Super Sand Eagles grab World cup ticket beat Egypt 7-6

Call it a combination of luck and tenacity and you will be correct as Super Sand Eagles Wednesday defeated hosts Egypt in the semifinals of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations to book a place in the final and also qualify for the world cup in Paraguay.

The team that left the country on a quite side with no known outstanding training ahead of the championship lost held on in their energy sapping encounter with Egypt to emerge victorious 7-6.  

The team had started the championship on a losing note against Senegal but then defeated Libya 6-3 in what could pass for a bounce back tie.

 In the second semifinals billed for tomorrow, Senegal will take Morocco to determine who will play Nigeria in final on Friday December 14.

A number of fans reacting to the Super Sand Eagles feat believe die hard attitude and the much talked about Nigerian spirit led the team to the finals, noting that if based on training and preparation they ought to take first from behind.

One of the fans on social media said "Nigeria's Super Sand Eagles have beaten hosts Egypt and qualified for the final of the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations as well as the 2019 Beach Soccer World Cup. No camping. No training. Bahbu! Just sheer grit and a hefty dose of "WE DIE HERE!"

The Nigerian beach soccer team will be hoping to improve on its past achievement in Paraguay not withstanding their lack of preparation.

 Below is a list of their achievements since 2006, posting their best world stage outing in 2007 when they reached the quarterfinals in Rio De Janeiro Brazil losing 3-1 to Uruguay and 2011 in Italy where they lost 10-8 to Brazil after extra time.

2006 Season

CAF Beach Soccer Championship: runner-up

2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: group stages

2007 Season

CAF Beach Soccer Championship: champions

2007 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: quarterfinals

2009 Season

CAF Beach Soccer Championship: champions

2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: group stages

2011 Season

CAF Beach Soccer Championship: runner-up

2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: quarterfinals

We can only reduce not eradicate racism-Ikpeba

Former international Victor Ikpeba has declared that the problem of racism in football can only be reduced but cannot be eradicated.  

The former Monaco and Borussia Dortmund ace noted that the vice has eaten deep into the fabrics of some people that it will be easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle that to have it eradicated completely.

He made the submission while reacting to racist remarks directed at Manchester City star Raheem Sterling by 60 year old Chelsea fan from Beckenham Colin Wing. 

Ikpeba a regular on he Monday Night football, said many footballers across the globe experience it but just manage to live with it. "It is always there and many footballers experience it. It cannot really be eradicated it can only be reduced," he submitted

Sterling who has so far scored 39 goals for the Citizens in over 110 appearances maintained he had to raise alarm over the incident not only for his own sake but for the sake of younger players who are likely to face the same embarrassment in future.

Although die-hard Chelsea fans Colin wing has appologised for the act, the soccer world nonetheless condemned it calling on the world soccer ruling body to intensify action against racism for the good of the game.

Wing,was caught on camera screaming insults at the Manchester City player in a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday  but he denies the abuse was racist.

Mr Wing said: ‘I’m deeply ashamed by my own behaviour and I feel really bad. But I didn’t call him a black c***, I called him a Manc c***.

‘I’ve been going to Chelsea for 50 years now and, because of where I sit, I’m picked up on the camera most weeks. If I had a history of saying this sort of thing I would’ve been caught by now'.

The football fanatic, whose Facebook account is full of references to Chelsea, is also active on Twitter where his biography says: 'If you learn from your mistakes, why am I so stupid?'

Dual Citizenship: Victor Nsofor celebrates Italian passport

Nigeria international and former Cape City forward Victor Obinna Nsofor has joined the league of players with dual citizenship.

The former Olympic team captain has acquired an Italian passport taking to the social media to thank God and all those who made the dream come true for their contributions.

He wrote:

"I want to thank God almighty for doing this for me �� thank you Jesus for loving me so well�� I also want to appreciate everyone that has help me in one way or the other to achieve this, I’m grateful, and to my lovely queen @anastasija_radi thank you always for making me smile, I love you ❤️ io sono italiano �� "

The post was accompanied with a picture showing the former Lokomotiv Moscow ace displaying his new passport while driving.

Nsofor who began his international career with Italian side Chievo in 2005 had a short premier league romance with West Ham united on loan in the 2010-2011 season.  

He joined South African side Cape Town City in 2017 in a move that did not last the distance

An elated Nsofor did not only express delight at getting the Italian passport but also released a short video to display dancing steps to celebrate the occasion.

In February this year Cape Town City Chairman John Cumitis announced that the Nigerian international had left the club adding that  the exit bothered more on off the pitch issues.

Though Nsofor had a poor run of goals and appearances during his short spell with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) outfit, Cumitis said the biggest issue was that the player could not settle to life off the pitch, because he failed to get entry visas to South Africa for his wife and child.

Consequently, Nsofor was released from his contract at Cape Town City after just five months in the Absa Premiership, after he was lured to the club by their coach, Benni McCarthy, who was his teammate during their days together at West Ham United of England.

The former Inter Milan, attacker had hoped that return to   South Africa could lead the way back for him into the Super Eagles, ahead of the World Cup in Russia, a dream which could not come to pass.

Most of his fans who reacted to the achievement wished him well while advising him to obey the rules of his new country. 

Falcons awaits opponents drop one point in FIFA ranking

Super Falcons dropped a point in the latest FIFA ranking despite emerging champions at the just ended African women Nations cup in Accra Ghana. 

