Esperance Lift Third CAF Champions League Title, Beat Al Ahly
Against the general view that Nigeria’s representative to Africa Women’s Cup of Nations holding in Ghana, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) secretary-general, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has declared emphatically that the soccer governing body didn’t abandon the female national team Super Falcons ahead of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.
With a ripple of critical comments still trailing the Falcons’ trip to Sol Beni in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire for the last phase of their
Leganes of Spain defender, Kenneth Omeruo has assured Nigerian soccer fans that he and his colleagues in the Super Eagles will secure victory against South Africa next weekend.
Although the Eagles will be away at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg in the Africa Cup of Nations decisive qualifier, Omeruo who is upbeat for maximum points added that they know
Tony Bellew admitted it was like ‘two maniacs in the mirror’ when he shared a face-off with Oleksandr Usyk at the final weigh-in for their undisputed title fight.
The Merseysider comfortably made the cruiserweight limit, tipping the scales at14st 3lbs 5oz, with Usyk coming in at 14st 2lbs 4oz before he defends all four of his belts in Manchester tonight.
Both fighters covered their faces as Bellew wore a bandana, while Usyk spotted a Manchester City scarf, and the British fighter training ahead of the championship in Ghana, Sanusi stressed that the NFF is solidly behind the squad and working to make the players happy.
Nigerian fans and media were aghast when the Falcons’ players had to travel out to Abidjan in multi-coloured personal apparels, instead of a uniformed kit but Sanusi insists there is no cause for alarm.
The NFF scribe told footballlive.ng that there is no cause for alarm, but admitted that the team’s official kits had been how to handle Bafana Bafana.
The dark-skinned stopper, who is on loan at Leganes from Chelsea of England, said the Eagles’ technical crew led by Franco-German boss, Gernot Rohr, has given them enough clues of how to beat their hosts.
Omeruo recounted how South Africa gave Rohr his first defeat as Eagles’ coach, while also notching their first ever victory against Nigeria during predicted a dramatic showdown this weekend.
Asked what he saw in Usyk, Bellew told Sky Sports News: “No fear. A lunatic. The exact same thing that he’s looking at. It’s like two maniacs in the mirror.
“We’re going to create madness, and you’re going to get one of the greatest fights you’ve ever seen of all time, believe you me. As long as he doesn’t come here to run, play games, and steal decisions.
“He’s a formidable and fantastic champion. Pound for delayed at the port.
“It is not true to say the Falcons have been abandoned. The quality they had at their camp in Epe showed that they are getting the best.
“It is only that their kit was delayed at the port, but they will get the required material in Abidjan before leaving to Ghana for the 2018 AWCON starting next weekend,” Sanusi promised.
However, Sanusi assurance came at a point one of the Falcons’ dropped players confirmed the first leg in Uyo, but stressed that the story will be different next Saturday, November 17.
Charting a course into the match at Soccer City, Omeruo stressed that the Eagles will win in Johannesburg to reclaim pride after losing the first leg 2-0 at home in June last year.
Omeruo declared: “The game against South Africa is a very important one because it’s a game we have to win, not just pound one of the kings of the world. I’ve been an underdog so many times, you might as well start calling me the ‘overdog’, because tomorrow night I’m going to shock the odds once again, and surprise the whole world of boxing.
“The only person who beats me, is me. Tomorrow night I will be crowned the king of the world.”
Bellew had no problems making weight after stepping down a division to challengeUsyk, and revealed how he delivered a part- that the team actually lacked adequate materials during their camping phase in Epe, Lagos State.
The player, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged: “The only good thing about the camp was the feeding and the pitch.
“The conditions under which we trained were bad. We had no kits for training. We wore what we had and some had to share.
“The balls were not enough at a point but we endured all that for the success of the team.” for our pride, but also for the country and to put us back in the Nations Cup come next year.
“The technical crew provide us with more than enough to know our opponents very well – how they play and how they move around.
“We have capable hands to win this game; it doesn’t matter where we are playing, we are going to give everything to get maximum points.” ing message to the Ukrainian.
“I feel fantastic, fat boy is in shape,” he said.
“I made weight, told everyone I would, and I’m ready for war.
“I told them right there, be ready for war tomorrow, because that’s what this is. There can be no peace until there is war. Tomorrow night, I’m going to war, believeyou me.
“He’s in at the deep end. I know exactly where I’m at. I’ve experienced everything in this game. Tomorrow night, it’s going to show. I cannot wait for war.”
Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis yesterday lifted their third CAF Champions League title after beating Al Ahly 3-0 in the second leg before a large crowd in the 60,000-seater Stade Olympique de Rades Stadium.
Al Ahly have lost the final despite beating Esperance 3-1 in the first leg in Egypt last week Friday, meaning that the Tunisian side won 4-3 on aggregate.
Esperance clearly dominated the first 45 minutes as they had more possession but failed to create any clear chances, until Tunisian midfielder Saad Beguir opened the scoring for the hosts in the very last minute of the first-half.
Just nine minutes into the second-half Beguir scored his side’s second goal and completed his brace after a very powerful header. In the 60th minute Tunisian striker, Anice Badri took a shot from outside the penalty area and nearly scored Esperance’s third.
In the 79th minute Anice Badri took a short-range shot in the near post but it was easily dealt by Mohamed ElShennawy.
He, however, scored Esperance’s third and final goal in the 86th minute after a great solo effort and then a very strong shot inside the penalty area.
Esperance have now three CAF Champions League titles to their name after winning the tournament back in 1994 and 2011.
Beguir was the unlikely two-goal star as he has been a reserve for most of the campaign and started in the second leg of the final only because Cameroonian Franck Kom was suspended.
A dominant performance by the home team ended a 10-match winless run against Ahly in CAF competitions since July 2011.
After a tense build-up with Esperance furious at on and off-field treatment they received in Egypt, the match passed without incident.
Ahly needed a goal to get back in front on aggregate but never troubled Tunisian goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia.
Esperance will now participate in the Club World Cup that will take place in December 2018 in the UAE.
Former Arsenal star Chioma Ubogagu had a memorable debut for her country of birth, England, after she accounted for one of the three goals scored by the Lionesses in their 3-0 rout of Austria in an international friendly staged in Vienna on Thursday, November 8.
The Orlando Pride striker was named in the starting lineup by head coach Phil Neville and scored her maiden goal 26 minutes into the game after capitalising on a mistake by Carina Wenninger.
She fired home from six yards out after Wenninger failed in her attempt to clear the ball out of danger.
The number eleven made way for Rachel Daly of Houston Dash 13 minutes into the second half.
With England already through to next summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ubogagu would be hoping to impress once again when they entertain Sweden on Sunday as she aims to cement her place in the side ahead of the trip to France.
Despite appearing for the Lionesses, Nigeria and United States can still make a move to secure her services as yesterday’s match does not cap-tie her to England because it was only a friendly.