NaijaWire

Archive for the ‘Sport’ Category

Abuja - Nigeria Super Eagles have now officially qualified for the the final phase of the 2010 Nations and World Cups qualifiers, while also maintaining a clean sheet with the weekend’s 2-0 thrashing of Equatorial Guinea at the Abuja International Stadium.

Without conceding a goal in all the four matches played in the qualifiers, the Coach Shuaibu Amodu-tutored side confirmed their superiority in the group with 12 points to top the group, and became the first country to qualify for the African Cup of Nations tournament.

Goals from Yakubu Aiyegbeni and substitute Ike Uche in each half of the game gave the Eagles the needed victory against their visitors.

Malabo - The Super Eagles of Nigeria yesterday in Malabo, improved their chances of qualifying from Group Four for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, after winning 1-0 against Equatorial Guinea, to stay firmly rooted on top of the table after three matches.

The coach Shuaibu Amodu-trained Eagles  have skipper Joseph Yobo to thank for the lone goal, which came in the fifth minute, capping up another memorable appearance for the Everton central defender, who was responsible for scoring the only goal in the 1-0 defeat of Sierra Leone a week back.

FIFA - World Soccer ruling body, Fifa has given Nigeria’s preparations for next year’s under-17 soccer World Cup, a very high mark,  on its just concluded inspection of the facilities in Calabar, Cross River State and Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The football governing body said it is encouraged by reforms undertaken by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in Nigeria ahead of the 2009 tournament. Back in February a Fifa delegation that inspected designated stadias had warned Nigeria that it must improve the state of facilities for the tournament.

Abeokuta - The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has declared that it will continue to attach much importance and put in resources for the development of sports in the country.

This assertion was made by Pastor Olu Banure, Special Adviser to the General Overseer of the church, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, at the closing ceremony of the maiden edition of the Redeemers International Sports Festival at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.

According to Pastor Banure, the General Overseer has taken particular interest in the sports development initiatives of the church “since sports plays a vital role in our national life, especially as it relates to the development of the youths.”

Freetown (Sierra Leone) - Super Eagle’s assistant captain, Joseph Yobo’s 89th minute goal against Sierra Leone in Freetown yesterday was all the Super Eagles needed to maintain their steady march to the South Africa 2010 World Cup.

Yobo scored with only one minute remaining to give the Eagles a lone goal win and keep then on top of Group Four with six points.

Desperate to erase the heartbreak of the 2006 qualifiers, which saw them losing the Germany World Cup ticket to Angola, the Eagles attacked their hosts from the first minute of the game, but the less fancied hosts put up stout resistance to put Nigeria at bay in the first half.