe such as Javier Zanetti that are 37 years and older and when they play, people applaud them. But when an African player is 35 years and he has just one bad game, people will say he is too old and unfit. I just don’t get it.

“He (Yobo) is fit. If he was not, he would not be here. So, I don’t care what anybody says,” a very angry Keshi said.

There have been conflicting reports about Yobo’s fitness with some reports claiming that he was not yet fully fit to return to action for the Eagles.

Yobo sat out the match against Zambia in Mbombela after putting up a poor performance in the team’s opening game against Burkina Faso on January 21.

On his part, Super Eagles and Celtic of Scotland defender Efe Ambrose that was red-carded in the team's opening match against the Stallions of Burkina Faso at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit will return to the team's ranks for the final group match against the Walyas Antelopes of Ethiopia. 

This was confirmed by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Assistant Director on Media, Ademola Olajire in a brief interview.

According to Olajire, although Ambrose is now available to the team, whether he would be featured in the squad in the cracker against Ethiopia on Tuesday is entirely dependent on Coach Keshi.

"Efe Ambrose is returning to the team but whether he would play on Tuesday depends entirely on the coach," he said. Ambrose was handed a match ban by CAF after he saw red following two yellow-card offenses.

Meanwhile, the NFF has denied being involved in the punishment handed out to Egyptian referee, Ghead Grisha who was centre referee in the controversial draw between the Eagles and the Chipolopolos on Friday.

Olajire said that although the NFF did petition Confederation of African Football (CAF), the decision was arrived at without any pressure from the Federation.

"No, we did not pressure CAF for the decision. It was a unilateral decision by the African body which did not want the name of the game brought into disrepute," he said.

Grisha was sacked from officiating at the 2013 Nations Cup after a controversial penalty call handed Zambia a draw against Nigeria in their second group game.  

Be focused, NFF tells Keshi

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has told Coach Keshi and his technical crew to remain focused after the draw with Burkina Faso on Monday.

The NFF gave this directive on Tuesday during an urgent meeting between the national football body and the Super Eagles' technical crew just as the team begins preparations for the clash with defending champions Chipolopolo of Zambia. The meeting that was held at the team's hotel, we gathered was to look at what went wrong against Burkina Faso and to offer the team the necessary motivation to move ahead.

NFF President Aminu Maigari after the meeting denied that the Federation was piling pressure on the team's coaching crew. According to him, all the Federation wanted was a better result than the one seen in the team's first match on Monday.

"No pressure on the team. We just want a credible performance," he said.

Meanwhile, there are indications that Super Eagles and Chelsea forward Victor Moses will again miss the match against Zambia on Friday. According to sources close to the camp, Moses is not yet fit. He is however being penciled down for a return in the third match.

Moses, who saw the draw on Monday as having a positive side, cleared the air on why he was absent in a twitter message on Tuesday.

"Tough first game 1-1. Plenty of positives for us. Reason for those asking why I didn't play was (I) picked up minor injury in training. (I will be) back soon," he said.

Meanwhile, the team's camp got an unexpected visitor on Tuesday in pint-sized Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme (popularly known as Paw Paw). The actor said his visit was to cheer up the players and motivate them. He wished the team luck against Zambia.

"Bumped into Pawpaw in hotel today, Nigerian actor and legend came to wish us luck! Great to meet you," Moses posted on twitter on Tuesday afternoon.

Yobo promises victory against Zambia

Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo has assured Nigerians that the team would come out victorious in the match against Nations Cup defending champions Chipolopolos of Zambia on Friday.
Speaking just hours after the team was forced to a draw by the Stallions of Burkina Faso in its opening match on Tuesday night, the Fenerbahce of Turkey signing confidently assured disappointed Nigerian football fans that the team would 'return to winning ways against Zambia.'
Yobo, who played poorly in the match against Burkina Faso, believes that the team has what it takes to get victory from the crucial encounter against the Zambians.
Yobo had before the clash against Burkina Faso, said he had faith in the team's ability to bring joy to Nigerian fans.
"I do believe in this squad. We do have a lot of young players, but also a lot of experience, so there is a good blend.
"Most of them are not inexperienced players, they have played qualifying games, and they are ready for it.
"Previous squads I have been in we have had more experience, but this squad has an abundance of talent.
"We did not qualify for the last Nations Cup, but this squad has been able to do it," the former Everton defender.

