Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, May 16, 2018
31 Times Sports
ATP: Djokovic finds his feet on Rome clay after injury nightmare
Amaju Pinnick: Super Eagles‘ll play Congo in Port Harcourt Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick has rubbished speculations that the pre-World Cup friendly between Super Eagles and the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo billed for May 28 in Port Harcourt has been put off. There were speculations that the match will be canceled because of an Ebola out break in the Congo DR. The Ebola outbreak started more than five weeks ago and has claimed 18 lives, including one health care worker. Pinnick has stated that
there are measures that will be taken by the Nigerian Federation in partnership with the Health Ministry when the Congolese delegation arrives in Nigeria. ‘’It is in a very remote village in Congo, besides 98 percent of their players are foreign-based players, they are flying in,’’ Pinnick told Channels Television. ‘’They will fly into Port Harcourt at 6pm on the 25th of this month, three days to the march. The airplane will wait for them and take them back. ‘’Officially just to be
cautious, we have written to the Ministry of Health to give us cover, before they arrive and leave, they will test them just to take extra precaution.’’ Meanwhile, the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association (FECOFA) has announced a 32-man provisional roster for the trip to Port Harcourt and ex-Arsenal schoolboy Benik Afobe, ex-Chelsea winger Gaël Kakuta, Everton’s Yannick Bolasie and Newcastle United star Chancel Mbemba are among the eye-catching names in the group.
Word Cup: Gernot Rohr’s selection must be respected – Emmanuel Amuneke
Former Africa Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Amuneke has said that the 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup picked by coach Gernot Rohr should be respected.
“The decisions of the coach must be respected, and must be supported, he has drawn a list of players who he believes can work for him and ready to give their best,” said the former Barcelona
winger . “You have to agree with his sense of judgment for continuity, which is a key for the team to do well at the World Cup. “The strength of the team is that the bulk of players qualified Nigeria to the World Cup.” Amuneke, who featured at the 1994 World Cup, further said the Eagles are capable of surpassing the Round 16 finish the country has achieved in 1994, 1998 and 2014. “This team can surprise the world and go beyond our best performance which is the second round,” he predicted. “The result of our first match (vs Croatia) will determine how far we can go in Russia.”
Former world No 1 Novak Djokovic said on Monday he felt reassured to be back playing on the familiar red clay of Rome as he dispatched Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets in the first round. The 12-time Grand Slam champion, who won the last of his 68 ATP titles at the Canadian Open in 2016, has slipped to 18th in the world, his lowest ranking in 12 years as he struggles with a nightmare elbow injury. But he got off to a comfortable start in his bid for a fifth ATP Italian Open title at the Foro Italico, taking 55 minutes to oust Ukrainian Dolgopolov in the first round. “Rome has always been a place where I felt good, where I received a lot of support, where I played well, and had a lot of great results,” said Djokovic. “And today’s match encourages me and gives me reason to believe that it can be a good week for me. “Obviously I would like to go all the way but, at the same time, looking at my results I have to
be a little more modest with expectations and see where it takes me.” The 11th-seeded Serb has reached eight of the last ten finals in Rome, including the past two years, and won four titles – most recently in 2015. Djokovic broke 54thranked Dolgopolov three times in the opening set, with another break in the second helping him wrap up the match. He next plays either Nikoloz Basilashvili or Filippo Baldi, both qualifiers, before a potential third round meeting with US eighth seed John Isner. And the 30-year-old said his focus was on the French Open where he won his last Grand Slam title in 2016. “The French Open is where I want to play my best tennis. That’s the big goal for this part of the season,” added Djokovic. “I know that I haven’t been up to the level that I desired but I feel like my game has been going in the right direction in the last couple of tournaments. “It’s a mental game
for sure. Knowing that I’ve reached the biggest heights of this sport and been consistent with the best possible results for so many years. The bar has been raised so high. “When I step on the court, I expect to win every match against anybody on any surface. And it’s not a secret. “At the same time I had to learn in the last 12 months that, because of the circumstances and injury and surgery, I had to think about my game and about my results and approach the tournaments in a little bit different way. “But, I’m getting there. And I feel more comfortable on the court.” Belgian ninth seed David Goffin also eased past Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 6-2, as Japan’s Kei Nishikori sent Feliciano Lopez home early with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 defeat – the Spaniard’s sixth in seven visits to Rome. Nishikori, runner-up to Rafael Nadal on clay in Monte Carlo, next meets third seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.
Yannick Bolasie leads DR Congo foreign stars for Super Eagles World Cup warm-up Everton star forward Yannick Bolasie will lead a 32-man DR Congo squad dominated by overseas pros for a May 28 World Cup warm-up against Nigeria in Port Harcourt. Other top pros stars are Paul Jose Mpoku (Standard Liege/Belgium), Benik Afobe (Bournemouth), Cedric Bakambu (China) and Chancel Mbemba (Newcastle United). DRC will use this match to prepare for a 2019 AFCON qualifier against
Liberia. The team will fly into Nigeria on a special chartered flight on May 25. DR Congo 32-man list for Super Eagles friendly Goalkeepers: Joël Kiassumbua, Nicaise Kudimbana, Parfait Mandanda Defenders: Issama Mpeko, Jordan Ikoko, Arthur Masuaku, Fabrice Nsakala, Glody Ngonda, Wilfied Monke, Christian Luyindama, Chris Mavinga, Yannick Bangala
Litombo, Gabriel Zakuani Midfielders: Chancel Mbemba, Jacques Maghoma, Taguy Ndombele, Aron Tshibola, Neeskens Kebano, Paul Jose Mpoku, Gael Kakuta. Strikers: Yannick Bolasie, Mubele Ndombe, Chadrack Akolo, Harrison Manzala, Jordan Botaka, Yeni N’Gbakoto, Cedric Bakambu, Britt Assombalonga, Benik Afobe, Kabongo Kasongo, Ben Malango, Rick Tulenge.