Siasia Set To Screen Players For Olympic Team

The man who won Nigeria an Olympic silver medal in football six years ago is on the march again, as preparations for the building of a new strong squad has already commenced.

Former Super Eagles’ Captain and Coach, Samson Siasia has called up 39 players to open a screening camp in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Sunday, with another set of 39 and a final set of 38 to follow in batches.

Siasia has the assignment to raise a squad that will qualify Nigeria for the Men’s Football Tournament of the 11th All –Africa Games (taking place in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in July 2015) as well as qualify for the CAF U-23 Championship (taking place in DR Congo, also next year), and also qualify for the Men’s Football Tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games through the CAF U-23 Championship.

The first hurdle is an All –Africa Games qualifying fixture against Gabon, with the first leg away in Libreville towards the end of February, and the return leg in Nigeria early March. The winner of that fixture squares up against the winner of the fixture between Zambia and Madagascar in late March.

The Dream Team, as Nigeria’s Olympic squad is known, will then take on the winner among Ghana, Liberia and Congo in the qualifying race for the CAF U-23 Championship in July.

Olympic gold medallists in Atlanta, USA in 1996, the Dream Team faltered at the 2000 Games in Australia, failed to qualify for the Athens 2004 Games, won silver medal in Beijing in 2008 and failed to qualify for the London Games in 2012.

Siasia has explained that each batch will spend only three days in camp before the other, with the selected ones among the lot to convene a proper camp late December. All the players are to report at FIFA Technical Centre, Abuja.

Siasia Samson fifa.com

FIRST BATCH (23 – 25 November)

Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers); Kasim Yekini (Bayelsa United)

Defenders: Semiu Liadi (Enyimba FC); Stanley Okorom (36 Lions); Erhun Obanor (Insurance FC); Mohammed Gidado (Wikki Tourists); Etim Mathew (Enugu Rangers); Wasiu Kadiri (Akwa Starlets); Chinedy Okuotu (Insurance FC); Chris Madaki (Giwa FC)

Midfielders: Harrison Madu (Wikki Tourists); Abbas Hussein (Wikki Tourists); Samuel Adegbenro (Kwara United); Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Nafiu Ibrahim (Kano Pillars); Tiongli Tonbara (Bayelsa United); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Itchu (Warri Wolves); Emmanuel Obinna (Stationery Stores)

Forwards: Samson Adeleye (Niger Tornadoes); Samuel Agba (Enugu Rangers); Idris Mohammed (Wikki Tourists); Junior Ajayi (3SC); Nuru Adebayor (Stationery Stores); Godwin Obaje (Mighty Jets); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Idris Ahmed (Mighty Jets); Uche Ihearulam (Lobi Stars)

Others: Chigozie obi (Calabar Rovers); Ahmed Sani (Unattached); Victor Yakubu (Wikki Tourists); Tunde Afolabi (Spotlight FC); Chukweh Samuel (Bayelsa United); Chinedu Obino (COD FC); Umunna Emmanuel (Zamfara United); Friday Enejoh Jacob (Supreme Court); Ajibola Otegbeye (3SC); Wasiu Alalade (First Bank); Mohammed Wekasiu (El-Kanemi Warriors); Nura Abubakar (Kaduna United); Israel Daniel (Prime FC)

SECOND BATCH (26 – 28 November)

Goalkeepers: Ernest Ejiofor (Giwa FC); Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars); Abiodun Akande (3SC)

Defenders: Abu Daniel (First Bank); Harrison Ibukun (Akwa Starlets); Tobore Jessa (Dynamite Force); Ferin Yaro (Kwara United); Isuku Prince (Insurance FC); Hossiah Haruna (Kaduna United); Zikiye Jonathan (Dolphins FC); Timothy (Gombe United)

Midfielders: Aniefiok Godspower (Akwa United); Monday Mather (Supreme Court); Nzube Anaziemba (Enyimba FC); Ekene Nwabuchi (FPF Academy); Yakubu Alfa (Niger Tornadoes); Buhari Musa (Kano Pillars); Bura Jafar (Bayelsa United)

