Sports
Reactions as Super Falcons lose to Banyana Banyana
Nigeria’s Super Falcons began their title defence on a faltering note on Monday at the 12th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Rabat, Morocco by losing again (1-2) to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.
Enugu fans express dismay over Super Falcon 2-1 loss to S/Africa
Some football enthusiasts in Enugu, on Monday expressed dismay over the Super Falcons of Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Banyana Banyana of South Africa at the ongoing African Women Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Some of them who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the match on Monday in Enugu said it was time to groom new and energetic players for the national team.
Okechukwu Nnamani said the players showed weakness in strength and needed to be replaced with vibrant and energetic players.
“It seems like age is catching up on the players and they failed to withstand the fire power of the South Africans.
The Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Coal City Girls, advised female football administrators in the country to look into the players welfare and growth of the nation’s female league.
“I know that we can do better than this with the home base players with well organised league.
“We have to come back home and fix a lot of things that have gone wrong.
“Before, we use to hammer teams 5-0 but these days, those teams are now thrashing us and this shows that we are going down in female football,” he said.
Ignatius Okpara, Former secretary, Sports Writer’s Association of Nigeria (SWAN), said the girls’ performance was nothing to talk about.
“We have players who can do better than this set of players in the league, I do not know why we so much depend on foreign players.
“The coach should have talked to the girls after the interval to remove anxiety in thier approach to the game,” he noted.
Okpara advised the team handlers to go back to the drawing board and correct the lapses and ensured that the girls finished well at the Championship.
The Enugu State Boxing coach, Blaise Ude, said the game had been played and that the team should redeem themselves with the remaining matches of the group.
“There is no need to cry over spilled milk, so the only solution is for the team to come up better in subsequent matches in the group.
“Thank God, it is the first match of the group stage and not a knockout stage.
“We still have room to achieve our target at the championship with determination.
Coach Anistar Izuikem of Stars Plus FC of Ngwo expressed shock over the loss to South Africa.
“These girls defeated us at the group stage in Ghana and at the Aisha Buhari Football Tournament but we taught it was a fluke.
“Now, we know they mean business and the technical crew should not sleep over it because it is going to cause the country a lot.
“This is the only game we have been dominating in Africa and now we are at the verge of relinquishing the superiority, something has to be done,” Izuikem said.
Super Falcons unfazed inspite of loss to South Africa, says Coach Waldrum
Randy Waldrum, Head Coach of the Super Falcons of Nigeria, says his team is unfazed, inspite of their 1-2 loss to South Africa at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that It was bad day at the office for the nine-time champions.
This was after they suffered a 1-2 loss to Banyana Banyana of South Africa on Monday, in their Group C opening game of the 2022 WAFCON.
The Super Falcons came into the game against South Africa as favorites, having won the competition more than any other nation on the continent.
Banyana Banyana however scored twice in two minutes thanks to Jermaine Seoposenwe and Hilda Magaia goals in the 60th and 62nd minutes to destabilize their opponents, who were caught off-guard by the quick firing South Africans.
The Super Falcons eventually found a goal in the first minute of added time, thanks to an incredible finish by Rasheedat Ajibade, but it was too late as South Africa reorganized themselves and bagged the three points.
Waldrum told newsmen during his post-match conference that his team was in good spirit, inspite of the loss, adding that they intend to go back to the drawing board and work on all their mistakes.
“Inspite of the loss, we are still positive in camp. It is obviously the first game of the tournament so we have to go back and regroup.
“We have to increase our urgency in the fighting spirit because we are encouraged by it.
“We have to play the way we played in the last 10-15 minutes so that we get going,” Waldrum said.
NAN reports that Botswana now top Group C with three points and a superior goal difference of +3 after thrashing Burundi 4-1 in their opening game.
South Africa are second also with three points and a goal difference of +1 ahead of their next game against bottom-placed side Burundi on Thursday.
While Nigeria currently in third take on Botswana on the same day at 8 p.m.
Abuja fans express disappointment over Super Falcons’ poor performance against South Africa
Some football fans in Abuja on Monday expressed disappointment over the Super Falcon’s poor performance against their South African opponents at the ongoing 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on Monday stunned champions Super Falcons of Nigeria 2-1 in the Group C opening match at the 2022 WAFCON in Morocco.
The result was similar to that of 2018 WAFCON where Banyana Banyana pipped the Super Falcons 1-0 in their opening game.
The result also meant that the South Africans have now recorded back-to-back wins against Nigeria after they defeated the Super Falcons 4-2 in the Aisha Buhari Cup Invitational in 2021.
A cross section of football fans who spoke to NAN after the game said that they were very disappointed with the performance of the Falcons, adding however that they were hopeful that the team would bounce back from the defeat.
Victor Thompson, a public servant, singled out Asisat Oshoala for criticism, saying that she failed to bring her A-game into the match and let her teammates down at critical moments in the game.
