We Have What It Takes To Dominate Nigerian Basketball – Kachalla

Despite disappointing narrow losses to in their first two games at the National Division 1 basketball championship holding in Port Harcourt, the Yobe Desert Warriors stunned the Port Harcourt crowd on Wednesday morning with a 77-76 points win over Niger Potters.

The Desert Warriors who are narrowly lost their first 2 games by 2 and 1 points to APA Flames and Benue Braves respectively rebounded with a victory over bookies favorites Niger Potters today.

Chairman of the Yobe State Basketball Association, Mr. Bukar Muhammed Kachalla believes the Yobe Desert Warriors has what it takes to dominate basketball in Nigeria if given the needed support.

“We always knew we had a good team but we were pegged back by the slow start, all we need now is to win our remaining games and see what happens from there”.

” Dont forget we used to be household name before the insurgency started and that really slowed us down. I am glad we got back to restoring back all sports in the state and basketball is one of the key sports, we hope to work with and very soon we will dominate Nigerian Basketball”. He added

We Have what it takes to Dominate Nigerian Basketball. – Kachalla

Double double from Musa Muhammed 22 points, 17 rebounds, and M. Danladi 12 points, 12 rebounds propelled the energetic warriors who ended the first quarter tied 14-14 with Potters before winning the 2nd and 3rd quarter 22-19, 22-18 respectively and then held on in the final quarter despite losing by 19-25 points.

Coach of Niger Potters, Isaq Yahaya blamed the loss on fatigue and said the loss doesn’t derail their promotion ambitions.
” We lost due to playing early today after playing 2 games yesterday. There was not enough time for my boys to recover, however we are still on course”.

Manu Garba picks Muhammed, 20 Others For AYC

Flying Eagles’ Head Coach Manu Garba (OON) has released a list of 21 players who will represent the country at the 19th African Youth Championship in Senegal.

Skipper Musa Muhammed, who led the U-17 squad that won for Nigeria a record fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013, will lead the pack, supported by fellow U-17 world champions Akinjide Idowu, Izuchukwu Omego, Abdullahi Alpha, Dele Alampasu, Chidera Ezeh and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Nigeria play host Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A of the tournament scheduled for 8th – 22nd March in the Senegalese cities of Dakar and M’Bour.

Ghana, Mali, South Africa and Zambia play in Group B. All four semi finalists will fly Africa’s flag at the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in New Zealand, scheduled for 30th May – 20th July this year.

Flying Eagles

THE FULL LIST

Joshua Enaholo,

Musa Muhammed,

Mustapha Abdullahi,

Akinjide Idowu,

Saheed AbdulGaniyu,

Izuchukwu Omego,

Bernard Bulbwa,

Alhassan Ibrahim,

Christian Pyagbara,

Abdullahi Alfa,

Saleh Usman,

Ifeanyi Ifeanyi,

Samuel Okon,

Obinna Nwobodo,

Ifeanyi Mathew,

Dele Alampasu,

Chidera Ezeh,

Taiwo Awoniyi,

Bello Zaharadeen,

Wasiu Jimoh,

Olorunleke Ojo

Sparkling Nwobodo Rewarded With Second Start For Flying Eagles

After a sparkling performance against Dolphins, Enugu Rangers midfielder Obinna Nwobodo has been rewarded with a second straight start for the Flying Eagles in Sunday’s final game in the Super 4.

Nwobodo has been on the fringes of the main team but shone in the Flying Eagles 4-1 win over Dolphins on Friday by delivering three assists to keep his place in the starting XI.

He also provided the assist for Musa Yahaya’s late goal against Enyimba on the opening day of the competition.

He starts ahead of Ifeanyi Matthew and Abdullahi Alfa.

Exciting winger Bernard Bulbwa was also on target against Dolphins and will thus also start against the country’s Olympic team.