Forwards: Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC); Ibrahim Shuaibu (Giwa FC); Akpoh Ughe (Nembe City); Leonard Ugochukwu (Nasarawa United); Kufre Ebong (Akwa United); Deenee Usman (Giwa FC); Batoure Yaro (Nasarawa United)

Others: Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers); Ifeanyi Enemime (Giwa FC); Azubuike Okechukwu (Bayelsa United); Musa Isa (Gombe United); Ezekiel Mbah (Kano Pillars); Jiya Mohammed (El-Kanemi Warriors); Ismail Ahmed Musa (Enyimba FC); Joseph Nathaniel (Sharks FC); Sunday Adetunji (El-Kanemi Warriors); Azeez Mohammed (Kwara United); Isaac Giwa (Gombe United); Godwin Efiok (Akwa Starlets); Ezekiel Bassey (Akwa United); Yelebe Fanvie (Bayelsa United); Ahmed Yacob (Crown FC); Hakeem Olalere (Prime FC); George Ifeanyi (Enyimba FC)

THIRD BATCH (29 November – 1 December)

Goalkeepers: David Obiozor (El-Kanemi Warriors); Itodo (Enugu Rangers); Anthony Okoro (Stationery Stores)

Defenders: Francis Edem (3SC); Seun Shogesan (Nasarawa United); Nura Mohammed (Kano Pillars); Babatunde Solomon (Nasarawa United); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Namso Edoh (Akwa United); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Waziri Christopher (Wikki Tourists); Isah Bala (Niger Tornadoes)

Midfielders: Osamudiamwen Adun (Insurance FC); Mohammed Wakeso (El-Kanemi Warriors); Victor Alegbe (Dolphins FC); Alaba Adeniyi (Sunshine Stars); Salau Ibrahim (Sharks FC); Philip Asuquo (Gombe United); Emma Egbese (Nembe City); Okiki Afolabi (3SC); Fuad Ekelojuoti (Stationery Stores)

Forwards: Ajunwa Felix (Akwa Starlets); Omofomwan Freedom (Warri Wolves); John Chukwudi (Kwara United); Arinze Obioma (El-Kanemi Warriors); Chinedu Mathew (Bussdor United); Aliyu Abubakar Ibrahim (Nasarawa United); Adamu Hassan (Kano Pillars); Peter Onyekachi (Abia Warriors); Ibrahim Sulaiman (Shuttle Sport)

Others: Chinedu Chukwurah (Plateau United); Saidu Isah (Plateau United); Saviour Godwin (Plateau United); Azeez Shobowale (Kano Pillars); Idris Aloona (ABS FC); Olumakinde Talabi (3SC); Francis Olanrewaju (Gateway FC): Owolabi Oluwafemi (Giwa FC); Sanni Okeowo (Prime FC); Ibrahim Adewale (3SC); Abdullahi Fatai (Prime FC)

Gabon Organise African Volleyball Zone 4 Dream Clinic

A cross section of participants at the clinic

Gabon organised successfully this weekend Zone 4 clinic for the African Dream Project in Libreville, Gabon.

The clinic was instructed by FIVB and CAVB instructor Mayam Reniof Blaise from Cameroon and attended by representatives from RD Congo, Congo Brazzaville and Chad.

The seminar discussed the implementation of the Ambitious CAVB programme which is supervised by FIVB President Dr Ary Graca aiming at establishing a common project mainly focusing on volleyball at school.

All relevant stakeholders must be involved which are Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sport, Ministry of Youth, and National Olympic Committee.

The project will see the setting up of centers that will be used to develop identified athletes at young age and arranging all the keys for their involvement later on to their corresponding Youth national teams.

Officials at the African Dream clinic in Gabon

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Golden Eaglets Spell Gabon In 5-0 Win…Qualify For Niger 2015 On 6-2 Aggregate

Eaglets ‘ captain Nwakali and his Gabonese counterpart

Nigeria’s Under-17 side, Golden Eaglets, on Saturday thrashed Gabon 5-0 at the U. J Esuene Sports Stadium in Calabar in their second leg-final qualifier towards African Under-17 Championship.

