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Tag: Super Eagles

Morocco 2025: Osimhen, Lookman Lead Eagles’ Assault Against Mambas

Fola Badmus02 mins

By Bunmi Ogunyale The duo of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will lead Super Eagles attack in this evening’s Round of 16 Africa Cup of Nations tie against The Mambas of Mozambique. Both players will be at the center stage and cynosure of all eyes as the Nigerian side hopes to progress to the last eight of the biennial competition. South African-based goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali returned to goal after missing the final group game against Uganda. in a 4-3-3 formation, Nwabali will get cover from Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Bruno Onyemaechi. Skipper Wilfred Ndidi alongsides Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi will marshall the former Champions midfield, while Akor Adams joins Osimhen and Lookman in the attack. Meanwhole, injuries ruled out Cyriel Dessers and Ryan Alebiosu of the clash at the Complexe Sportif de Fès in Fez, Morocco. The tie is slated to kick off by 8pm Nigeria time.

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Morocco 2025: Super Eagles in Ferocious Charge for 18th AFCON Quarter-Final Berth

Wale busari06 mins

Nigeria are confident of reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the 18th time when they engage Mozambique in tonight’s Round of 16 tie at the Complexe Sportif de Fès. The Super Eagles have the record of most medals in the 69-year-old flagship football tournament of the African continent, viz three triumphs (gold medals), five runner-up positions (silver medals) and eight bronze acquisitions. The only three times they failed to reach the quarter-finals were at their debut in Ghana in 1963, at the 13th edition in Libya in 1982, and in Cameroon four years ago. Ghana 2008 was the only time they crashed out at the quarter-final stage. Otherwise, every time they had gone past the first knockout round, they had picked up a medal. Monday’s encounter against history-making Mambas (they have reached the knockout stage for the first time ever) promises a thrilling contest with Coaches Eric Chelle and Chiquinho Conde preferring to keep tactics, strategies and patterns to their chests. Nigeria swept to three wins out of three, eight goals for and four against, and reflected a formidable set-up in the group phase, which earned Coach Chelle the mantle of Coach of the Group Phase. However, against third-placed Mozambique, the three-time champions must be extra-cautious, as a similar third-placed Tunisia bumped them in the same stage in Garoua four years ago. The Mambas, who famously defeated the Panthers of Gabon either side of defeats to Cup-holders Cote d’Ivoire and five-time champions Cameroon in Group F, look like a team capable of upturning apple carts that are not properly positioned. Conde can bank on defenders Nené, Bruno Langa and Reinildo Mandava to hold the rear tight, and midfielders Domingues (team captain) and João Bonde to feed the foreline of Chamito and Faisal Bangal, and try to catch Nigeria pants down. Yet, Chelle, who is driven by his own admission of having imbibed the truism that “Nigerians want their team to win every game,” is committed to putting out a structure that will see the Eagles defend with resolution and attack with panache. Forward Victor Osimhen, on 32 goals in 49 matches for country, is expected to lead the onslaughts once more. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and midfielders Alex Iwobi are sure to return after taking a rest for the clash with Uganda, as will centre-back Semi Ajayi, wing-back Bright Osayi-Samuel and forward Ademola Lookman. Coach Chelle, in admitting that the Eagles must forget the excellent job done in the group stage and get into knockout-phase mode in order to avoid a sucker punch, said: “We will not get ahead of ourselves and think we are the best. We will continue to work hard and stay focused for every match as it comes.” Immediate past African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, who has scored twice and provided two assists so far in the tournament, spoke of his selection in the group phase’s Best IX: “Yeah, we had a great run in the group stage and I am thankful to all that voted. The selection is not just for me, but my entire team-mates, because their efforts on the pitch contributed to my selection. “However, this is not the vision for our team. We have set targets to accomplish here in Morocco and we are nowhere near our targets yet.” The Confederation of African Football has selected Cameroonian official Abdou Abdel Mefir as referee for Monday night’s encounter, with his compatriots Elvis Noupoue and Carine Atezambong as assistants.

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Super Eagles’ Frank Onyeka Celebrates 29th Year Birthday

Fola Badmus01 mins

Super Eagles’ and Brentford of England midfielder, Frank Onyeka on Thursday marked his 29th birthday. Onyeka, who is fondly reffered to as “The Tank” was born on 1 January 1998 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, is the second oldest of five siblings. He has also received some contratulaory messages from club and the national team. “Happy birthday, Frank The Tank,” was written on the Super Eagles’ Twitter handle. “Birthday blessings to the Tank,” his Premier League club side, Brentford FC also congratulated the player. Onyeka made his debut for the national team in a friendly 1–0 loss to Algeria on 9 October 2020. He scored his first goal for his country on 16 October 2023, in a 3–2 win over Mozambique.  

