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‘S’Eagles Can’t Afford To Lose Against Liberia’

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Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa has talked up the importance of winning their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying match against Liberia tomorrow.
The three-time African champions need to avoid defeat in Morocco as they aim for a place in the final play-off round that would see 10 group leaders face-off for the five tickets allotted to Africa.
The Super Eagles currently lead Group C with nine points after four matches while Cape Verde trail in second spot with seven points.
The last time Nigeria faced Liberia in Lagos on September 3, the encounter ended in a 2-0 victory for Gernot Rohr’s men with Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho grabbing a brace.
Musa, who became the country’s most-capped player with 101 games in October, disclosed the team’s mission at the Stade Ibn Batouta before they host Cape Verde for their final group fixture on Tuesday.
“As you can see everyone is happy and we are ready for the game. We have 22 players here. Tomorrow (yesterday) we are expecting the goalkeeper (John Noble) and Odion Ighalo,” Musa told Tidesports source.
“We know the importance of the game, we can’t afford to lose. We have to go for the three points. At the end of the game on Saturday, we hope to celebrate another important win.”
The Fatih Karagumruk forward also compared the weather in Tangier to be similar to their European base.
“I think the weather is very good, it’s just like Europe and I think most of us love the weather. I hope the weather will give us what we want,” he said.
Meanwhile, Liberia Football Association communication manager Gologo Ben Garkpah has said that the Lone Stars want to silence Nigeria to make things edgy in Group C.
A 1-0 defeat to Cape Verde meant that the aspirations of Peter Butler’s men to qualify for a maiden World Cup faded into thin air, leaving the Super Eagles and the Blue Sharks in the race for a third-round ticket.
Ahead of tomorrow’s fixture, the LFA official claims his compatriots will be all out to maintain their impressive home record against the three-time African champions as well as play the role of spoilers.
“When the Lone Star reflects on the defeat in Nigeria in which I don’t think we were particularly bad, we want to win,” Garkpah told news men.
“We have not lost a competitive home game against Nigeria over a long period. We are motivated to win and make things nervous for any of the two contenders on the last day.
“I think we can upset the three-time African champions. With all respect to them, the Super Eagles are not infallible. They can be beaten.
“They’ve lost a World Cup qualifier to us before, and we can replicate that.”
Coach Butler made eight changes to the squad that lost 2-0 in Lagos, and for Garkpah, that is an indication that Liberia is in Morocco for serious business.
“The complexion of the squad I think is a little stronger than the one on matchday one,” he continued.
“We’ve brought in new and energetic lads with greater experience and ambition. I think this group will spring a surprise.
“Central African Republic showed that Nigeria can be beaten. We need to take our chances which has really been a difference between us and the Super Eagles.
“We’ve scored only twice and that shows we require improvement up front, and the coach has been working on that.
“Our backline has leaked five goals which aren’t too bad but on paper, those five goals conceded seem to be the difference between us and the rest of the other teams because we aren’t scoring much.
“With the inclusions of Mark Pabai and Jamal Arago, I’m sure we’ll be solid at the back.”

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CAF Postpones CHAN To August

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled for February 1, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, to August 2025.
The decision followed recommendations from CAF’s technical and infrastructure experts, who reported that more time is needed to bring the facilities in the host nations up to the required standards for a successful tournament.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, in a statement on yesterday, January 14, 2025, expressed appreciation to the presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for their support.
He emphasised that the postponement is intended to ensure adequate planning and infrastructure readiness for the competition.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to President William Ruto of Kenya, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for their leadership, commitment and the good progress that has been made in building and upgrading the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for hosting a successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024.
“I am impressed with the ongoing construction and renovations of the football infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. I am confident that the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities will be at the requisite CAF standards for hosting, in August 2025, a very successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (“CHAN”) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024″, he said.
However, the exact date for the completion was not disclosed but the CHAN 2024 Draw is scheduled for Wednesday 15 January, 2025 at the iconic Kenyatta International Conventional Centre, Nairobi.