The win gave the Emmanuel Amuneke-tutored side a 6-2 aggregate win after they lost 2-1 in Libreville a fortnight ago and a ticket to next year’s Championship to be hosted in Niger between February 15 and March 1.

Among the goals for Nigeria on Saturday were the duo of Ebere Osinachi and Kehinde Ayinde who scored a brace each after Captain Kelechi Nwakali had grabbed the curtain raiser through a penalty.

Nigeria started the game cautiously as the Gabonese soaked the initial pressure but it was not too long before the visitors were put in real danger when Suleiman Abdullahi sprinted and waltzed through the right wing and pushed the ball on the path of Kingsley Michael only to be brought down in the box by Gabonese goalkeeper Noubi Fotso in the box.

Captain Kelechi Nwakali scored the resultant penalty kick as he sent the Fotso the other way for Nigeria’s first goal in the 19th minute.

Eleven minutes later, the second goal came through the right flank yet again when Samuel Chukwueze’s pull out found Ebere Osinachi who wasted no time before pushing the ball into the net.

On the other end, Golden Eaglets’ goalkeeper, Akpan Udoh stopped the visitors’ first real chance as he cuddled Presley Babini Bouyi goal-bound pull out from the right flank in the 37th minute. But five minutes after, it was a combination of Chukwueze and Osinachi that resulted into the third goal when the latter took a solo run after a pass from the former before shooting an angular shot beyond Fotso yet again as the Golden Eaglets ended the first half on that positive note.

The Golden Eaglets continued their domination at the restart but were lucky not to have conceded a goal in the 50th minute when Banini Bouyi’s incisive shot hit the post even while Akpan was rooted to the spot.

Chukwueze could have capped his fine performance with a goal in the 80th minute but he shot straight over the bar after waltzing his way into the Gabonese post. But Kehinde Ayinde who came in for injured Michael, grabbed Nigeria’s fourth goal and fifth goal in the 78th minute and 90th minute to the delight of everyone at the U.J Esuene Stadium.

Golden Eaglets line up against Gabon

GOLDEN EAGLETS VS. GABON
A.Udoh-A. Muhammed; B. Ayodeji (H.Lukman 60th); D.Uzama; A.Usman-J.Ipalibo; K. Nwakali; K.Michael (K.Ayinde 22nd); S. Abdullahi-S.Chukwueze (P.Orji 86th ); E.Osinachi

AMUNEKE: FIGHT-TO-FINISH AGAINST GABON

Emmanuel Amuneke, Golden Eaglets’ Head coach’ has categorically told his wards nothing but a strong mentality throughout the duration of their decisive African Under-17 Championship second leg-final round qualifier against Gabon on Saturday at the U.J Esuene Sports Stadium.

Smarting from a 2-1 first leg defeat in Libreville a fortnight ago, the Golden Eaglets need at least a 1-0 win based on the away-goal rule to qualify for Niger 2015 CAN U-17 but Amuneke has demanded a Teutonic approach against the visitors.

“We all watched the 2014 World Cup and I want to remind you that the Germans won because they had a strong fighting spirit and they played collectively as a team,” Amuneke said after the team’s last training.

“The German team played against the best opposition and they were able to convince everybody they were the best team and this is the kind of mentality that we want you guys to have not only against Gabon tomorrow but even as you grow to other levels.

Golden Eaglets bench – Emmanuel Amuneke, Kabiru Baleria, Emeka Amadi

“Tomorrow is the decider for us and we must do it with all honesty; mfear of God and show everybody we are the best team and do we agree; we agree?” Amuneke said as the players chorused ‘yes sir!’ Earlier on, Amuneke had enthused that he was not perturbed about all the drama that clouded the team’s 2-1 loss in Libreville, saying he want the Golden Eaglets to win fair-and-square under the best sporting environment.

“We have forgotten about all that happened in Libreville and we don’t want to be bothered about the past rather, we want to show that we are a better side on Saturday,” the legendary 1994 African Footballer of the Year said. “Our business is on the field and we just pray that our
boys would get the job done.”