“Oshoala for me was the worst player on the pitch today. She failed to shine as she missed several clear cut opportunities in front of goal.
“The Barcelona star indeed was ineffective and had a disappointing game.
“She was the biggest star on the pitch and much was expected of her, but she failed to live up to the hype and expectations of Nigerians.
“I hope she can quickly put this disappointing game behind her and show us what she is capable of in their two remaining group games,” he said.
Rita Akintujoye, a business woman, said that the Falcons were technically as well as tactically deficient and didn’t show enough hunger to win the game.
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“It was a lackadaisical performance from a team that had a lot of technical and tactical issues. The Falcons had no playmaker as Rita Chikwelu failed to offer any creative spark in the game and rightly deserved to be taken off.
“The team in my opinion, relied so much on Oshoala who failed to deliver. Infact, the first team choice for me was wrong from the onset.
“Coach Randy Waldrum made a mistake by leaving the likes of Francisca Ordega and Uchenna Kanu on the bench. You could see the impact of both players when they were introduced very late into the game.
“I also thought the experience and commanding presence of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was missed in the game.
“Her absence was a big blow for the Super Falcons, who have now lost three of their last four outings to Banyana Banyana,” he said.
NAN reports that Nnadozie who plays for French club, Paris FC was suspended for the game after receiving yellow cards in different matches in the qualifiers against Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
She was replaced by a less experienced Tochukwu Oluehi who tried her best to marshal a poor defensive line which lacked discipline. She was not convincing either and was lucky not to be sent off,” he said.
Femi Oyelade, an entrepreneur said it was reality check for the nine-time champions, adding that he was hopeful that they would bounce back from the defeat and perform better as they progress in the tournament.
“The Super Falcons suffered a reality check today against a young Banyana Banyana side who have proven to be a thorn in our flesh in recent times.
“They are the defending champions and the team to beat, but they were brought down to earth by the South Africans, who indeed earned a well deserved win I must say.
“All eyes were on Oshoala, but the Barcelona Femeni star was disappointing to say the lest as she had a couple of chances in the game but could not make it count.
“The team generally speaking, looked rusty and its fair to say their errors in the second half cost them the game.
“I hope they will go back to the drawing board, make the necessary adjustments and bounce back quickly from this defeat just as they did in 2018,” he said.
Amaka Obiekwe, a student, noted that the Falcons’ defence line was poor, adding that only Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre showed some flash of brilliance.
“The two centre-backs were a mess, failing to cope with the speed and skill of the South Africans. Onome Ebi, the captain was unaware of her surroundings for the first goal and out of position for the second.
“She lacked positional awareness and the speed to match the athletic South Africans.
“Alozie, the American fullback was solid defensively in the first half and looked good going forward. However, she was at fault for South Africa’s second goal as she was caught out of position.
“Plumptre was by far our best defender on the night, inspite playing in an unfamiliar left-back role .
“She was comfortable and calm with the ball. However, she was beaten too easily for the first goal,” Amaka said.
The Super Falcons will next face debutants Botswana while South Africa take on Burundi.
Arsenal Football Club is facing a major transition as sporting director, Edu Gaspar is reportedly poised to leave his position amidst growing interest from a group of clubs owned by Evangelos Marinakis, including Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos.
Sources indicate that the Brazilian, who has been a key figure in reshaping Arsenal’s transfer strategy and overall identity since 2019, is expected to take on a significant new role within Marinakis’ expansive network.
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His departure could signal a substantial shift in Arsenal’s approach to player recruitment and team development.
Edu’s tenure has seen the club invest £867 million in player acquisitions, ranking Arsenal third in spending behind Chelsea and Manchester United.
Under his leadership, the Gunners secured the FA Cup and finished as runners-up in the Premier League during the last two seasons.
He played a pivotal role in the signings of high-profile players such as Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice while managing the exits of notable figures including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Özil.
According to reports, Edu’s decision to leave was self-initiated, with recent changes in senior roles at the club possibly influencing his choice.
As Arsenal prepares for a crucial Champions League match against AC Milan, manager Mikel Arteta is expected to address the situation in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Edu’s journey at Arsenal began when he returned to the club as technical director after a successful period with the Brazilian Football Confederation, where he celebrated a Copa America victory.
Promoted to the role of sporting director in 2022, he has emphasized a philosophy that prioritizes both winning and playing with style, stating, “Winning is not enough for Arsenal; style is paramount. I want to win the best way possible.”
The club now faces the challenge of finding a successor capable of sustaining the momentum and vision Edu has instilled.
Football transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano confirmed the impending transition, noting that Edu is a sought-after target for Marinakis’ multi-club operation.
