Tag: Nigeria

Group ‘F’ analysis by FIFA

fifa.com

Group F will feature one match that has become something of a classic fixture of and five that have never been played on the big stage before, part of the reason for which is because Bosnia-Herzegovina are making their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup™, while Iran have only ever faced their group rivals in friendlies.

As for Argentina and Nigeria, the other two combatants in the group, there is not much they do not know about each other. Their meeting next June will be the latest instalment in an exciting rivalry between the two sides, led by Lionel Messi and John Obi Mikel, who have faced off three times in major competitions at different age levels: the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Netherlands 2005, the gold medal match at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008 and in the group phase at South Africa 2010. On all three occasions Argentina won.

The teams
There is not much that has not already been said about two-time world champions Argentina or for that matter about Messi, who will renew his bid to lift the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy. Alejandro Sabella’s men are the favourites to top a group in which reigning African champions Nigeria will be aiming to make the experience they have acquired on their four previous appearances count. Meanwhile, Bosnia will be out to replicate the entertaining brand of football that made them the fourth-highest scorers in the European qualifiers, and Iran, coached by Portugal’s Carlos Queiroz will hope to combine solid organisation with the technical attributes they have long been known for.

Players to watch
Lionel Messi, (ARG), Sergio Aguero (ARG), Gonzalo Higuain (ARG), John Obi Mikel (NGA), Victor Moses (NGA), Victor Obinna (NGA), Edin Dzeko (BIH), Vedad Ibisevic (BIH), Miralem Pjanic (BIH), Reza Ghoochannejhad (IRN), Javad Nekounam (IRN), Karim Ansari (IRN).

The crunch match
Bosnia-Nigeria: in a section that most people will expect Argentina to win, games such as this one will be crucial in deciding who goes through to the last 16. The European side will have the challenge of performing in circumstances that will be entirely new to them, while the Nigerians will be eyeing the chance to reach the knockout phase for the first time since France 1998.

A look back
Argentina 2-1 Nigeria, 25 June 1994, Boston
This game, which will forever be remembered as Diego Armando Maradona’s last match for his country, pitted an Argentina side packed with stars such as El Diez, Claudio Caniggia, Fernando Redondo and Gabriel Batistuta against a Nigeria team very much on the up and up and featuring the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Finidi George and Emmanuel Amunike. The Africans took a surprise early lead through Samson Siasia, only for the wily Caniggia to turn the game around with a typically predatory double. The blond-haired striker’s cry of “Diego, Diego”, imploring Maradona to play the pass that would lead to his second goal, is an iconic moment for Argentina fans.

Did you know?
Bosnia-Herzegovina, who played their first official match as an independent national team in November 1995, came close to making their World Cup debut at South Africa 2010 but lost out in the play-offs to Portugal. Twenty-four of their 26 most regularly selected players ply their trade outside the country.

The stat
36 – The number of years since Argentina and Iran met for the first and only time to date. That match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, took place in Madrid on 22 March 1977 and formed part of Real Madrid’s 75th anniversary celebrations. One year later La Albiceleste won their maiden World Cup title on home soil in a competition that marked the Asian side’s world finals debut.

 

 

The tweet

 

En un Mundial ningún partido es fácil pero con esfuerzo y trabajo siempre hay recompensa. Vamos Argentina!!!

 

In a World Cup match is no easy job but there is always effort and reward. Come on Argentina!
Sergio Aguero, Argentina

Nigerian Onazi: Eagles Can Go All The Way In Brazil

 

SS Lazio of Italy midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is confident the Super Eagles can go all the way in Brazil at the FIFA World Cup if the players have self belief.Onazi says the Super Eagles must also be totally focussed on the job at hand instead of concentrating on particular teams, warning that all the qualified teams have the chance to win the trophy.

”No matter how small, we have to accept the fact that all the countries who have qualified to play at the World Cup do have some a chance. Football is an interesting and dicey game. We have to go out with the belief that we can do it,” Onazi said in an interview with mtnfootball.

Onazi is however not worried about playing Argentina who have beaten the Super Eagles three times in three clashes and prefers not to think about how the team prepares for the tournament instead of the competition proper.

”We are going to take it one game at a time. For now, we have some preparatory matches to look forward to before the World Cup. When we get to Brazil, we will worry about Iran, Bosnia and Argentina in that order.”

On if he sees the Super Eagles ending their winless streak against Argentina,Onazi says Eagles must not pay too much attention to the game.

”Like I said, we won’t play Argentina until we are done with both Iran and Bosnia. We have to avoid concentrating on one team alone and forget others that we will even face before Argentina. No doubt, Argentina are a big team and they are favourites, but that’s where it ends.”

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Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama believes that their first two games against Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 2014 FIFA World Cup would determine how far they would go.

Enyeama who will be making his third appearance at the FIFA World Cup for Nigeria,said that they will not underrate the two teams at the tournament.

Nigeria is in group F and would play their first game against Iran in Curitiba,before subsequent games against Bosnia-Herzegovina,then Argentina.

“Whether Iran, Bosnia and Argentina these are no easy games. All these nations we are facing,are also serious about getting results. But we will see how it goes with the Super Eagles, we will do all our best to progress from the group,” said Enyeama who has this season been the undisputed number one keeper for his clubside,Lille FC.

Enyeama equally noted that he would even want to play against France in the second round of the World Cup.