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Super Eagles Set To Face Mozambique In AFCON 2025 Round Of 16 Clash

Wale busari01 mins

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will battle Mozambique in the Round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as they continue their push for a fourth continental title. The Eagles sealed a perfect group-stage run on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over Uganda, adding to earlier wins against Tanzania and Tunisia to finish with maximum points. Eric Chelle’s men topped their group with nine points, while Mozambique progressed after placing third in Group F, earning qualification as one of the best third-placed teams. The Mambas are now set to face Nigeria in Fez on Monday, January 5, with a place in the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals at stake.

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Auto Crash: Super Eagles Stars Send ‘Strength’ to Anthony Joshua

Fola Badmus03 mins

Super Eagles players Bright Osayi-Samuel and Wilfred Ndidi have sent their best wishes to Anthony Joshua after the Nigerian-British boxer was involved in a fatal car crash outside Lagos on Monday. Joshua was injured and two of his support team were killed in the two-vehicle crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday morning, plunging the Nigerian and UK sports worlds into mourning. Speaking in the aftermath of their 3-1 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Uganda in Fes, Morocco on Tuesday, Nigeria’s Super Eagles sent their condolences to the hospitalised heavyweight champion. “It wasn’t great, especially as it happened back home as well,” Birmingham City’s Osayi-Samuel told ESPN. “Thankfully he was ok. “It’s tragic to hear that two of his friends died. We just hope he gets better.” Two of Joshua’s friends and trainers — Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele — were killed in the crash as the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a stationary truck in the morning of December 29. “Man, it was a difficult one,” Super Eagles captain Ndidi added, sharing how the camp reacted to learning of the news. “When we heard he lost his friends, it was really sad. I hope he can recover from that. “I wish him strength, and to his family and the families of the guys who died as well. It was a difficult one.” According to one of the 36-year-old’s spokespeople, the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion was in a “stable condition” after being taken to hospital for assessment and medical treatment. Cellphone footage showed Watford-born Joshua wincing in pain as he was removed from the wreckage of the crash, although the local Ogun State Government confirmed that the fighter did not need emergency treatment at the roadside. The Super Eagles were speaking after the conclusion of Nigeria’s Group C campaign, as Paul Onuachu’s opener and a brace from Raphael Onyedika took them past Uganda, preserving their 100-percent record as they prepare for next Monday’s Last 16 match in Fes.

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AFCON 2025: Dessers, Alebiosu Doubtful for Mozambique Clash

Fola Badmus01 mins

Super Eagles duo of Cyriel Dessers and Ryan Alebiosu are doubtful for the Roundc of 16 tie against The Mambas of Mozambque at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025). According to team news on the former African champions tweeter handle on Wednesday, both players sustained various degrees of injuries in the Group games of the tournament. While Dessers is scheduled for a scan today due to a thigh problem, Alebiosu susstained a deep cut on his right leg on his national team debut against Uganda. The Round of 16 match between Nigeria and Mozambique is scheduled for January 5, 2026, at the Fez Stadium, with kick-off set for 8:00 pm.

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Morocco 2025: Eagles Trounce Cranes, Await Lions or Mambas in Round of 16

Fola Badmus05 mins

A strike by Paul Onuachu and a brace by midfielder Raphael Onyedika lifted a remarkably different Nigeria team to a 3-1 win over Uganda in their final Group C encounter at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.   Onuachu, starting ahead of Akor Adams as Coach Eric Chelle made several changes to the squad that defeated Tanzania and Tunisia in their earlier games, connected perfectly with a pass from the left by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in the 28th minute to give Nigeria the lead, only two minutes after veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango had stopped a point-blank effort by the Trabzonspor of Turkey forward.   Before then, Nigeria had dominated play extensively, and as early as the 9th minute, Samuel Chukwueze’s shot came off the defensive wall after good work by Simon Moses. A teasing pull-out by Chukwueze in the 25th minute narrowly missed the head of Onuachu.   Moses himself came close with four minutes left in the first period, as his shot came off the wall after the Eagles poured forward in numbers once more.   In the second half, Rogers Mato came close to connecting with a good cross but missed. Nigeria regrouped and sustained the pressure on their opponents, who had won four of their previous eight encounters before Tuesday evening’s match in Fès.   Wing-back Bruno Onyemaechi side-netted in the 51st minute, and six minutes later, goalkeeper Salim Omar, who had come in for the injured Onyango, was red-carded after punching the ball outside his box as Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s stand-in-captain, loomed towards goal.   Midfielder Raphael Onyedika, playing his first game at this AFCON, scored Nigeria’s second in the 62nd minute after connecting well with a pass by Samuel Chukwueze. Chukwueze and Raphael recreated a similar process four minutes later, leading to Onyedika, who plays his club football in Belgium, scoring his second and Nigeria’s third.   In the 70th minute, Paul Onuachu’s header was a little too high, and five minutes later, Rogers Mato scored at the other end as Uganda finished well from a brilliant team move.   Victory gave the Eagles the maximum nine points from their three matches, and they will now certainly meet the third-placed team in Group F, with both third-placed finishers in Groups A (Comoros) and B (Angola) already eliminated. This could be any of Cote d’Ivoire’s Elephants (Cup holders), Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions or the Mambas of Mozambique.   That match comes up on Monday, 5th January in Fès.   Tanzania’s gutsy 1-1 draw with Tunisia saw the Taifa Stars reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history. They will play host nation Morocco in the Round of 16.