Governor Liyel Imoke

..As Imoke, Ikpeme psyche Golden Eaglets

Senator Liyel Imoke (CON), Governor of Cross River State, has in his characteristic manner send his message of goodwill ahead of the team’s crucial second leg -final round African Under-17 Championship match against Gabon on Saturday.

His Excellency who is regarded as Golden Eaglets’ foremost supporter, was quoted as saying by Hon. Patrick Ugbe, the state commissioner for sport and youth development that he as well as the generality of Nigerians is is fully behind them.

“I want to convey a message of solidarity of His Excellency, Governor Imoke to the team,” he said. “We want you to go out there knowing that the people of Cross River state and Nigerians at large are behind you.”

Similarly, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, a professional psychologist and Director Technical at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has given the Golden Eaglets some nuggets to help them achieve success against Gabon.

Speaking to the team after their last training session at the U.J Esuene Stadium on Friday, Ikpeme said it was imperative that the players were consciously aware that as the defending world champions at this level, they must beat Gabon to qualify for Niger 2015 first.

“Tomorrow is like a cup final for you and you must do everything within your power to beat Gabon on Saturday because that is the most important match for you,” Ikpeme said matter-of-factly “Calabar has been a favourable ground to Golden Eaglets and I want to remind you that your predecessors did not lose a game here at the U.J Esuene Stadium.”

Ikpeme enjoined the players not to share the erroneous sentiment that the newly grassed pitch of the U.J Esuene Stadium caused the Superm Eagles’ 3-2 loss to Congo Brazzaville in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier: “There is nothing like a bad pitch here because matches are won or loss not only because of bad pitches .No matter what, you cannot afford to allow Gabon to come and deny you the opportunity of going to Niger 2015.”

Akpan Udoh may return against Gabon

Goalkeeper Akpan Udoh would most likely start in goal for the Golden Eaglets when Nigeria’s Under-17 side tackle their Gabonese counterparts on Saturday.

Udoh agility was there for all to see as he kept clean slates in the two matches against Congo Democratic Republic in the Second Round in Kinshasa and Abeokuta as the Golden Eaglets triumphed on a 5-0 aggregate. The former National Under-15 goalkeeper, however, did not make the trip to Libreville but has swiftly regained his position ahead of the crucial game on Saturday.

Akpan has indeed been in excellent form with rare agility even during routine penalty practice fuelling speculation that he might be between the sticks against Gabon.

“I think the competition for shirts have been very impressive and exciting,” Prince Udofia, Golden Eaglets coordinator said.”The contest between the three goalkeepers (Udoh; Ebuka Nwokoecha and Benjamin Amos have been intense but Udoh seems to have a slight edge.”

The Golden Eaglets probable line up might include defensive quartet of Anas Muhammed; Ayodeji Bamidele; Douglas Uzama and Abass Usman. Skipper Kelechi Nwakali would expectedly lead the midfield along Jack Ipalibo, Promise Orji and Suleiman Abubakar in a 4-4-2 formation that
could see Samuel Chukwueze pairing with Ebere Osinachi in attack.

Coach Emmanuel Amuneke however, has reckoned that players eventually picked would give their best since the sole objective of the team right from the outset was to win.

“We don’t want to be distracted in anyway because the only thing on our mind on Saturday is victory,” he said.”Though we are going to miss mVictor Osihmen and Ernest Agenor but we have been working well with other players too.”

Meanwhile, the Gabonese contingent as well as match referees from Morocco and the match Commissioner from Sudan have all landed in Calabar.

While match officials came in on Friday, the Golden Eaglets’ opponents breezed into Canaan City aboard a chartered flight on Saturday’s afternoon.

U-17 QUALIFIER: Osinachi Vows To Fire Eaglets To Glory…As CAF Rules Out Eaglets Duo

U-17 QUALIFIER: Osinachi Vows To Fire Eaglets To Glory…As CAF Rules Out Eaglets Duo, Gabonese No. 11

He has scored a fair share of Golden Eaglets’ 81 goals in 29 matches but Ebere Christian Osinachi has sensationally vowed to bang in the goals for the Nigeria’s Under-17 team against their Gabonese counterparts on Saturday at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

On his good day, ‘Osy’ is a clever striker that is capable of wreaking havoc when least expected just as he did against Egypt’s U-17 team when he grabbed a brace in a 3-1 in Kaduna in May.