“I hope of course that we can pass the group stage. And who knows, meet France in the second round,” said Enyeama who was speaking before his side’s trip to AS Monaco

 

Friendly matches announced for Team Melli

Team Melli will be playing against Belarus and Montenegro during the European camp on may 2014.

As part of the preparation for the FIFA World Cup , Carlos Queiroz will be taking Team Melli squad to Europe , most probably a camp in Austria, which would last for two weeks. During this training camp , two friendly matches have been arranged with East European teams, Belarus and Montenegro.

After the completion of the European camp , Team Melli will continue the preparation program in Tehran where a another friendly match is scheduled on the 31st of May. The opponents will be an African country , either Angola or South Africa. Thus Team Melli would have played with teams that are tactically and physically close to two opponents in the Group F, Nigeria and Bosnia. Iran will still be looking for a Latin American team to play a friendly match against to gauge its capabilities with Argentina in mind. Such opponent team might be available when Team Melli sets camp in Brazil , early in June. At the moment, 8th of June 2014 is booked for a match against Montenegro in Brazil, however the opponent might change to a South American team pending negotiations.

 

Team Melli Training Camp matches.

18th May 2014 vs Belarus in Europe (Austria)

26th May 2014 vs Montenegro in Europe (Austria)

31st May 2014 vs Angola or South Africa @ Azadi

8th June 2014 vs Montenegro in Brazil

 

 

Nigeria U17 coach hits back at Iran age-cheating claim

By Oluwashina Okeleji BBC Sport, Lagos

Nigeria Under-17 coach Manu Garba has dismissed Iran’s accusation of age-cheating in the 4-1 defeat by the Golden Eaglets at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Three-time champions Nigeria were too hot for Iran at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain racking up three goals in the first half en route to a 4-1 win against the Asian side in the Round of 16. Afterwards Iranian coach Ali Doustimehr questioned the ages of some of the players representing the west African country.

But Garba told BBC Sport: “I personally feel it is just something that is borne out of frustration at losing to a tactically and technically better side. “All the players we have here passed the MRI test and we even conducted another round one month before we came to the UAE. “We would probably take it up with the Iranian coach at Fifa level for casting aspersion on the eligibility of our players.”

Back in August, Nigeria dropped key players for the tournament after wrist scans showed them to be over the age limit. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to scan the wrist plate of players to accurately ascertain their true age, with only players between grade 1 and 5 of the scan eligible to participate. Meanwhile, Nigeria and Ivory Coast are the only African teams to have progressed to the quarter-finals in the UAE.

While the Young Elephants narrowly edged past continental rivals Morocco 2-1, Nigeria highlighted their title credentials with that crushing victory over Iran, bringing their goals-for tally to 18 after four games.

Ivory Coast will face Argentina in the last eight on Saturday, while Nigeria are sweating on the fitness of leading scorer Kelechi Iheanacho for their tie against Uruguay on the same day. Iheanacho has scored five goals in the competition and coach Manu Garba has assured the striker will be available for the Uruguay test. “It is a minor injury and Iheanacho should be back for the next game,” the coach said.

Nigeria have now reached at least the quarter-finals at nine of the ten U-17 World Cups they have participated in. The only time the Golden Eaglets failed to do so was at Finland 2003, when they were packing for home after the group stage.

Mahdavikia: “the Nigerians were tremendous, Our team was shocked.”

Iran nigeria FIFA U-17

 

Mehdi Mahdavikia said the Nigerian team was tremendous  while our team was shocked in matter of few minutes .

After the crushing 4-1 defeat of Iran’s U-17 team in the FIFA U17 World Cup by Nigeria . Mahdavikia who was accompanying the team as an advisor admitted that the African team was way stronger than Iran. “in matter of minutes, the way the Nigerians played made our team fell apart. Nigeria had a very strong team. Their No. 11 player managed to run havoc on our defenses, and we had no answer for that. They were very professional and it was a deserving victory for the better team.” Mahdavikia said.

“Our players were not successful in playing a neat passing game and many of their passes fell short or intercepted by the opponents who created swift counterattacks and scored goals. Our players fell victim to their inexperience. We should accept that our opponents played much better than us. Their Height and figures looked like players above 17 years category .”

The former Captain of Team Melli : “I played soccer for many years but I do not know how can some of these Nigerian players can be less than 17 years !. There are a number of crucial factors at this level of football; stress and lack of experience are at the top. In this level, the young age and lack of experience sometimes makes it difficult for players to make the right decisions in time-critical situations.”

Mahdavikia in an interview with ISNA said that “the fact that the players reached the World Cup and qualified from group stage is in itself an achievement that we need to commend them and the coaching staff.  I believe congratulation is due. We need to face reality, our young players do not have a lot to offer and that is probably the most they could achieve at world level. Football in Iran does not pay much attention to the grassroots. Considering this, Doustimeher , his coaching team and his colleagues  did a marvelous and commending job creating this team in such adverse situations , to build a team to the World Cup after hard work lasting for three years “.

“After long consideration, I don’t think that Team Melli U-17 performed badly. We qualified from the group stage but faced a team like Nigeria which has the potential to reach the final. I believe that our team created an achievement under these circumstances. We tried our best to qualify but faced a strong team that we could not beat. Hopefully in the future our grassroots football is taken more seriously so that we can build better national teams. Again though, I believe that the work of the coaching staff to reach that far in the World Cup was a masterwork.”
Iran was eleimnated from the FIFA U17 World Cup in the 1/16 round by losing to Nigeria 4-1 in Al Ain.