Flying Eagles

Prince Aggreh from Sunshine Stars, who was sent off in the opening game against Enyimba and has since served out his one-match ban, will play alongside the team’s main striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

The Flying Eagles have already won this six-team tournament with an unassailable 12 points from four matches and so today’s final clash against the U23s is a mere formality.

Flying Eagles start list vs National Under 23 Team:

Joshua Enaholo – Mustapha Abdullahi, Zaharadeen Bello, Abdul Ganiyu Saed, Musa Muhammed (Captain) – Akinjide Idowu, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Obinna Nwobodo, Bernard Bulbwa- Prince Aggreh, Taiwo Awoniyi

Subs: OlorunLeke Ojo, Roland Silas, Adebayo Ademulua, Ifeanyi Mathew, Musa Yahaya, Chidera Eze, Usman Hassan, Tunde Adeniji, Wasiu Jimoh, Abdullahi Alfa

Foreign Pros Promise To Beat Flying Eagles Jan 15 Deadline

MUSA YAHAYA GOES FOR GOALS VS TANZANIA

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Musa Yahaya and Chidera Eze from Portuguese club FC Porto have promised to join up with the Flying Eagles squad by the January 15 deadline handed them.

“We have been following up on the release of the foreign pros called up for the African Youth Championship and so far the signals have been very encouraging,” said team secretary Auwal Aliyu Ibrahim.

“For instance, Musa Yahaya is off to Malaysia for an invitational tournament with the Spurs youth team and he has called to say he will join us as soon as he returns.

“Chidera Eze has also assured he will come in before the January 15 deadline set by the coach for all overseas-based players to report to the training camp in Kaduna.”

Sweden-based Taiwo Awoniyi and Musa Muhammed are so far the only pros now training with the AYC-bound squad.

The other foreign pros called up include Moses Simon, Kingsley Madu, Isaac Success, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali.

Flying Eagles

…Flying Eagles celebrate New Year’s day with endurance drill

The Flying Eagles will open 2015 with an endurance drill in the morning of New Year’s day.

“We will begin 2015 with hard work,” said Flying Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade.

“There is still a lot of work to be done before our first match at the AYC and so we cannot afford to relax even for a day.

“All celebrations therefore have to be put on hold until we have met some of our targets.

“Our New Year’s day will be when we would have qualified for the World Cup in New Zealand.”

The African Continental Hotel in Kaduna, which has severally been home to the Nigeria U20s, plans a special treat for the squad thereafter.

Kalmar Release Awoniyi For AYC

Swedish club Kalmar have released striker Taiwo Awoniyi for the 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) in Senegal.

Awoniyi, 18 in August 2015, is one of nine foreign-based professionals called up by Nigeria’s Flying Eagles for the AYC, which kicks off on March 8 in Dakar.

Awoniyi has since joined the Flying Eagles, who resumed training camp in Kaduna at the weekend.

The other foreign-based pro already with the Junior Eagles is skipper Musa Muhammed.

AWONIYI TUSSLES WITH TANZANIA DEFENDERS

Flying Eagles team secretary, Auwal Aliyu Ibrahim, further disclosed he has also been in constant contact with English Premier League champions Manchester City over the release of Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali.

The other overseas stars invited by the Nigeria U20 team are Isaac Success, Musa Yahaya, Moses Simon, Kingsley Madu and Chidera Eze.

Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles now train twice daily at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

They are billed to feature in an invitational tournament later in January as part of their build-up for the AYC.

The Flying Eagles will begin their AYC campaign on March 8 against hosts Senegal in Dakar.

They are also drawn in Group A along with Cote d’Ivoire and Congo.

Flying Eagles Call Up 9 Foreign-Based Pros

The Flying Eagles have invited nine foreign-based professionals including Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success ahead of next year’s African Youth Championship in Senegal.

Iheanacho is on the books of English Premier League champions Manchester City, while Success has already broken into the first team at Spanish La Liga side Granada CF.

The other invited pros are Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City/England), Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar/Sweden), Chidera Eze (FC Porto/Portugal), Daddy Moses, Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin/Slovakia), Musa Yahaya (Tottenham Hotspur/England) and Musa Muhammed.

