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Friday, October 18, 2013

Super Eagles to confront Italy in London two days after second leg against Ethiopia

The Nigeria Football Federation and the Italian FA have agreed on a friendly match between both countries to take place in London. With the 2014 World Cup within reach, the Nigeria Football Federation has agreed for the Super Eagles to play the Azzurri of Italy in London on November 18.

The African champions will take on Ethiopia in the second leg of the African World Cup qualifying tie in Calabar on November 16, and will fly straight to London for the Monday confrontation with the Italians.

Italy will play Germany at San Siro in Milan on November 15 as the FIGC confirmed the dates for the international friendlies which will take place during the World Cup play-offs.

Both teams' first and only meeting to date was at the 1994 World Cup in USA with the Italians handing a 2-1 defeat to the Super Eagles in the second round of the competition, after the Nigerians led for close to 88 minutes.

Mourinho warns Barcelona over Courtois

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has told Barcelona they would be wasting their time in pursuing a move for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgium international arrived at Stamford Bridge from Racing Genk in 2011 but is now in his third season on loan at Atletico Madrid, during which time he has blossomed into one of the best keepers in Europe.

And with Victor Valdes set to depart Camp Nou at the end of the season, the Blaugrana are on the hunt for a replacement between the posts, but Mourinho has no interest in sanctioning the exit of a player he holds in high regard. He told reporters: "We have the best goalkeeper in the world (Petr Cech) and the best young goalkeeper in the world. It's a very good problem. Our goal is safe and financially we are also very safe - the value in the market is the value of the best.

"In this moment I don't think about it. It doesn't worry me because our situation is fantastic and everything is under our control. We control the situation, not Barcelona, Atletico or another team interested in our goalkeepers. We control the situation so that's fine." The 21-year-old has become a key part of Atleti's rise under Diego Simeone and has lifted the Copa del Rey, Europa League and the Uefa Super Cup with the capital club.

Courtois has played in all eight of his side's Liga games so far this season as the Vicente Calderon club have kept pace with Barcelona at the top of the division with 24 points in an unbeaten start to the season.

Emmanuel Emenike now realizing huge potential in the colours of Nigeria

The Fenerbahce striker is enjoying a purple patch with the Super Eagles and seems to be realizing his dreams and a striker with 10 goals in 17 Nigeria matches, Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike has shown with that he is ready to take on the goal scoring responsibilities for the national team.

He is steadily proving to all and sundry that he is very capable of leading the line for the national team and people are starting to dream again after the Super Eagles team of 1994 that was headlined by the goal scoring phenomenon, Rashidi Yekini.

The last striker to have made such an impact on the national team was the late Yekini, who scored 37 in 58 matches – an average of 0.64 goals per game. This compares favourably with Emenike’s, which stands at 0.58; though it must be said that at the early part of his Eagles career, Yekini’s average was closer to 0.4, a number which Emenike's stats currently dwarfs.

A team realizes that they have a potent striker when they find that player who contrives to almost always score the most important goals for the team – either the opening goal against a particularly stubborn team, or drags his team back into contention with an equalizing goal. It is much better when he scores the winner in a tight contest.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Valencia confirm Rami to join Milan

The defender, who fell out of favour with los Che in recent weeks, has made the move to San Siro for at least the remainder of the 2013-14 campaign

Valencia centre-back Adil Rami will sign for AC Milan in January on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season, the Liga club have confirmed

The France international had become out of favour at Mestalla after a public fall-out that involved him criticising coach Miroslav Djukic and he will not play again for the Spanish side this season. Los Che endured a poor start to the season - with four consecutive defeats - and Rami lashed out on Spanish radio, to which the club responded by removing him from the first team.

Valencia then suspended the 27-year-old without pay for a week for his actions as the wheels kicked into motion for his departure to San Siro, and he is already training with the Rossoneri but cannot play for the first team until January. Rami joined Valencia from Lille in 2011 having spent roughly five years at the Ligue 1 club and he has 26 caps for les Bleus since his 2010 debut.

Arsenal hope to have Ozil & Ramsey back for Norwich clash

Arsenal are increasingly hopeful that Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey will overcome injury scares to face Norwich City this weekend, recent report revel that Ozil and Ramsey both picked up injuries on international duty on Tuesday but initial assessments by the club's medical staff on Wednesday showed there was no long-term damage. The key duo will undergo further scrutiny on Thursday at Arsenal's London Colney headquarters, when a decision will be made on their availability for Saturday's home match against Norwich City. Ozil returned to London with a bruised knee and a minor hamstring injury after hobbling off with eight minutes remaining of Germany's 5-3 win over Sweden on Tuesday.

Ramsey also reported back from Wales' 1-1 draw at Belgium with the same thigh injury that affected him at the end of September. Arsene Wenger's injury headache could also be soothed by the possible return of Theo Walcott this weekend.

The England international, who underwent surgery on an abdominal injury last month, is expected to re-join full training on Thursday. But if the Norwich fixture comes too early for Walcott, them he is likely to be in contention for the Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund next Tuesday. As revealed by Goal, Wenger will have Santi Cazorla available for the first time since the north London derby on September 1.

