Sports
CHAN 2022:Ghana Stops Nigeria
President, Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick will leave office on September 30 but he leaves office with much pains to Nigeria football followers than he met it.
This is because the last match the Super Eagles are playing under his leadership, a 2022 Africa Nations Championship, CHAN qualifier on home soil, Abuja, ended in defeat and pain.
Ghana, Nigeria’s football arch-rival, on Saturday inflicted yet another football pain on Nigerians as the Black Galaxies denied Super Eagles home-based team ticket to the 2022 Africa Nations Championship, CHAN.
The Black Galaxies, Ghana’s senior male home-based football team on Sunday defeated the Super Eagles B team in the second leg final round of the Algeria 2022 tournament on penalties to qualify for the 2022 CHAN tournament in Algeria.
The visitors lost the match 2-0 but the aggregate remained 2-2 before the match went into penalties. While Ghana scored all their five kicks, Nigeria lost one.
Zulkifilu Muhammed scored Nigeria’s first goal of the day in the 76th minute before Akuneto scored in 94th minute to drag the match into penalty shootout.
Ghana defeated the Super Eagles 2-0 a week ago in Cape Coast Stadium.
Played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, it would be the second time the Ghanaians are stopping Nigerians from qualifying for an international tournament in the same year.
Recall that the Black Stars on March 29 this year stopped the Super Eagles senior team from qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after they held the visiting Ghanaians to 1-1 draw at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The draw handed Black Stars World Cup ticket on away goal rule.
Amaju Pinnick, who has been the NFF President since 2014 will leave office on September 30 but his reign will be remembered of World Cup and CHAN qualifications failures.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”