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Chelle Sure To Qualify For 2026 W’Cup

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New Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has expressed his desire to lead Nigeria to the ‘pinnacle of world football’ starting with the ticket to the 2026 World Cup as he takes the reign of the three-time African champions.
Chelle was unveiled on Monday at a brief ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja by the Nigeria Football Federation, one week after his announcement as the 37th coach of the Super Eagles.
He was handed a two-year deal with an option to extend if he gets the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket.
Since his appointment last week, the NFF has constantly hammered the coach’s task of leading Nigeria to the tournament which will be played in the USA, Canada and Mexico despite the precarious situation of the Eagles in the qualifying series.
After four rounds of matches in the series, Nigeria are fifth in Group C with just three points having only drawn three and lost one.
To avert the danger of missing out on a consecutive FIFA World Cup, the Eagles must win all their six remaining matches in the group or even hope for favourable results in other ties – a task Chelle fronted at his unveiling.
Asked if he would take responsibility at the end of the qualifying campaign, the ex-Mali coach said, “If you want to be a great coach, you need to take some risks, you need to make some sacrifices.
“I want to be in the history. The first thing, I need to talk to the players. I will be a big brother. It is my prayer that we are going to the World Cup.
“I want to thank my agent, the NFF, the NSC and indeed all Nigerians for this big opportunity. Coaching the Super Eagles of Nigeria is an amazing job; I do not take this appointment for granted. I am elated and will do my utmost best.”
For most of the reactions that have trailed his appointment, the rallying point was his enterprising and attacking style with the Mali national team at the AFCON, which he emphasised he would be bringing to Nigeria.
“Football is about scoring goals, so I favour an attacking style. I know the expectations of Nigerians and I will settle down and work diligently with assistants towards the goal of qualifying the Super Eagles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
The 47-year-old also relished his long-time dream of getting the Super Eagles job, having been a fan of the Nigerian national team in his boyhood.
“Nigeria’s team is more than a team. When I was young, this was my favourite team. I owned a shirt; I watched all the games at the World Cup in France. I was in Marseille and it was my team.
“From this very moment, I am already hard at work. My goal is clear: to restore the Super Eagles to the pinnacle of world football, where they truly belong. This will require hard work, discipline, and a strategy that is both ambitious and realistic. I will rely on the exceptional talent of our players, whether they play at home or abroad, and build a team that reflects the unity, strength, and excellence of Nigeria,” the coach added in a social media post.
Chelle, who took Mali’s Aiglons within breathing distance of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, left his job at top Algerian side MC Oran – 1989 African Champions’ Cup finalists – to team up with the Super Eagles.

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Gokana Chairmanship Cup Symbol Of Unity Peace – Chairman

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Gokana Local Government Council, Chairman Hon. Monday Dumiye has said that 2024 Gokana Chairmanship Cup symbolises unity, peace and love for Gokana people.
Hon. Dumiye said this during the grand finale of the 2024 Gokana Chairmanship cup titled “Unity Cup” as the fourth edition of the Chairmanship Cup ended last Saturday at Kpor, the council headquarters.
He expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara for his tremendous support, most especially the peace Rivers people are enjoying including Gokana LGA.
He also applauded members of the local organising committee of the tournament and all those that contributed towards the success of the championship.
He hinted the huge crowd witnessed during the tournament shows peace has come to stay in Gokana,saying that it has been his intention to ensure that there is peace ,unity and togetherness among the people.
” Without peace we all know that there will be no meaningful development. I want to say that it is the first of its kind in the annals of the people to use the instrumentality of sports to develop talented Gokana youths.
“The mamoth crowd you are seeing here today shows our people have embraced peace. This is exactly what we intend to achieve uniting our people through sports.
On his part, former Super Eagles player and current coach of Rivers United, Finidi George, commended the Gokana Chairman for organising such a wonderful tournament for the youth.
He advised the chairman to form a formidable team from the tournament, admitting the unprecedented crowd that witnessed the championship shows that the chairman is on the right direction.
The Leader of the Simplified in Gokana, Hon. Friday Beema thanked the Chairman for his zeal to develop Gokana.
He also commended the Rivers Governor forgiving them well focused Chairman who reason like him.
The leader called on the people of the area to support Governor Fubara for the development of Gokana.

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