Two second half goals in a-five-minute-period by former NPFL top-scorer, Godwin Obaje, ensured that reigning champions of the league, Rangers International bounced back to winning ways, beating Nasarawa United FC 2-0 in a match day 10, at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Smarting from a heartwarming 1-1 draw in Ilorin and 0-0 draw in Uyo in the last two match days, coach Fidelis Ilechukwu made three changes to the last match day starting squad, handing starts to goalkeeper, Kingdom Osayi and Godwin Obaje while captain of the side, Chinemerem Ugwueze also started in the very entertaining encounter watched by an appreciable number of fans.
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Opting for a 4-4-2 formation which was aimed at pushing the visitors back so as to contain the exploits of leading goal scorer, Anas Yusuf, with Frank Uwumiro and Godwin Obaje leading the attack with the quartet of Isaac Saviour, Kazeem Ogunleye, Chinemerem Ugwueze and Ejike Ugochukwu anchoring the middle of the pack while the back-four of Effimi Nsi, Evans Ogbonda, Austine Opara, and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi providing cover for the man between the sticks, Kingdom Osayi.
The first period witnessed a lot of missed opportunities on both ends but with more missed chances coming the way of the home side as Effimi Nsi failed to connect when set up by Isaac Saviour on 14 minutes which was followed by Frank Uwumiro’s stinging shot that was pushed out by goalkeeper, Galadima Mohammed on 16 minutes just as Godwin Obaje could not fathom how his efforts on 22 and 40 minutes failed to rest inside the net and Ejike Ugochukwu, Isaac Saviour’ efforts were bravely stopped by Galadima on 36 and 45 minutes.
When both sides returned for the second period, the home side continued to push and probing for openings which came on 55 minutes when Obaje met an Uwumiro cut-back with precision to open his goals account for the season and on 60 minutes, he grabbed his brace in the match as he expertly tucked in the spot kick awarded his side after he was wrestled down inside the box by Victor Collins as the fans yelled for more goals in celebrations.
Obaje would have made it a hat trick of goals on 67 minutes after being fed by Evans Ogbonda but his effort missed target by inches just few minutes after substitute, Silas Nenrot’s stinging shot was pushed out by an alert Galadima on 65 minutes while Nenrot’s effort that found the back of the net was ruled out for offside on 70 minutes. Opportunities also came the way of Kazeem Ogunleye and Godwin Obaje in the 71 and 73 minutes but there were no further goals to show for all the dominance.
As the game neared it closing period, coach Ilechukwu handed game time to two of his young stars, Daniel Onyia and Kelechi Edeh and they did not disappoint.
In the post-match chat, chief-coach of the Enugu side, Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu, said, “This was a great game with a good result against a quality side. They proved difficult in the first half but after some talks at the break, we got our acts together and converted two of the numerous chances that we created. We are happy with the result and would work harder to convert our chances in subsequent matches.”
Two-goals hero, Godwin Obaje, while reacting to the media after the encounter, said, “We are happy we got the win and I am really glad to have scored in my first start for the season. It goes a long way to show that we are gradually getting into the needed shape to challenge for a good season. Nasarawa United gave us a good fight but we showed more resolve to win.”
With the win, Rangers now occupy the 5th spot on the 20 team log with fifteen points from ten matches and would next play against Plateau United in a match day 11 fixture at the New Jos Stadium, Jos in the coming weekend.
It appears the Libyans are venting their frustration on the Nigerian community in reaction to the recent verdict of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the botched African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier involving the senior men’s football team of both countries.
Recall that the Super Eagles of Nigeria went through harrowing experiences in the hands of hosts, Libya when they travelled to the north African country to keep an October 16 date with their Libyan national team counterparts.
The near-death experiences, which hit the globe spontaneously, thanks to social media, received widespread condemnation culminating in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) withdrawing the Super Eagles from the game, reporting the matter to the CAF, who later awarded the game and three points the Nigerian national side, including a fine of $50,000.00 against Libya.
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Feeling undone, with the outcome of their gimmicks, the Libyan authorities are now seeking a pound of flesh from the Nigerian community in their country, in a manner that suggests that they have taken the football warfare from the field to the streets.
They appear focused on getting the Nigerians pay for sins of their home country in daring to seek justice from CAF through imposition of fines, new taxes, and stringent enforcement of resident/work permits, in a manner that suggest that CAF can impose a fine, but Nigerians would have to pay it.
Amidst the fines and new taxes, there’s already an outcry of mass arrest from the Nigerian community in Libya, according to the https://punchng.com/.
Recall that the Nigerian football contingent was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team.
They were scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match would have been played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from the Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The attendant public outcry compelled the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint against Libya at the CAF.
In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football governing body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match.
In addition, the disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision.
The LFF has expressed displeasure with the CAF’s verdict.
The LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within the CAF played a major role in the outcome.
A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.”
Campaign against Nigerians
Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, on Sunday, thus, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.
“The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.”
The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes.
The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.”
Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers.
“Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said.
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