The influential Spaniard has been training all week after recovering from sprained ankle ligaments.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Neymar pays homage to Messi

The Brazilian has lauded his new team-mate's genius both on the pitch and off it and has thanked the club for the support he received upon moving to Spain Barcelona forward Neymar says that playing alongside Lionel Messi is the realisation of a personal dream.

The Brazil star made a big-money move to Camp Nou over the summer from hometown club Santos, scoring two goals in seven Liga games since his arrival. And he is thoroughly enjoying life in Spain and has been struck by his new team-mate's ability on the pitch and personality off it.

"It's the realisation of a dream and a source of inexplicable pride," he is quoted as saying by AS. "And Messi is a spectacular player, a genius. Off the pitch he is like that. Hopefully I can help him a lot on the pitch and it's an honour to play alongside him."

The 21-year-old also revealed that the club had made every effort to help him settle down when he first made the move to Spain. He added: "Thankfully, I was well received by the club, the players, the coaching staff. I feel at home already. I also had the support of Dani Alves, who helps in and out of the club."

Messi resumes Barcelona training

Lionel Messi handed Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino a boost on Monday when he returned to training after overcoming a thigh injury. The Argentine has made his comeback since picking up a thigh strain against Almeria last month and could be in contention to play against Osasuna this weekend

The 26-year-old has missed his side's last two games – a 1-0 win over Celtic in the Champions League and a 4-1 success over Valladolid – as a result of the muscle strain he sustained against Almeria last month.

The 26-year-old, who has eight league goals to his name this season from six appearances, has made a swift recovery and trained for the first time on Monday, although it remains to be seen whether he will feature in Saturday's trip to Osasuna. That game at Estadio El Sadar is followed by fixtures against AC Milan in Europe and the first Clasico of 2013-14.

Barca captain Carles Puyol also trained alongside Messi as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury that has sidelined him since March. Like Messi, Puyol is waiting to discover what part – if any – he will play at the weekend.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Nigeria hero Emenike wants to complete the job in Calabar

The Fenerbahce striker scored a brace late in the game to give the Super Eagles a 2-1 win and keep them comfortable ahead of the return leg next month. Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike has expressed joy at their victory over Ethiopia in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier in Addis Ababa.

Emenike cancelled out Behailu Assefa’s second half goal with a spectacular solo effort against the run of play. He then won and scored a late penalty to put the game beyond the hosts. “I’m so happy for the game, I’m really happy,” Emenike told journalists at the National Stadium in Addis Ababa.

“They played very well in the first half but we came out in the second half and said let’s [take the game] to these guys. And you could see the last 40 minutes we went to them and they could not play anymore.” The striker who won the golden boot at the Africa Cup of Nations early in the year said that their aim for the return leg in November would be to cement their place in the World Cup with an outright win. “We’re going to also play to win, not to defend. It’s our home ground and we have to go there and try to win,” he said. The return leg will be played on November 16 in Calabar, Nigeria.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Ethiopia 1-2 Nigeria: Emenike's brace shoots the Eagles closer to Brazil

Emmanuel Emenike was the hero for the Super Eagles Vs Ethiopia 2-1 victory as they signified a firm interest in making a fifth appearance in the World Cup in Brazil. as he scored the equalizer and the winner in the 89th minute. Ethiopia had gone ahead in the 56th minute when Vincent Enyeama mis-judged a cross from Assefa and the referee, Aliou Neant from Cameroon, ruled that the ball had crossed the line.

The first half started with the Ethiopians on the front foot with their fans howling and making a terrific atmosphere. And it took just two minutes for the Eagles to concede a corner kick that was quickly followed by another. Emmanuel Emenike then drove the Eagles forward and won a corner kick in the fourth minute. The first shot in anger came in the eighth minute but No. 20 shot wide.

After persistent fouling on Victor Moses, Tesfaye was shown the first yellow card of the match in the 12th minute.

Nnamdi Oduamadi then missed the first gilt-edged chance when he mis-kicked Emenike’s cross. Ethiopia then went forward and Saladin Said thought he had scored but Godfrey Oboabona made a fantastic clearance to keep the match at 0-0. Ahmed Musa had a half volley smothered by Butako and then coach Ternat Bishaw called for a water break, a call that was really confusing to the visitors.

The Ethiopians then scored a goal that could best be described as a fluke because Enyeama mis-judged a cross by Assefa and the referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line before the Nigerian goalkeeper claimed it. Stephen Keshi made changes bringing in Nosa Igiebor for Nnamdi Oduamadi in the 63rd minute as the goal woke up the Nigerians who then went in search of the equalizer.

The Super Eagles should have equalised in the 62nd minute when Moses went one-on-one with the goalkeeper but goalkeeper Tassew did well to save at the feet of the Liverpool man. Minutes later, Keshi withdrew Moses, who had an average game and brought on Brown Ideye.

Their equalising goal came in the 67th minute when Emenike shot a thunderbolt from outside the box. Afterwards, the Nigerians went on the offensive.

Musa hit the post in the 77th minute off a terrific pass by Mikel. Nigeria went ahead for the first time in the encounter in the 88th minute when Emenike was dragged down in the box for a clear penalty.

The Fenerbahce player dusted himself off and cooly dispatched the penalty to give the Super Eagles the victory and one leg in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The second leg will be held in Calabar on November 16 at the U.J Esuene Stadium but the Nigerians will believe that they hold all the aces.