Super Eagles gets 5-star welcome in South Africa

Super Eagles was treated to a five-star welcome on its arrival in South Africa on Thursday for the 2013 Nations Cup.
Hundreds of fans based in the southern African country beseiged the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg  to get a view of the Nigerian squad and to welcome it.
Although the team arrived later than its earlier scheduled 11am (10am South African time) arrival, the fans waited patiently until the team touched down. The team's initial flight was delayed for around an hour due to the huge crowd that was at the airport.
The Eagles then boarded another flight from Johannesburg to Nelspruit which will serve as its base for the group phase of the championship.
The Nigeria High Commissioner to South Africa Sonni Yusuf had told everybody earlier in the week to expect such a crowd. He revealed that the High Commission had contacted the Nigerian community in Nelspruit and also expected the closeness of the area to Mozambique where there are also many Nigerians to boost support for the team.
“In the area of support for our team, there will be no problem at all. Nigeria has one of the largest immigrant populations in South Africa.
“The proximity of Mbombela to Mozambique, where we also have a large Nigerian community is another advantage for us.
“So starting from Thursday when the team will arrive in South Africa, the huge support of the Nigerian community in South Africa will be felt,” Yusuf said.
In the same vein, fellow West Africans, Ghana on Thursday also arrived in Port Elizabeth where it would prosecute all its group matches.
Meanwhile, a total of 16 state Football Association chairmen and 14 sports editors have been penciled down as part of Nigeria's contingent to South Africa. The country's contingent which also includes sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi is expected to depart for South Africa on Friday afternoon.
 

FIFA ranking: Nigeria gets boost ahead Nations Cup

Super Eagles of Nigeria on Thursday got a boost from FIFA just days ahead of the kickoff of its Nations Cup campaign as it was placed ninth in Africa on the latest rankings released by the international football body.
The Eagles that was previously ranked tenth on the continent moved up a place to ninth even though its global ranking remained 52nd.
Ivory Coast remained the best team in Africa while Algeria maintained its second spot even though it dropped three places in the world. Mali also stayed on third and Ghana on fourth though it moved four places up in the world while Africa's defending champions Zambia retained its fifth position even though it dropped five places on the global rankings. Libya moved six places up in the world to place sixth on the continent while Gabon dropped the same number of places to in the world to place seventh.
New African football sensation, Central African Republic (CAR) is now eighth on the continent, a place up from its previous ninth position while Tunisia dropped eight places to the tenth position on the continent and 53rd in the world.
The Eagles will tango with the Zambians in its second group match. It will play Burkina Faso in its first game on Monday, January 1 just as Zambia tackles Ethiopia.
The Eagles that landed in South Africa on Thursday afternoon is hoping to qualify from Group C and take a shot at the title that it wants to win for a third time. Pundits have tipped the team to finish in the first two alongside Zambia.

Champions League: CAF approves Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium for Rangers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the use of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu for the home matches of Enugu Rangers in this year's edition of the Champions League.
An elated Rangers announced this on Thursday via its twitter account.
"CAF has approved Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium for our Champions League matches," the club wrote.
Rangers qualified for the Champions League after finishing the season in second place behind winners Kano Pillars after a very tumultous term in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).
Rangers has been trying to put itself in the proper shape for the Champions League. It even bought Warri Wolves captain, goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim and forward Sunday Mba that are presently in South Africa with the national male team, Super Eagles.
Rangers chances of doing well on the continent has however not been impressive, particularly with the team finishing in the last place with just a point at the just concluded Super Four pre-season tournament.
But the club is going ahead with its preparations nevertheless. It revealed on Thursday that it would be shyifting base to Nanka in Anambra State to continue with its training for the continental affair.
"Plans are on to move to Nanka, Anambra State for the final phase of camping before our first Champions League match in February," the club disclosed. "We are opening a two weeks camp in Nanka."