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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2013
Keshi needs commendation not condemnation — NFF •Says sack threat a distraction T
HE Nigeria Football Federation breathed fresh air into the technical crew of the Super Eagles yesterday when Chief Emeka Inyamah said that Keshi deserved commendation and not condemnation. Speaking after the victory over Ethiopia Inyamah said that reports about threats of impending sack of the chief coach were a distraction and not coming from the football house. “I told you earlier that these Eagles are work in progress. You can see that indeed that they are moving steadily. We are happy with their qualification and are ready to offer any necessary help to ensure that they win the cup. For a man who has not lost a match, he needs to be commended. It will be fool-hardy for anybody to threaten him with sack when he is still in charge of Eagles in a middle of a tournament. That to me is a distraction. Rather, we will come together at the end of the tournament to review everything. If he is found worthy to
HARD DRIVE . . . Super Eagles defender Elderson Echiejile tries to outwit Ethiopia’s forward Getaneh Kebede during their AFCON 2013 last Group C match in Rustenburg at Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Nigeria won 2-0. Photo: AFP continue, he will continue and if we think that there is need to bring in a white man or black man to assist, then we bring one".
PARTAK Moscow striker, Emmanuel Emenike has said the Eagles will defy the odds and oust favourites Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.
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The Super Eagles laboured to beat Ethiopia on Tuesday to set up a high-profile West African clash against the rampant Elephants, who stopped Nigeria at the 2006 and
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X-NIGERIA star Jonathan Akpoborie has said that Eagles will need a miracle to beat Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.Nigeria will take on Africa’s top ranked team Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday night in Rustenburg for the chance to reach the AFCON semif i n a l . Straight-talking Akpoborie said that as a Nigerian he would wish the Eagles are crowned African champions in South Africa, but if the team play the way they have in all their group games against the Elephants, they will exit the tournam e n t . ”The Eagles performance against Ethiopia was nothing to write home about. The only good thing about the game for us is that we won. How we scored against the lowest rated team at the competition was not the best,” said the former Wolfsburg striker. “On paper Cote d’Ivoire are favourites to win the competition and on the field, they have been acting like that too. But in football anything could happen.
Hart tips Eagles against the Elephants A
S Nigerians continue to rejoice following Super Eagles
Emenike talks tough S
Akpoborie: Eagles need a miracle
2008 AFCONS. Emenike added: “We are not afraid of them. We respect them but why should we be afraid of them? “This is football and no team is too big and we are very positive we will win on Sunday.” Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi also said his team are looking forward to Sunday ’s AFCON quarterfinal against starstudded Cote d’Ivoire. Both West African giants clash on Sunday night at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg for a place in the semi-finals.
murky flight to the quarter finals of the ongoing African Cup of Nations in South Africa, soccer pundits are xraying the chances of the Stephen Keshi boys against The Elephants of Ivory Coast, a star studded side clearly dreaded by every team in Africa. Reacting to a text poser on Nigeria’s chances against the team which parades legends like Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, the Toure brothers – Yaya and Kolo and Arsenal FC’s goal poacher, Yao Gervinho, the President of Goldashe United FC of Port Harcourt, Mr. Fubara Kingsley Hart declared emphatically that the game of soccer is as unpredictable as the weather.
FITNESS TEST ••• Ivorian forward Didier Drogba (R) vies with Algeria’s Essaid Belkalem during yesterday's match. It ended 2-2. Photo: AFP