Kelechi Iheanacho

According to coach Manu Garba, the players are expected to join up with the Flying Eagles when the team’s training camp reopens in Kaduna on December 27.

He also said he has received assurances for the release of the players by their clubs.

The AYC will kick off on March 8 in Dakar, Senegal.

The eight-team tournament will produce Africa’s four representatives to the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Flying Eagles Qualify For 2015 AYC After Lesotho Walkover

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Saturday qualified for the 2015 African Youth Championship after they walked over Lesotho in Kaduna.

Match officials insisted till the last minute that they have not received any official notification that the first leg final qualifier has been called off after Lesotho expressed concerns over the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.

They therefore went through the traditional walkover ceremony that involved a 15-minute wait after the referee’s kick-off whistle.

Nigeria will thus join seven other countries including hosts Senegal for the 2015 AYC from March 8.

Coach Manu Garba

“Congratulations Nigeria on this qualification,” saluted Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba.

“We trained very hard in the last two months for this match and we would really have been a lot happier had we qualified for the AYC on the pitch and not in the boardroom.

“It was a bit of a disappointment that Lesotho failed to turn up, but there was nothing we could have done about that.”

Manu said the team will now decamp and regroup in time for the tournament proper.

The Flying Eagles therefore walloped Kaduna United second team 6-0 in a test game at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

Skipper Musa Muhammed and Sulaiman Abdullahi scored a brace each with Taiwo Awoniyi and Ifeanyi Matthew also getting on the scoreboard.

After near misses by Awoniyi, Alhassan Ibrahim aka Muazam and Abdullahi Alfa, whose shot in the 18th minute crashed against the crossbar, the Nigeria U20s took the lead in the 21st minute from the penalty spot taken by Muhammed after goal-bound Awoniyi was felled inside the box.

Muhammed doubled the lead seven minutes later when he cut through from the right flank before he fired home a tight angle.

Flying Eagles in Morocco

In the 31st minute Awoniyi rounded the Kaduna United goalkeeper to make it 3-0.

And eight minutes later, Ifeanyi Matthew slotted home another spot kick after Awoniyi was brought down and the goalkeeper was sent off.

Substitute striker Sulaiman Abdullahi scored twice in the 49th and 86th minutes after the Flying Eagles fluffed numerous chances.

Flying Eagles Name 25-Man Squad For Lesotho Clash

Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles, have named a 25-man squad for a final 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Lesotho later this month.

Skipper Musa Muhammed (Besiktas/Turkey) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar FF/Sweden) are the only overseas-based players as the Flying Eagles will be without several of their foreign-based stars as a result of club commitments, according to coach Manu Garba.

The Flying Eagles take on Lesotho on August 16 in Kaduna for a place in the final of the 2015 AYC in Senegal in March.

Flying Eagles

The full squad:

Goalkeepers
Joshua Enaholo, Adamu Abubakar, Olorunleke Ojo, Etua Ossai Kingdom

Defenders

Musa Muhammed, Ifeanyi Nweke, Mustapha Abdullahi, Zaharadden Bello, Prince Izu Omego, Adebayor Ademuluwa, Wilfred Ndidi, Sirajo Mazadu

Midfielders

Bernard Bulbwa, Ifeanyi Matthew, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Chizom Eze, Akinjide Idowu, Clement Ogbobe, Abdullahi Alfa, Obinna Nwobodo

Strikers

Taiwo Awoniyi, Sulaiman Abdullahi, Alhassan Ibrahim, Abubakar Lawal, Wasiu Jimoh

Flying Eagles name 30-man Squad For Final AYC Qualifiers

Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles, on Saturday named a 30-man squad ahead next month’s final 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Lesotho.

This followed a two-week rigorous screening exercise at the FIFA Goal project in Abuja.

The Flying Eagles will host Lesotho on August 16 with the return leg match in Maseru a fortnight later and the overall winners advancing to the 2015 African Youth Championship to be staged by Senegal.