Altogether, the lad has scored seven goals in all matches for the Golden Eaglets and he is not far away from top striker, Victor Osihmen who has 10 but would not be available against Gabon on Saturday after seeing red in Libreville.

Golden Eaglets Training

“By the grace of God, I’m capable of scoring goals if I’m lucky to be fielded by the coaches against Gabon on Saturday,” said the player whose name in his Igbo dialect means ‘from God.'” I know God can do it for me and I’m relying on him to help me.”

Picked from ASJ Academy in Owerri, Osy who supports the red half of Manchester and a big fan of former Manchester United’s striker, Cristiano Ronaldo said he was confident of the chances of the Golden Eaglets.

“My objective is not only to score but to help my teammates because I know that players like Samuel (Chukwueze) and Kehinde(Ayinde) too can score goals and so, we are going to help ourselves to beat Gabon,” noted the player who wears Golden Eaglets’ No.17 jersey.” I’m confident that we can beat Gabon on Saturday if we put into practice all what the coaches have been telling us since we started preparation for the second leg,”

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the ineligibility of Golden Eaglets’ duo of Victor Osimhen, Ernest Agenor and Gabonese Ngouba Hoily for the African Championship second leg-final round match on Saturday.

In a correspondent signed by Yasmine El Ehwany, Manager of CAF’s U-17 &U-20 Competitions, both countries were duly informed that Agenor Sughnen Ernest(Nigeria; 4); Osihmen Victor James(Nigeria;8) and Ngouba Hoily (Gabon;11) have been suspended in Match 50: Nigeria vs.
Gabon Subsequently, both the NFF and FEGAFOOT were ‘kindly requested to take the necessary measures in this regard.’

CAF Picks Moroccan Officials For Nigeria – Gabon Duel

Moroccan referee, Noureddine El Jaafari licensed by FIFA in 2013 would be in the centre when Nigeria’s Under-17 side, Golden Eaglets host Gabon this weekend in their second leg-final round decisive qualifier.

Born 36 years ago, El Jaafari was in charge when Warri Wolves drew goalless in their CAF Confederation Cup home match against CA Bizertin of Tunisia in March and he equally supervised home-based Super Eagles’ 2-0 loss to their Ivorian counterparts for the 2014 African Nations
Championship qualifier in Abidjan last year.

He would be assisted by 33-year-old Benbapa Essam and 34-year-old Hicham Ait Abbou who would
serve as first and second assistant respectively.

The fourth official is also a Moroccan, Mounir Mabrouk who is also 36 years old while the
Match Commissioner Osama Ata Elmanan Hassan is from Sudan.

GOLDEN EAGLETS LINE UP AGAINST AKPABUYO UNITED

Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets would miss the services of striker Victor Osimhen and creative midfielder, Ernest Agenor against Gabon due to poor disciplinary record.

While Osimhen earned a red card during the first leg in Libreville, Agenor ruled himself out after accumulating a second yellow card in the qualifiers.

The midfielder had his first booking despite an impressive performance in the 4-0 win against Democratic Republic of Congo in Abeokuta and a second one against Gabon in Libreville.

Despite the setback however, Golden Eaglets coordinator, Prince Udofia believes there is no cause for alarm since there is strength in depth in the team, insisting that other players would rise to the challenge.

“The coaches have been working with other players since they knew both Agenor and Victor would not be available and there is no problem about that because there is a pool of good players to be chosen from,” he said.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets Recount Ordeal In Libreville

Golden Eaglets line up

…Nwakali, Lukman recount ordeal in Libreville

Meanwhile, Golden Eaglets’ captain, Kelechi Nwakali and defender Lukman Halilu have been recounting their ordeal in the hands of the Gabonese saying the nasty experience would only emboldened them for the second leg cracker.

The duo who kept a separate diary of events during their laborious journey from Lagos to Libreville noted the unsporting conduct of their hosts but hopeful their counterparts from Gabon would meet their Waterloo on the pitch in Calabar.

