March 27, 2024
The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Tuesday fell 0-2 to the Eagles of Mali in the second of 2 international friendlies in Marrakesh, Morocco.
El Bilal Toure capitalised on a defensive blunder to put Mali ahead in the 18th minute.
Moses Simon and Cyriel Dessers both had two clear-cut chances later in the game to get Nigeria leveled but squandered them as the Malians held sway.
In the 86th minute, Kamory Doumbia produced a moment of magic to seal the win for the Mali and ensure there was no return for Nigeria.
The loss is coach Finidi George’s first loss as the interim coach of the Super Eagles after an initial 2-1 win over Ghana on Friday.
March 11, 2024
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will return to footballing action at the next FIFA window with 2 friendly games against African rivals; Ghana and Mali in Morocco.
According to a press release by the Nigeria Football Federation, Nigeria will face Ghana on the 22nd of March 2024, at the Grande Stade de Marrakech and then take on the Eagles of Mali on the 26th at the same venue.
Although a coach is yet to be named for the team, the NFF released a 26-man team to prosecute the two games with Ghana and Mali.
Goalkeepers:
Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)
Defenders:
Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC, Italy); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City, Wales); Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)
Midfielders:
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England) Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey)
Forwards:
Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
March 4, 2024
Enyinnaya Kazie Godswill’s last minute goal gave Rivers United of Nigeria a dramatic 2-1 win over Dreams FC of Ghana on Sunday, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo to confirm their place in the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals.
Dreams FC won Group C on goal difference over Rivers after both west African clubs accumulated 12 points from six matches.
Club Africain of Tunisia spoilt their chances of securing a place in the knockout stage of the Confederations Cup after being surprisingly held 1-1 by Academica Lobito of Angola.
The Tunisians finished the most hotly contested of the four mini-leagues with 10 points while Lobito managed just one.
Modern Future and Zamalek of Egypt, title-holders USM Alger of Algeria, Abu Salim of Libya, Renaissance Berkane of Morocco and Stade Malien of Mali are the other quarter-finalists.
Berkane twice, Zamalek, USM and Stade have won the Confederation Cup while Salim, Dreams and Future are first-time qualifiers for the knockout stage.
Hoping to become the first Nigerian winners of a CAF competition since Enyimba lifted the 2005 Super Cup, Rivers fell behind after 40 minutes in Uyo when Abdul Aziz Issah scored for Dreams.
Echeta Deputy levelled on the hour mark and the Ghanaians were reduced to 10 men after 81 minutes when Seth Agyemang was sent off after being yellow-carded a second time.
Full-back Godswill then temporarily abandoned his defensive duties to score the goal that booked Rivers a place in the last-eight draw on a date to be announced.
Two African teams currently at the African Cup of Nations, Afcon; Nigeria and Ivory Coast will be presenting formidable opposition to the Argentine national team in March of 2024.
The Official social media handles of Argentina made announcements about the games.
The selection of two African teams was motivated by the lack of a formidable European opponent or a location with advantageous logistics.
The Argentine football team will play two African opponents during the friendly window in March when it travels to China, the AFA announced on Monday, following an agreement with a Chinese corporation.
The Albiceleste’s two longtime allies, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, will put them to the test as they get ready to defend their continental crown in the US.
During their tour of China, Argentina will play Nigeria at the Olympics Sports Center stadium in Hangzhou.
It will be the tenth high-level match between Nigeria and the Argentine national team, with the latter leading the former in the FIFA rankings at 42.
In particular, their five World Cup meetings have resulted in victories for the Albiceleste (2-1 in 1994, 1-0 in 2002, 1-0 in 2010, 3-2 in 2014, and 2-1 in 2018).
The other win came in a friendly match in 2011 when Argentina won 3-1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The only ever draw was in the King Fahd Cup (0-0) in 1995; the other two losses were in friendlies, with the most recent one occurring in Abuja in 2011 and from 2-4 at Krasnodar, Russia, in 2017.
