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All sports stories from Naija – Latest from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigerian Super Eagles and Super Falcons preparations for the FIFA World Cups, and the Nigeria athletes compete at the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and the IAAF World Championships.

Football: Nigeria Ask For Qualifying Reschedule

Nigeria have asked FIFA to reschedule their World Cup qualifiers in June for fairness, arguing that all games in their group be played on the same day.

Nigeria are top of their qualifying group on five points from three matches with Malawi also on five points but with an inferior goal difference.
 
Last week, FIFA adjusted Nigeria World Cup qualifiers because of their participation at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
This meant the African champions will play Kenya in Nairobi on Wednesday, June 5, and then take on Namibia in Windhoek on Wednesday, June 12, before flying to Brazil for the Confederations Cup.
 
Nigeria have now proposed that their Group F matches as well as those involving closest rivals Malawi be played on the same day. This would either be on June 5 and 12 or the original dates of June 8 and 15.
 
The formal complaint to FIFA was made by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) general secretary Musa Amadu.
"We make this request in the interest of fairness, as at the moment, Nigeria and Malawi have same number of points (five) and for Nigeria to play two days before Malawi in each of the two important qualifying games in June will give undue advantage to the Malawians," said Amadu.
 
"We see the FIFA Confederations Cup as a key tournament, but we also know we have to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals as priority. It is important to us to go to the FIFA Confederations Cup and then return to Brazil a year later for the FIFA World Cup finals."

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2014 World Cup Qualifier: Temile, Edema, Others Praise Eagles’ Fighting Spirit

Some notable football stakeholders on Sunday in Lagos praised the Super Eagles for their resilient  performance against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in a 2014 World Cup Qualifying match. The Eagles had to force their East African opponents to a fac...

Continue Reading2014 World Cup Qualifier: Temile, Edema, Others Praise Eagles’ Fighting Spirit

‘End AFCON Celebrations Now’- Ebonyi Fans Tell Eagles

Football fans in Ebonyi have urged the Super Eagles to end all celebrations arising from their triumph in the AFCON 2013 tournament and concentrate on qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

The fans gave the advice on Sunday in Abakaliki, while reacting to the Eagles 1-1 draw with Kenya on Saturday in Calabar, in a world cup qualifier.

The fans urged the players, officials and the Nigerian Football Association (NFA), to realise that the AFCON triumph would be eroded if the Eagles failed to qualify for the global fiesta.

The Chief Coach of the Ebonyi State Sports Council, Martin Nkpuma,  said that the players’ attitude on the pitch was questionable as they had played as if nothing was at stake.

“They appeared unfit and showed no sense of urgency until the later part of the game when it became late.

“They should put the Kenya game behind them and approach the remaining matches with the same level of commitment they used in executing the AFCON matches,” he said.

A Sports Administrator, Ernest Nkwuda, called on Stephen Keshi not to distort the team’s arrangement out of panic.

“He has gotten the nucleus of the team he desires,  engaging in further experimentation due to the outcome of the Kenya game would be counter-productive,” he said.

A banker, Mr Joe Udah, also called on the NFA to consider the possibility of playing the Eagles home matches at night for the sake of the European based players.

“This is winter period in Europe, most of our players fagged out against Kenya,'' he stated.

 A Volleyball Coach, Bridget Uchendu, similarly, called on the NFA not to put Keshi under undue pressure to deliver, but to ensure that the team was provided with all it needed to succeed.

“This is not the time to trade blames but a period for utmost collaboration to achieve the desired objective,” she said.

 

Continue Reading‘End AFCON Celebrations Now’- Ebonyi Fans Tell Eagles