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Morocco 2025: Eagles Dread Difficult Customers, Cranes of Uganda

Fola Badmus08 mins

Nigeria and Uganda clash on Tuesday evening in a match tendered on different perspectives for both teams as three-time champions Nigeria conclude their group phase account at the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.   The Cranes, eternal difficult jobs for the Super Eagles since their first meeting in an AFCON semi-final duel in Kumasi 47 years ago, need a win to stand any chance of enjoying the cold climate of Morocco beyond Tuesday evening, while the Super Eagles, already qualified for the Round of 16 no matter the tremor anywhere on the park, need a draw simply to assure top-table finish in Group C.   Veteran goal-tender Denis Onyango and team-mates have themselves to blame for being stuck on one point to the final day of the group phase. After the expected manhandling by Tunisia, and falling behind to Tanzania in their second match, Nigeria-descent Uche Ikpeazu rose from the bench to give them an equalizer against the Taifa Stars. The game fell into their hands to pick up the three points, but Allan Okelo blasted the ball away from goal from a penalty kick.   The only route left for them is to put a sword through the Eagles. With the Nigerians intent on sustaining a winning mentality, determined to maintain their great form and put fear into the hearts of other possible contenders for the trophy, that is unlikely to happen.   Nigeria’s prolific goalscorer Victor Osimhen has netted only once in this tournament, but the man who succeeded him as Africa Player of the Year (and who teamed up with him to create a Super Eagles’ terror attack at the last competition in Cote d’Ivoire), Ademola Lookman, has again opted to take Africa’s biggest football championship by storm.   Lookman has netted two goals this term (adding to his three from the 2023 finals), and has made two assists (adding to one from last term). He looks like a man-on-a-mission. His goals have been unstoppable left-footed missiles.   Another big hurdle the Cranes will have to deal with is that Osimhen, now on 32 goals in 48 matches for Nigeria, is committed to presenting himself a special birthday gift, having turned 27 on Monday. Such a man (and being Osimhen in this case) will be difficult to contain.   In addition, Nigeria’s midfield has come into its own, with Wilfred Ndidi playing a true captain’s game in the Eagles’ first two matches, and Alex Iwobi simply magnificent. Frank Onyeka reminded all of his abilities when he starred against the Tunisians, and there are still Raphael Onyedika and Tochukwu Nnadi yet to be tested.   Nigeria is the country with the most appearances in the AFCON knockout rounds in history, having done so here for the 19th time, and the victory over Tunisia was the Eagles’ 35th group-stage win in the history of the competition. Nigeria have lost only one of their last 16 AFCON group-stage games – defeat to Madagascar in Egypt after they already qualified for the Round of 16.   Uganda will look to the history of contests between both nations and be hopeful.   In eight previous encounters, the Cranes have lost only twice, winning four times, with the other two games ending in a draw. Five of the matches have been competitive, and Ugandans cannot forget how their star forward Philip Omondi scored the winner to ensure a 2-1 defeat for Nigeria in the 1978 AFCON semi-finals. Uganda have won two of the three international friendly matches, with the other ending in a draw.   Uganda have progressed beyond the AFCON group stage only twice previously, in 1978 in Ghana and 2019 in Egypt.   Ikpeazu will probably start as Belgian tactician Paul Put throws his aces up from the get-go. There are also James Bogere, who earned the Cranes a second penalty against Tanzania, Okello and Denis Omedi, who scored against Tunisia and assisted the equalizer against Tanzania on Sunday.   Nigeria, now on 149 goals in 106 AFCON matches, will aim for a milestone 150th goal, and more, when the game commences at the Complexe Sportif de Fès at 5pm on Tuesday.   At his pre-match press briefing on Monday, Coach Eric Chelle said: “The competition is not only for the starting 11; everybody deserves a chance to play and show what they can offer the team. Sometimes a player who makes a cameo appearance can change the outcome of games and even win a tournament. For me, I want to present the best team every time.”   Captain Ndidi: “The atmosphere in the team is good. Everyone is excited and confident, but the previous games are in the past. The focus is one the next game.”   SUPER EAGLES, CRANES IN HISTORY   14 Mar 1978: Uganda 2-1 Nigeria (AFCON semi: Kumasi) 26 Sep 1981: Nigeria 0-1 Uganda (Friendly: Lagos) 29 Aug 1992: Nigeria 2-0 Uganda (AFCONq: Lagos) 17 Jul 1993: Uganda 0-0 Nigeria (AFCONq: Kampala) 24 Mar 2007: Nigeria 1-0 Uganda (AFCONq: Abeokuta) 02 Jun 2007: Uganda 2-1 Nigeria (AFCONq: Kampala) 25 Mar 2015: Nigeria 0-1 Uganda (Friendly: Uyo) 20 Nov 2018: Nigeria 0-0 Uganda (Friendly: Asaba)  

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