Said Halilu: “The journey from Lagos to Libreville was stressful and we were not happy the way we were treated in Lome when we were ordered out of the flight even after checking in and collected our board pass because we were told the Gabonese did not want us to come for the match.

“Even on getting to Libreville, we were warned not to even eat their food because of their hostile nature which we later saw on match day.

“The match never came in our favour to the extent that we were robbed because of the bad officiating by the referee and we are equally shocked when the fans started shouting at us and calling us ‘Ebola Nigeria! Ebola Nigeria!!’

“All through our stay in Libreville, I kept on remembering what coach (Emmanuel) Amuneke had been told us during the screening process that “this journey is not going to be easy” and our experience in Libreville has given us idea what he meant.”

Yet Nwakali believes the Golden Eaglets have put the nightmarish experience behind them as they turn attention to the second leg.

“We are going to show Gabon that Nigeria is Under-17 defending champions and not ‘Ebola Nigeria’ as they called us in Libreville,” Nwakali said in his usual jocular manner.

…Golden Eaglets get cash boost to beat Gabon

Meanwhile A good hearted Libreville-based Nigerian businessman, Chief George Uche, has offered a handsome cash reward to the Golden Eaglets if they win next weekend’s African Under-17 Championship finale qualifying match against Gabon.

Uche who owns a thriving freight business in the Gabonese capital said he was impressed with the performance of the team despite the odds placed before them before their 1-2 loss to Gabon on Sunday hence the reason behind the dinner reception he hosted before their departure.

Apart from doling out $500 to the players, Uche has pledged the sum of One Million French Francs (about Three Hundred Thousand Naira) to the team should they make good their promise to beat Gabon and pick one of the tickets to Niger 2015 Championship.

Prince Udofia, Golden Eaglets’co-ordinator has therefore, commended Uche’s magnanimity while calling on eminent Nigerians as well as Corporate Nigeria to rally behind the team in their quest to qualify for the CAN championship.

“Chief Uche has really done well and we want to thank him from the bottom of our heart,” he said.”This is an exemplary conduct and we want to believe this would ginger other well-to-do Nigerians to come and motivate the players in the crucial game against Gabon.

“This is an opportunity to remind Nigerians that the Under-17 team are defending World Champions and they can only defend the trophy by first qualifying for the tournament in Niger as such this is the time to motivate the players,” he noted.

Eaglets Return To Full Training In Calabar

Nigeria’s Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets, resumed training at their base in Calabar on Tuesday barely hours after they returned to the country from Libreville where they lost 2-1 to their Gabonese counterparts.

The contingent, who actually left Libreville on Monday for Lome aboard ASKY Airline, breezed into Lagos in the night through neighbouring Cotonou but finally arrived Calabar midday on Tuesday aboard Arik Airlines to begin preparations in earnest for the finale qualifier against Gabon next week.

Head Coach Emmanuel Amuneke said it was important to resume training immediately in view of the enormity of the task ahead even as he enjoined the players to give their utmost best in the days.

Golden Eaglets with some officials at Dreamland Park

“I want you to put behind all that happened in Libreville because that is gone,” Amuneke said.”I want you to know that we are condemned to win our match here and you must be focused on everything we are going to do from now.

“What we demand of you is hard work and nothing but hard work; because we want you to show Gabon that you don’t need to be aided by referee to win matches.

“We believe in you and we want you to apply yourself because we are going to undergo strenuous work in the coming days as we build up towards the match,” he warned.

Meanwhile, seven players who failed to make 18-man list to Libreville have vowed to pull their socks in order to be part of the second leg encounter against Gabon.

Dr. Sam Iheanacho with the Golden Eaglets shortly before the team’s training session

“We are happy that our teammates and other officials are safely backed in Calabar but the good thing is that we too have been working even while they were away in Gabon,” stated defensive midfielder, Henry Okebugwu.”We would keep working hard and pay serious attention to the
training programs because we know the coaches would only select the best against Gabon.”