The bulk of the squad remains the FIFA U17 World Cup-winning squad like skipper Musa Muhammed, Kelechi Iheanacho and Dele Alampasu.

There is also a sprinkling of players from the Nigeria Premier League like Obinna Nwobodo of Enugu Rangers and the Sunshine Stars duo of Olulayo Seun and Adeniji Tunde.

Flying Eagles

The full squad:

Goalkeepers
Joshua Enaholo (MFM Lagos), Adamu Abubakar (Flash Gombe), Olorun Leke (Giwa FC), Dele Alampasu

Defenders
Musa Muhammed (Besiktas Turkey), Ifeanyi Nweke (Riverlane Youth Club Enugu), Mustapha Abdullahi (Spotlight Katsina), Zaharadden Bello (Dabo Babes Kano), Prince Izu Omego, Adebayor Ademuluwa, Wilfred Ndidi

Midfielders
Olulayo Seun (Sunshine Stars), Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City England), Wasiu Jimoh (Kwara Academy), Musa Yahaya (Tottenham Hotspur England), Bernard Bulbwa, Ifeanyi Matthew (El Kanemi Warriors), Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Chisom Eze, Akinjide Idowu, Abdullahi Alfa

Strikers
Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar Sweden), Sulaiman Abdullahi(El Kanemi Warriors), Segun Alebiosu (Kwara United), Adeniji Tunde, Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City England), Obinna Nwobodo (Enugu Rangers), Isaac Success (Granada, Spain), Alhassan Ibrahim (FC Hearts), Abubakar Lawal (Sokoto United)

Flying Eagles win test game 6-1

Nigeria Flying Eagles thumped Clinton Football Academy Lagos 6-1 in a test game on Thursday at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.

“This is our first game after a long time, but ee have to be more clinical in front of goal after the numerous chances we created,” said Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba.

“At this level, we cannot afford to throw away begging chances.”

Taiwo Awoniyi put the Nigeria U20s ahead after just eight minutes and six minutes later, Kelechi Iheanacho doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after Awoniyi was brought down on his way to goal.

A minute after he was denied from point-blank range by goalkeeper Faith Oje, Awoniyi grabbed his brace in the 22nd minute courtesy of an assist by Musa Yahaya.

Substitute Tunde Adeniji made it 4-0 two minutes after the interval when he was set up by Sulaiman Abdullahi.

Anu Egundipe pulled a goal back for Clinton Academy in the 61st minute, when he fired past goalkeeper Dele Alampasu after a blunder by skipper Musa Muhammed.

Adeniji completed his brace in the 74th minute with an assist from Chidiebere Nwakali.

‘Daddy’ Abdullahi wrapped up the emphatic win 10 minutes from time with an fine individual goal as he ran half way down the pitch before slotting home.

Flying Eagles

Joshua Enaholo (Dele Alampasu 46) – Musa Muhammed (Ifeanyi Nweke 82), Seun Olubayo (Mustapha Abdullahi 46), Wilfred Ndidi, Zaharadeen Bello (Izu Omego 46) – Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Idowu Akinjide 46), Kelechi Iheanacho (Tunde Adeniji 46), Musa Yahaya (Bernard Bulbwa 46 Eze Chisom 69), Abdullahi Alfa (Obinna Nwobodo 46), Ifeanyi Matthew (Chidiebere Nwakali 69 – Taiwo Awoniyi (Sulaiman Abdullahi 46 Segun Alebiosu 83)

Flying Eagles

World Cup-winning Eaglets beg again over house gifts, As Isaac Success Jets in on Tuesday…

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World Cup-winning Eaglets Musa Muhammed and Zaharadeen Bello have again begged the Kano State Government to redeem a promise of a house gift made to them five months ago.

Muhammed and Bello were promised a house each by Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso for being part of the Nigeria team who made history by winning a record fourth U17 FIFA World Cup in November in the United Arab Emirates.

