Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, says his team will have total concentration against Argentina on Tuesday when they meet in a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup Group D match.

Rohr said at a pre-match press conference on Monday that “Nigeria will play total football with intense attack against Argentina’’ in the match at St. Petersburg.

“We are going to play a wonderful mass attack. We are going to play good game on Tuesday. We are going to defend the colours of Nigeria.

“We will focus on our game, as we are not concerned about Lionel Messi’s skills, even though he is a good player.

“In football, there is no mercy. So, we will not show any mercy for the Argentina team,” he said.

Speaking on if Ahmed Musa, the two-goal hero against Iceland, will be fielded against Argentina, the Super eagles coach said the player is good and deserves to play.

“He had a wonderful outing against Iceland. I hope he will do it again. Last year when he was not playing at club level, we had difficulties with his performance.

“I came to Russia to monitor and watch him in Moscow, but now he is hot. He is going to play against Argentina,” he said.

Rohr, who promised to retain the 3-5-2 formation which silenced Iceland, assured of team captain Mikel Obi’s fitness for the match in spite of the hand injury he sustained.

“Mikel’s injury is not too serious, and I promise you that he will be on duty on Tuesday as the team’s captain.’’

He also allayed fears about poor officiating, saying “we are not afraid of any referee. All we need to do is play good football to get results.”

On the likelihood of Victor Moses making the starting list in spite of his performance in the Iceland game, the coach said: “He is fit, strong and ready to explode against the Argentines come Tuesday’s match.’’

He promised to work on the team to take advantage of set-pieces and score from free-kicks, a failure which has been the bane of most African teams at the competition.

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BIG STORY

CAF 2024 Awards: Nigeria’s ‘Super Falcons’ Wins National Team Of The Year (Female Category)

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, were named “National Team of the Year” at the CAF Awards 2024.

This achievement, revealed on Monday by the Confederation of African Football during the presentation ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, further solidifies their dominance and excellence in African football.

This esteemed recognition underscores the team’s exceptional performances and significant contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the pinnacle of women’s football in Africa.

The CAF Awards annually honor the best in African football, celebrating teams, players, and coaches who have excelled in their respective fields.

The Nigerian women’s team has consistently demonstrated resilience, skill, and determination on the international stage, earning the admiration of fans and experts alike.

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BIG STORY

Four Years Ago I Failed In Front Of The World, Fast Forward, I’m The Best Player In Africa — Ademola Lookman

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick that was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, criticized the player publicly.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly, I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates—club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

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