Golden Eaglets Decamp Five

Five players have been dropped from a list of 35 as Nigeria’s Under-17 national team; Golden Eaglets intensify their preparation towards their forthcoming African Championship qualifier against Gabon in September.

Golden Eaglets remarkably dispatched Congo Democratic Republic on a 5-0 aggregate early this month but Head coach Emmanuel Amuneke said there was no room for complacency in order for the team to achieve its aspiration of qualifying for the 2015 African U-17 Championship to be held in Niger.

“The party is over and it is about time we forget about what we had done recently,” Amuneke told the players. “But it is unfortunate that some have not really measured up to the standard we expected.

“We must now focus our attention squarely on Gabon because it would be their desire to qualify for the Under-17 Championship in Niger,” he said.

The five who were given the marching order according to the coaching crew, have significantly dropped in form and have contributed little to the fortune of the team in recent time.

Included on the list were:

Ebije Yahaya,

Prince Omosowhofa,

Chinedu Madueke,

Kingsley Ohiri

and Kabiru Muhammed

Incidentally all midfielders-and have since left the team’s camp in Calabar.

“We have reasonably pruned down the list based on the need of the team according to their performance in comparison to others,” explained Emeka Amadi, Goalkeepers’ trainer, adding that the coaching crew has a pool of players to be called upon when need arises.

“The good thing is that we are in a process of raising a team that can defend the World Cup won in 2013 and we would continue to shuffle the team from time to time since we have about 45 players registered with Confederation of African Football (CAF),”noted Amadi.

Chukwumerije spearheads Nigeria’s quest for honours at African Senior Taekwondo Championships

Beijing Olympics bronze medalist, Chika Chukwumerije will return to the ring, as he leads Nigeria’s quest for honours at the 2014 African Senior Taekwondo Championships, which kicks off on Wednesday May 7 in Tunis, Tunisia.

Chukwumerije, who last major outing was at the last maiden World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) grand prix held in Manchester will compete alongside his elder brother, Uche, Jamilu Mohammad, Sunday Onofe and Joy Ekhator.

The five-man team departed the country at the weekend with the aim of amassing points from the competition, which is a G-4 ranked tournament with the gold medalist getting 40 points.

The tournament will also plays a crucial role to determine the country’s qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Uche will compete in the men’s -87kg and he recently won gold at the Belgian Open and he is the current All Africa Games Champion. His world rating is 35.

Muhammad is rated 46 in the world and also a gold medalist at the 2011 All Africa Games will compete against the continent’s best in the -58kg.

Abuja-based Onofe, a bronze medalist at the 2011 All Africa Games has missed out from the world rating following his inability to compete in an international competitions and he is expected to jostle for honour in the men’s -80kg.

The only female in the team, Joy Ekhator is a double All Africa Games medalist and she ranked 67 in the world. She will compete in the women’s -49kg.

Chika, who captained Nigeria to the 2012 London Olympics will compete alongside, Olympics champion, Gabon’s Anthony Obame as well as former world champion, Mali’s Modibo Keita in the men’s +87kg.

According to Secretary of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Sunny Obot, the points accumulated during G-4 competition would qualify the athletes for other international competitions.

“The athletes we are featuring are champions in their weight categories. We hope that they will do very well.

This competition will help them very well; the competition is a G-4 competition. What I mean by G-4 is that you need to accumulate points, so when you get to semifinals in this competition, you tend to make 40 points to boost your ranking.

For example, Chika Chukwumerije is ranked 18th in the world. If Chika gets to semifinals or wins a gold medal in this competition, automatically that takes him to about 5th or 6th in the world in his weight category.

So there is every need that we participate in this competition. And the athletes know that if they want to participate at the Rio Olympics in 2016, they must take this competition seriously.”

He however, expressed confidence in the performance of the athletes that would represent Nigeria at the competition, saying that, “they are all champions in their own rights.’’

The trip was facilitated through private funding

Chukwumerije dazzles at German Open, garners points for world rating

Barely a week after clinching gold medal at the 35th Belgian Open, captain of Nigeria taekwondo team to the 2011 All Africa Games, Uche Perez Chukwumerije at the weekend in Hamburg, made it to the last eight of the German Open.

