THE NEWFANZONE 2015 FOOTBALL REVIEW

It was an interesting 2015 in the world of football and for us at the Newfanzone we’ve come up with a review of some of the events that shaped our year, You can also send in your reviews, comments and sports stories to fanzone.fans@gmail.com or tweet at us @newfanzone or @El_pauleta on twitter.

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Nigeria:

The year 2015 was bitter sweet for Nigerian football. Here are the major high and low points in the Nigerian football scene in 2015;

* In January 2015, Super Falcons and Liverpool striker Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s player of the year and Youth player of the year award at the GLO CAF Awards hosted in Lagos. The Super Falcons of Nigeria were named the Women’s National team of the year at the award.

* In May 2015, Super Falcons of Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala won the inaugural BBC Women’s footballer of the year award.

* In June 2015, The Flying Eagles of Nigeria where knocked out of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand losing 1-0 to Germany in the round of 16. While the Super Falcons crashed out of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada in the group stage.

STEPHEN KESHI

* In July 2015, Stephen Keshi was sacked, spending less than 3 months in his return as the head coach of the Super Eagles.

* The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) unveiled Sunday Oliseh as the new coach of the Super Eagles in Abuja.

*In August 2015, The Super Falcons of Nigeria crashed out of the Rio 2016 Olympics qualifiers after suffering a 3-2 aggregate loss against Equatorial Guinea

* Kano Pillars suffered their first home defeat in 12 years when they lost 2-1 to Nasarawa United at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.

* In September 2015, The Nigerian U-23 team won bronze at the football event of the All African Games while the Super Falcons lost to Cote d’Ivoire in the bronze medal match.

Golden Eaglets

* In November 2015, The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile for a record fifth time. They join Brazil as the second team to win the competition back to back.

* Enyimba of Aba made history winning the GLO Premier League a record seventh time.

2015 Federation Cup Winners Akwa United FC, football, Nigeria. photo credit Alonge Akinlolu

* Akwa United defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 to win this year’s Federation Cup at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

*In December 2015, The Nigeria U-23 team defeated Algeria 2-1 to win the CAF U-23 Championship in Senegal. The Samson Siasia lead side qualified for the football event of the Rio 2016 Olympics.

* In what summarizes the Super Eagles performance in the FIFA Ranking, Sunday Oliseh’s team ends 2015 as 66th in the world and 12th in Africa.

World Football Scene:

Cristiano Ronaldo, credit-Ronaldo7.net FIFA Ballon d’Or

* In January 2015, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the third time.

*In February 2015, The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire were crowned 2015 Africa Cup of Nations champions after defeating Ghana 9-8 0n penalties in Equatorial Guinea.

Chelsea are Champions of England 2014-
photo credit: Caricato da Dudek1337
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* In May 2015, Jose Mourinho led Chelsea to their fifth English League title.

Fc Barcelona are League Champions! 2014-2015! photo credit fcbarcelona.com

* Barcelona won the Spanish La Liga title for the 23rd time.

* Sevilla made European football history by becoming the first club to win the UEFA Europa League four times.

*Arsenal won the FA Cup for a record 12th time after defeating Aston Villa 4-0 at Wembley.

* Carlo Ancelotti was sacked as Real Madrid manager.

*In June 2015, Barcelona completes a historic second treble by winning the UEFA Champions League against Juventus in Berlin. It was Barcelona fourth Champions League title in the last ten years and their fifth in team history.

* Real Madrid appointed former Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez as manager on a three-year contract.

* Serbia was crowned FIFA U-20 World Cup champions after beating Brazil in final.

Petr Cech. photo credit chelseafc.com

* Arsenal announced the signing of Petr Cech from Chelsea on a long-term contract.

* In July 2015, The United States won their third FIFA Women’s World Cup defeating Japan 5-2 in Canada.

* Chile won the Copa America for the first time in its history after a dramatic penalty shootout against Argentina in the final in Santiago.

* Fiji broke the record for the biggest win in international football with a 38-0 victory over the Federated States of Micronesia.

* Bayern Munich completed the signing of Douglas Costa from Shakhtar Donetsk on a five-year contract for €30 million.

* Chelsea announced the signing of Radamel Falcao from Monaco on a season-long loan deal.

* Manchester United completed the signing of Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich.

* Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup for a record seventh time after defeating Jamaica 3-1 in Philadelphia.

* In August 2015, after a season at Manchester United, Angel Di Maria completed his move to Paris Saint-Germain on a four-year contract.

* Arsenal defeated Chelsea 1-0 to lift the Community Shield at Wembley.

* Barcelona won the UEFA Super Cup by defeating Europa League Champions Sevilla 5-4 in extra time in Tbilisi,Georgia.

* In September 2015, Manchester United completed the signing of French forward Anthony Martial from AS Monaco on a four-year contract with the option of another year.

* Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney became England’s all-time goal scorer.

* In October 2015, Wales qualified for their first major tournament since 1958.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic PSG
photo credit: Nazionale Calcio
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nazionalecalcio/15187440185/in/photolist-6edRFK-nw9A7R-iMaMHd-iM8T8r-6wCZ9J-5KWwH-iM8NQZ-bx9Vmq-iMcWLm-iM8Vti-cH3Zcu-5ViVdd-ejTqfe-qVN4we-8Lsz64-6YAFrg-rijDfb-345CgU-p94AQZ-6Hkd7t-e3Sm52-e3SkG2-e3Soet-e3SmHx-e3XVMs-e3SfUg-e3XSy9-cH3Zsm-aNfMYB-gn1JSy-e3Y5h9-ejZaaY-6SmtNP-6SqyAq-fF5Aiu-aK3gTv-76U2TB-aWTewH-aCFq4b-aNfMqB-bkCkuF-aWTdJz-bts4hL-aK37Cx-6YMCmj-6EZLix-aCsQry-6F4Vcm-6F4UXb-bkCap8

* Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 109th and 110th goal for PSG against Marseille to become Paris Saint-Germain all-time goal scorer.

