Nigeria to play Rwanda in AFCON qualifier

The Super Eagles will play the Amavubi of Rwanda in Group A of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, starting in September, the Confederation of African Football has said.

Rwanda defeated Congo 4-3 on penalties on Saturday to complete the pool for the final phase of qualifiers for the competition which hold in Morocco .

The other teams that made it to the final phase are Botswana , Lesotho , Malawi , Mozambique , Sierra Leone and Uganda .

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NFF Described Flying Eagles’ Play In FIFA U-20 World Cup As ‘Horrible’

The Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described the performance of the Flying Eagles at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey as “horrible”.

The Coach John Obuh-tinkered Flying Eagles, Tuesday, crashed out in the second round of the tournament, following a 2-1 defeat in the hands of Uruguay, whose senior side, had earlier accounted for the elimination of the Super Eagles at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

It was double jeopardy for Nigerians, who in the space of a little over a week, had seen their teams suffer consecutive defeats in the hands of the South Americans at a global event.  And reacting to the results, a member of the NFF’s Technical Committee, Paul Bassey told Sports Vanguard that the Flying Eagles did not know what they were doing in Turkey.

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I Cannot Play With Any Team Other Than Barcelona – Messi

Argentine football star, Lionel Messi said Monday he could not play for any team other than Barcelona, where he has been since the age of 13. He told reporters this in Qatar, where he took part in a charity event.

But he added in answering a question about a possible transfer that he “did not know what the future hides.”
Messi joined Barcelona at the age of 13 and climbed through the Catalans’ ranks, making his first team debut at just 17.

AFCON 2013: 'Moses Begged Me To Allow Him Play Penalties, I Will Play Spot-Kicks In Future' – Mikel

John Mikel Obi has revealed that he was set to take the two penalty kicks, in the Super Eagles last Group C game against Ethiopia, but his Chelsea team mate Victor Moses, pleaded to allow him take them.  Obi had missed from the spot in the second game against Zambia, but Moses converted the two kicks to give Nigeria a much needed victory.

The midfielder however said he will not run away from taking spot-kicks in future.

Nations Cup: Mikel, Ideye make team, Dike out •Nigeria, Cape Verde play draw

Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi, Joseph Yobo made Nigeria’s final list as expected to the 2013 Africa Nations Cup starting January 19 in South Africa. They lead 21 others including Ukraine-based Brown Ideye who made the team despite originally being rumoured as cut from the team by coach Stephen Keshi. The Nigeria coached released the final team list while the country engaged Cape Verde in a friendly match in Faro, Portugal Wednesday night. The match ended goalless.

I’ll never play music that supports same sex marriage – Bongos Ikwue

Music icon, Bongos Ikwue, shares his experiences with JOHN AMEH

 How does it feel to be 70 years old?

I don’t feel any difference at all. I don’t know what it feels like to be 70 years old. When I turned 30, I didn’t know what it felt like. I am just living and doing my everyday thing and enjoying every bit of it.

At a point, you simply disappeared from the music scene. Why?

Well, I have not been living in any kind of hiding. I think people, or journalists, have not been reaching out enough. You are the one to go and find out what is happening. I shouldn’t go and knock on everybody’s door and say, ‘Hey, here I am; my name is Bongos’. It is up to you to find out about whom you want to find out and tell it to the people. I have been as busy as anybody can be. I don’t like to talk about myself.

How was growing up?

I attended primary school in Otukpo, Jos and Kaduna. I had my secondary school education in Zaria and my Higher School in Okene (Kogi State). Then I ended up in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. I think that sums it up completely. Growing up, I spent a little time in Otukpo with my parents, but moved to live with my brother, who was a policeman in Jos from 1953 to 1956. Most of my growing years were with my brother were at the police barracks in Jos. He listened to music a lot.

Serena To Play In Brisbane Despite Surgery

Brisbane tournament director Cameron Pearson said Thursday he had been assured by Williams’ agent that the WTA player of the year will ‘’be fit and ready’’ for the event at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Williams has been affected by chronic foot problems since treading on glass and badly cutting both feet in 2010.The five-time Australian Open winner played at last year’s Brisbane International but pulled out because of an ankle injury at the quarterfinals. Later in the year, she won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the women’s singles title in the London Olympics.