The ranking dished out Friday, indicate that the Coach Thomas Dennerby tutored side dropped from 38 in the world to 39th in the world but remained number one in the African continent.

The two other African flag bearers to the 2019 World cup in France however moved slightly up the ladder but still remain below Nigeria.

AFWON runners up Bayana Bayana moved up two places from 50 to 48 while Cameroon moved up three places from 49 in the world to 46 in the world.  

Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Ghana and Cote d Ivoire  are the top five in Africa in that order while USA, Germany, France, England and Canada are the top five in the world in that order. 

Meanwhile the 24 countries that will do battle in France will know their opponents on Saturday.  

African representatives are in pot 4 alongside Argentina Chile and Jamaica.

 Pot 3 has Korea Republic, China, Italy New Zealand, Scotland and Thailand.  Netherlands, Japan Sweden

Brazil Spain and Norway make up Pot2 while Pot 1 has hosts France, USA, Germany, England, Canada and Australia.

Only four countries have won the Women's world cup since its inception in 1991, with USA having the highest wins of three times, 1991, 1999 and 2015.

Germany won the title back to back in 2003 and 2007 while Norway and Japan won in 1995 and 2011 respectively.

 Falcons have been part of every edition posting their best performance in 1999 when they made to the Quarterfinals.

World Cup largess for Enyimba and Ifeanyi Ubah

The 2018 world Cup in Russia may have come and gone but the financial blessing from it is still rolling in. Premier league clubs Enyimba and Ifeanyi Ubah are to pocket $118,860 about  N42.7million each for having their one and only player Ikechukwu  Ezenwa at the world cup. 

Ezenwa it will be recalled was the only player from the local league that made Coach Gernot Rohr's 23-man squad to Russia where Nigeria failed to go beyond the group stage. 

While the Nigeria professional football league could boast of just one player, the Tunisian league and Egyptian leagues respectively provided more players thus earning more.

 Formidable clubs like Zamalek, Ah Ahly, Club Africain, Esperance, Etoile sportive known for making waves in the continent all earned millions of dollars for parading local players. 

Prior to the world cup the need to include more of the local players in the team for exposure and blend took the center stage among fans and analysts alike in Nigeria, but the national coach stood his ground.

In a recent interview however the German tactician said the local league players remain in his plan adding that his assistants have been mandated to keep track of the players doing well in their clubs with a view to giving them a chance prove their skills in the national team especially ahead of the 2019 Nations cup and the 2022 World cup in Qatar respectively.

Four Eagles four falcons make CAF best players list

*Rohr, Dennerby make coaches list

Despite what has been dubbed in some quarters as not too impressive form of the Nation's senior teams Super Eagles and Super Falcons, no fewer than eight Nigeria male and female players have been nominated in the CAF's 55-man parade of best players in the continent.

The soccer ruling body in Africa Friday dished out a list of 34 male players, 15 female players and six male youth players who will battle for recognition at the awards Gala billed for January 8 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

Although the list will ultimately be gradually cut down to the last 10 all the way to the last three, being named among the best on the continent is no doubt an achievement on its own.

Leading the pack of Super Eagles players in the list is the master of speed on pitch Ahmed Musa who has been tipped in some quarters to make it all the way considering his impact at the last World cup in Russia as well as other outings afterwards.  

Others are China based Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi and Wilifred Ndidi who was named in the youth player of the year category.

In the ladies department expectedly former Arsenal ace Asissat Oshoalla led the pack with Desire Oparanozie, Francisca Odegar and Onome Ebi also in contention. The girls who have garnered some points for picking a ticket to the world cup in France will further add some icing on the cake on Saturday if they brush aside Bayana Bayana to clinch the African women Nations cup in Ghana.

It was not however all about players as Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also got a nomination in the coaches’ 10-man parade that also has Aliou Cisse who led the Teranga Lions to the last world cup in Russia. 

Thomas Dennerby who is hoping to win his first trophy with Super Falcons on Saturday, made the 5-man list of Women's coach of the year. 

While the Super Eagles failed to make it into the national male team of the year, Super Falcons will battle it out against Cameroon, Mali Ghana and South Africa.

World Cup Ticket: South Africans close shops for Bayana Bayana

Despite failing in their bid to hand African Champions back to back defeat at the just ended African Women Championship in Ghana, Bayana Bayana of South Africa got a breath-taking reception on Sunday. 

The coach Desiree Ellis tutored side touched down at the Oliver Tambo International Airport to behold their countrymen and women completely takeover the gallery and every available space to chanting various welcome songs. 

Although their compatriots had high hopes when they departed for the Championship in Ghana after well-coordinated preparations the hopes hit the roof tops when they defeated Nigeria in the opening match a feat which was interpreted as a warning shot that they have come to Ghana for one purpose, to lift the trophy. 

But a rematch in the semifinals in the battle of Accra saw the masters of the game, Super Falcons rise above the pressures to return the trophy the 9th time they will be clinching the trophy.

A number of the fans who had trooped out to welcome the Rainbow city girls home said they gave the championship their all adding that picking one of the tickets to the world cup in France remains the ultimate.

Although some sports analysts believe the Falcons performed below their capacity on a good day, the team nonetheless held their nerves to carry the day after 120 minutes of play eventually sealed with a penalty shootout.

The analysts and fans are however unanimous that the team must be beefed up and tinkered into proper shape with quality friendly matches ahead of the world cup in France.

Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon will fly Africa’s flag at the championship, and will know their world cup opponents on Saturday when the draw will be made in Paris.