“We are still waiting for our houses many months after the Governor promised us,” said inspirational ex-Eaglets skipper Muhammed, who is now the Flying Eagles captain.

“We received the papers for the house and even keys but since that presentation, we have not been contacted by any official as regards what next.”

“We are most grateful to the Governor for this gift, but to be honest the waiting is really killing. We are very anxious and so too our families,” added defender Zaharadeen.

“We therefore appeal to the government to please see to it that we can move into the houses soon.”

Cash gifts made to the rest of the Eaglets players and officials have also yet to be redeemed.

Governor Kwankwaso’s special adviser on sports Gara Gombe has insisted that due process must be followed for the promises to be redeemed.

Isaac Success in Tuesday

Isaac success has said he hopes to joins the Flying Eagles training camp in Kaduna ahead of an AYC qualifier latest on Tuesday.

“I hope I could join the squad latest on Tuesday,” the Granada striker said from his Spanish base at the weekend.

“I have been in touch with the coaches and I’m looking forward to reuniting with the team.”

Granada have held on to the highly promising in their fight for survival in La Liga.

The Flying Eagles beat Ngorongoro Heroes of Tanzania 2-0 in Dar es Salaam in a second round, first leg AYC qualifier.

The return match will be played in Kaduna on Saturday, May 24.

Flying Eagles off to bright start in AYC qualifiers

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles got off to a bright start in the 2015 AYC qualifiers after they beat hosts Tanzania 2-0 in Dar es Salaam in a second round, first leg clash on Sunday.

The Flying Eagles scored in the 49th minute through Musa Yahaya and killed off the contest in the 82nd minute courtesy of striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

“This win away from home is very, very good for us going into the return leg match in Nigeria,” Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba told reporters after the match watched by a fair crowd at the 60,000-capacity National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“Tanzania also showed they are a very good side, but they will have to work on their finishing.

“Overall, it was the better team that won even though I was not completely satisfied with the final 15 minutes of the game as we sat back in our defence.”

However, Ngorongoro of Tanzania coach John Simkoko insisted they have not given up hope and said they will battle in the return match in Nigeria in a fortnight.

“Nigeria were the better team and deserved to win,” he admitted.

“But the battle is not over yet as we will come prepared to Nigeria.”

It was a goalless first half, but Nigeria enjoyed more of the ball possession and created more chances with their biggest opening coming after 24 minutes, when Musa Yahaya blasted wide from inside the six-yard.

Newly drafted striker Saad Kipanga from Mbeya City also had a glorious chance to put his team ahead after just five minutes, but his header from inside the box missed its target.

The home team suffered a major blow when first-choice goalkeeper and skipper Aishi Manula could not continue after a thigh injury in the first period.

He was therefore replaced by Peter Manyika for the resumption of the second half.

Four minutes after the break, Tanzania’s worst fears came to be as Musa Yahaya slotted past the goalkeeper from the near post after a low cross by skipper Musa Muhammed.

Kelechi Iheanacho, who replaced Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Mu-azam’ for the second half, was denied a goal in the 54th minute by a piece of brilliant goalkeeping by Manyika.

Flying Eagles goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo ensured he kept a clean sheet when he made a big save in 67th minute and he will again pull off another save late on as Tanzania attacked.

But Awoniyi killed off the tie eight minutes from time, when he held off his marker and stand-in captain Pato Ngonyani, before he slotted past the onrushing goalkeeper.

The home team created several openings late on to at least reduce the tally, but Abdallah Kheri and Juma Liuzio both failed to find target from inside the 18-yard box.

Flying Eagles vs Tanzania

Joshua Enaholo – Musa Muhammed (skipper), Mustapha Abdullahi, Wilfred Ndidi, Izu Omego – Akinjide Idowu, Ifeanyi Matthew, Abdullahi Alfa, Musa Yahaya (Chidiebere Nwakali 74) – Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Mu-azam’ (Kelechi Iheanacho 46), Taiwo Awoniyi