* Brendan Rogders was sacked as Liverpool manager

Jurgen Klopp
photo credit: Asia Joanna
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* Liverpool appointed former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp as new manager.

* Cristiano Ronaldo became Real Madrid’s all-time goal scorer.

* In November 2015, Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema was charged with conspiracy to blackmail in Mathieu Valbuena sex-tape case.

* Claude Le Roy resigned as the head coach of Republic of Congo

* In December 2015, Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville was appointed as head coach of Valencia until the end of the season

Belgium National Team
photo credit: Erik Drost
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* A first place finish on the last FIFA ranking of the year saw Belgium claim the Team of the year award for 2015.

* France Football Federation suspended Karim Benzema from international duty amid ongoing Blackmail case.

* Chelsea terminated the contract of the “Special one” Jose Mourinho seven months after winning them the Premier League title.

Anthony Martial wins Golden Boy Awards

* Manchester United forward Anthony Martial won the Golden Boy award.

Mitchel Platini and Sepp Blatter
photo credit: Antoon Kuper
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* FIFA ethics committee bans Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini for 8 years.

* Barcelona won their fifth trophy of 2015 by winning the FIFA Club World Cup for the third time with a victory over South American champions River Plate in Japan.

Pep guardiola
photo credit: Thomas Rodenbücher
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* Pep Guardiola announced he will be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season and he will be replaced by Carlo Ancelotti.

Paul Ayorinde

11th AJC: NFF Tidies Up Arrangements For Eaglets’ Successful Campaign

In its determination to ensure a very successful for the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, at the 11th African U-17 Championship in Niger Republic, the Nigeria Football Federation has been actualizing plans to make the team’s stay in that country comfortable.

As part of this strategy, the NFF Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi was in Niamey, capital of Niger Republic last week to meet with prominent personalities within the Local Organizing Committee and officials of the Embassy of Nigeria.

11th CAF African U-17 Championship

“I had meetings with the top officials of the local organizing committee of the championship, including the President of LOC, General Secretary of FENIFOOT and the Head of Competitions. Our meetings centred on accommodation and transportation of Team Nigeria during the championship, as well as accreditation of the Nigeria delegation, ticketing and other logistics.

“I also met with the top people in the Embassy of Nigeria in Niamey, with particular emphasis on ticket issues.”

Dr. Sanusi also discussed with members of the local organizing committee of the 11th African Junior Championship on the movement of the Nigeria team into Niger Republic.

“Since they are having their final training camp in Sokoto, we are making arrangements for them to move into Niamey by road, and I have intimated the organizers and we have finalized on security arrangement for the team.”

Golden Eaglets Training

The Nigeria team of 21 players, 10 officials and a number of administrative officials will depart Sokoto for Niamey on Thursday, 12th February. The Eaglets will stay at the Hotel Royale Palace, with their first two matches (against host Niger Republic and Guinea) at the Stade General Seyni Kountche, while the last match (against Zambia) will take place at the Stade Municipal, which has artificial turf.

“The Nigeria community in Niger Republic is also eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Golden Eaglets, the world champions. They have promised to give the Eaglets maximum support to go all the way and win the African trophy, which will serve as a launch-pad towards retaining the FIFA U-17 World Cup title in Chile later this year.”

2015 Afcon Showdown: Congolese FA Plays Hide-And-Seek With NFF

The Nigeria Football Federation has been compelled to report the Congolese Football Federation to the Confederation of African Football, following the latter’s refusal to afford Nigeria details of its travel plans for Saturday’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Super Eagles in Calabar.

On Tuesday, NFF’s Head of International, Bola Oyeyode brought CAF up to speed with the strange silence of the Congolese, after which the Congolese Federation forwarded a terse message about its ‘advance party’ arriving in Nigeria on Wednesday and in need of visa-on-arrival.

“We are surprised at the attitude of the Congolese FA. They have kept silence all along, refusing to give us details of their travel plans, only for them to be requesting visa-on-arrival for their advance party which they stated would arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday.

“They gave no details of which persons constitute the advance party and no passport details. In any event, we have written to CAF to say we cannot arrange visa-on-arrival for them as we have no details, and moreover, there is an Embassy of Nigeria in Brazzaville. They should secure their visas before coming to Nigeria,” Oyeyode said.

The camp of the African champions has been buoyant with 19 players in camp before dinner on Tuesday, and all arrangements in proper shape for Saturday’s showdown.

NFF’s Director, Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme has been in Calabar since Monday to ensure flawless organization for both teams, match officials as well as other logistics.

“Everything is in great shape here, thanks to the Government of Governor Liyel Imoke, CON. The only thing missing is information on the travel plans of the Congolese delegation. But everything has been arranged for them and things are moving according to plan,” Ikpeme said on Wednesday morning.

The Red Devils, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon 42 years ago, were restored to the campaign after losing on penalty shoot –out to Rwanda’s Amavubi, following CAF’s disqualification of Rwanda for using an ineligible player.

Saturday’s showdown at the U. J. Esuene Stadium is the first of six matches for each of the teams in seven groups of four teams in the qualifying series for the finals scheduled for Morocco early next year.

The match kicks off at 5pm.

Clashes between Nigeria and Congo at international level are few and far between, but the Devils famously held the Eagles to a 0-0 draw in Lagos in a group phase match at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, and last year, the Golden Eaglets mauled the Congo U-17 side 7-0 at the African U-17 Championship in Morocco.

The Super Eagles’ delegation is expected to fly into Cape Town on Tuesday morning for the clash with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Wednesday next week.