No football gold for Nigeria in AAG as dream team vi crashes out in semis

Recall we brought you a report about how team Nigeria can no longer win gold in the female football category of the ongoing All-Africa Games, well it won't be just Falcons who don't. 

The dream team six dreams of winning gold was also crushed by a determined Burkina Faso team who trumped our boys 3-1 to qualify for the final match

Siasia Apologizes

Coach of the dream team promptly apologized to fans and stakeholders after the loss, claiming responsibility of the defeat but promising to get his house in order before the U-23 AFCON. 
   “I am not a man of excuses. I take all the blame for this collapse and will certainly make amends before the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations,“ he said.

Siasia said that in his wildest imagination, he did not for once believe the team would lose to Burkina Faso, let alone by such a wide margin.

“I never imagined losing to Burkina Faso but then my midfielders played so well, my defenders and attackers let me down.

 “Can you imagine my attackers not being able to convert about eight chances that came their way?

“To make matters worse, the defenders were asleep on a day they should have been up and doing.

“Who told the central defenders to keep offside trap the way they did?

“I am totally disappointed; we can’t play like this in Senegal and expect to qualify for the 2016 Olympics.

“We were so bad that anytime the ball beat the defenders, even my goalkeeper could not stop any of the shots fired at him.

“Football is a team work where errors are bound to occur but it’s the ability of fellow team mates to cover for one another that makes a team great. That I didn’t see today.”

Siasia said that he had learnt his lessons in the AAG and would look for foreign players to reinforce the team for U-23 African Championship in Senegal. .

“ We will make corrections after the All-Africa Games. I plan to travel to talk to some players I have already pencilled down.

“The team should be assembling in the first week of October to prepare for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.

“Certainly, some of the players I brought to Congo Brazzaville will have to give way,” he said.
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Nigeria is grouped with Algeria, Egypt and Mali in Group B at the African U-23 Championship in Dakar and M’Bour, Senegal

The championship’s top three teams are expected to fly Africa’s flag at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 11th All-Africa Games which began on Sept. 4 is expected to end on Saturday.   

Falcons beaten by Lionesses!!

All hope of team Nigeria winning a gold medal in women football category at the on going All Africa games is now lost after our falcons got beaten 2-1 in the semi-final by the indomitable lionesses of cameroun yesterday.

Things has been hitherto rosy for our girls as they qualified for the semis without a scratch but alas their toughest test was yet to come, and when it did come...hmm they just couldn't pass it.

The pulsating encounter began with Cameroun scoring twice within three minutes, a situation that had our falcons chasing the game from the start.

Goals from Theresa Abena and Madeleine Ngo Mani in the 10th and 13th minute respectively gave Cameroun the insurance policy while a consolation in the 48th minute by Onome Ebi was all the falcons could muster.

The Super Falcons now face  Côte d'Ivoire in the quest for bronze.

Mancity Stars, manager hail Nigerian youngster as he scores winner

MANCHESTER City Manager, Manuel Pellegrini, has joined his top stars in highlighting the promise in Nigeria’s youth star, Kelechi Iheanacho, who Sterling referred to on Saturday as ‘Uncle’ Kelechi.

Iheanacho scored his first goal for the club to earn Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The former Nigerian youth international made history by becoming the third youngest player to score a Barclays Premier League goal for Manchester City after Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge. “Uncle Kelechi,” Sterling who was left out of the squad due to injury wrote on twitter.

Spanish playmaker, David Silva, also added: “First of many @69kelechi,” Silva wrote. Iheanacho who has made two substitute appearances for the Citizens poked home his side’s winner in stoppage time to maintain City’s impeccable record to the start of the EPL.

He came on for Wilfried Bony with a couple of minutes remaining on Saturday and just 54 seconds later was alert enough to tap home a close-range rebound after Alex McCarthy spilled Samir Nasri’s shot.

Some Manchester City followers say the ‘Uncle’ sobriquet from Sterling could stem from Iheanacho’s way of addressing the senior players in the City team, especially Yaya Toure, whom he refers to as Uncle Yaya.

Meanwhile, Pellegrini has revealed that Iheanacho is one of the reasons he didn’t sign another striker when Edin Dzeko joined AS Roma in the summer.

And the player understands it will be a tough task to displace City’s big stars in subsequent games despite his feat on Saturday. “It’s not easy. We have great players here but I have to keep working hard. “We are much stronger this season with quality players.

We are going to go all the way.” Pellegrini reckons the Nigerian teenager will be an important member of his squad this term. “Kelechi scored the goal and he had another chance,” the Chilean said after the match. “Kelechi is a very young player – he’s just 18 years old.

He worked with the rest of the team all week. In front of him are Kun and Bony who are very good players, but he is an important striker who still has a lot to improve.”

Dream Team VI handed tough draw in CAF U-23 AFCON

Nigeria national Under-23 team, the Dream Team VI, has a daunting task on their hands to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, after they were drawn against African power-houses, Egypt, Mali and Algeria.  

At the draw conducted on Monday, 14th September, at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, the Nigerian team  will do battle in Group B.  

The tournament which consist of eight nations will see host Senegal, trade tackles with South Africa, Zambia and Tunisia in Group A. 

The draw was conducted by CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani and assisted by CAF Executive Committee member Amadou Diakite.

The final tournament will take place from 28 November to 12 December 2015 in the Senegalese cities of Dakar and M’Bour with top three teams qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

The Samson Siasia tutored side, currently in Congo Brazzaville for the 11th All Africa Games, will face fellow West-African side, Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.