Chukwumerije, who had to fight through injury, which he copped on his way to victory at the Belgian Open last week was impressive in his fist round fight against Serikzhan Abdrassilove of Kazakhstan.

The tactical encounter saw the two athletes fighting save but it was the Nigerian champion that emerged winner with a 2-1 win.
His second fight – the last eight (quarterfinal) pitched the 2011 All Africa Games gold medallist against, the current Military World Champion, Sajjad Mardani of Iran.

The Iranian, who was one of the top rated athletes in the men’s +87kg of the competition had earlier this year claimed gold medal at the 2014 Dutch Open when he defeated Olympics champion, Gabon’s Anthony Obame knew that he had to be at his best to overcome Chukwumerije.

Despite signs of competition fatigue in his first fight, Chukwumerije managed to shrug off stiff challenge from his first Kazahstanian opponent. However, his efforts to rally against the experienced Iranian, who also won a silver medal at the last 2013 World Championships in Mexico, were not enough to secure a win for him. But he fell 10-0 to the Iranian.

With his efforts, Chukwumerije had garnered points to improve on his world rating scheduled to be released this month.
Speaking from Hamburg, after his loss, a disappointed Uche Perez reflected after the fight, “I did not get my tactics right, and I was a little tired from last week. In this sport, you get punished for not getting your tactics spot-on. A huge positive is that I gained 2.6 ranking points from getting to the Quarter-finals, but I am a bit disappointed I could not secure the whole 10 points”.

He however, emphasized the need for the young upcoming players, as well as the current Elite athletes to compete more internationally and gain international ranking points.

“In the space of two weeks, I have gained about 12.6 points. By the time the next ranking comes, I would have moved up a lot of spaces on the World Ranking list. The more Nigeria taekwondo athletes compete and gain those points, the more likely we would we can qualify more people for the Rio 2016 Olympics, since top six in the world qualify automatically”.

He noted that it was impossible to compete against nations that sponsor their teams for practically every point-ranking tournament, thus canvassed for more private sector and public sector support/investment for taekwondo, who is claimed is getting massively popular every other day, especially amongst teeming Nigerian youth.

President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), George Ashiru again sent his congratulations to the self-sponsored Uche Perez in Germany, urging him to maintain his current form until the crucial African Senior Taekwondo Championships, billed to hold in Tunisia on May 6 to 8, this year, where a massive 40 ranking points awaits gold medallists.

Ashiru also urged other elite and upcoming athletes to be inspired by Uche Perez’s recent form, and seize every opportunity to gain global ranking points wherever they can.

Rwanda one step closer to Men’s World Championship as Nigeria fails to qualify for FIVB World Cup

( photo courtesy FIVB )

Cameroon team play against Gabon in their last match of the 2014 World champs qualifier

Rwanda is one step closer to qualifying for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2014 Poland, after defeating Nigeria 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 21-25, 25-17) in the fourth day of the African qualifying tournament Pool T at Palais des Sports in Yaoundé, Cameroon on Sunday.

Rwanda finished their matches with a win-loss ratio of 3-1, leading the five-nation tournament with 9 points, while Nigeria dropped to 1-2 with 3 points.

Christophe Mukunzi led Rwanda with 14 points, while Seyefa Dikiyya topped Nigeria’s scorers with 18.

In the other match of the day, Algeria defeated Gabon 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-10). Algeria improved their record to 2-1, with one remaining encounter against Nigeria in the fifth and last day of the tournament Tuesday. Gabon fell to 0-3.

Algerian opposite spiker Toufik Mahdjoubi played the greatest role in the victory as the team’s best scorer with 14 points.

Algeria will play Nigeria and Cameroon will compete against Gabon on Tuesday, to determine the winner of the tournament.

It still very possible that Algerian team or host nation Cameroon qualify ahead of current leaders Rwanda, sad for the Nigerian team a win would only see the get 6 points after they had lost 2 of their previous games and winning only one.

The victor of the five-nation round robin tournament will secure a ticket to the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship to be held in Poland from Aug. 30 to Sept. 21.