14042019 - 144 Killed in nine days

Super Eagles,
others can’t stop
Egypt, Mido boasts
FORMER Egypt striker
Ahmed Mido Hossam
has boasted Nigeria’s Super
Eagles and the Teranga Lions
of Senegal cannot stop
the Pharaohs from winning
the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
Mido was speaking after
the Pharaohs were placed in
Group A alongside DR Congo,
Uganda and Zimbabwe
in Friday’s draw.
“Egypt are favourites to win
the title,” the former striker
said. “I don’t say that because
I’m Egyptian but really Egypt
have a very good team,” said
Mido.
“Add to that, the fans will
support the team very well so
I’m optimistic that we will do
it,” the former Tottenham player
added.
He argued that the only
team that can trouble the hosts
are Morocco.
“I respect teams like Ghana,
Nigeria and Senegal but
from what I can see, Morocco
is the only team that can
be a stumbling block for
Egypt.”
The 2019 Africa Cup of
Nations will take place in
Odemwingie
urges youth
talents to
stay focused
FORMER Super Ea
gles striker, Peter
Odemwingie has called on
young talents to stay dedicated
to their dreams to
achieve success in football.
Odemwingie who is an
ambassador of the FIFA
Women World Cup billed
for France in June said football
is one sure root to success
for aspiring youngsters.
“You dream when you’re
young, you voice your
dreams out and people
laugh of course,” Odemwingie
told Fifa.com.
“In 1996, Nigeria became
Olympic champions in Atlanta
and I said, “One day
I’m going to play for Nigeria”.
It was in Russia and
they looked at me, laughing.
“They said, “You will never
get to that level”. When
the goal went in at the World
Cup, I remembered how
my family was, how everybody
was in Brazil 2014. I
wanted to give the country
that feeling.
Odemwingie
Egypt from 21 June to 19 July,
meaning Europe-based
players - including the likes
of Egypt’s Mohamed Salah
and Mohamed Elneny - will
not miss club games.
Mido missed out on playing
in a Nations Cup final
on home soil in 2006 after he
fell out with the coach earlier
in the tournament.
The Pharaohs went on to
win the trophy and also won
the next two editions in 2008
and 2010 to make it seven
Nations Cup victories in total,
a record number of tournament
triumphs.
2019 AFCON: Super Eagles to play
Senegal, Ghana
SUPER Eagles coach
coach Gernot Rohr
is hopeful that the team
will play against Senegal
and Ghana to keep
them in competition
mood for the Africa Cup
of Nations starting June
in Egypt.
South Africa's Tau and Alex Iwobi
Rohr who was speaking
to SuperSport after the
draw ceremony in Cairo,
where Nigeria was
drawn in group B alongside
Guinea, Madagascar
and Burundi said the
games will be vital to the
Super Eagles build up to
the tournament.
“First the (Nigeria)
players have to finish
the season well and to be
careful not to have injuries.
And also to recover
very well after a long
season because it’s not
easy to play this AFCON
in the summer with the
hot weather.
“We are confident but it
will not be easy. All the
teams are strong. Burundi
had the second highest
goal scorer in the
qualifiers behind Odion
Ighalo.
“But we can be confident
because we’ll have
good preparations and
friendlies, one normally
against Ghana in Nigeria
and the second one I
think against Senegal
here in Egypt,” Rohr noted..
AFCON U-17: Golden Eaglets set to
take Tanzania test
NIGERIA’s Golden
Eaglets will this afternoon
open their U-17
African Cup of Nations
account as they take on
hosts Tanzania in the
tournament’s opening
game this afternoon.
Though chief coach
Manu Garba admitted
that his side may face
pressure associated with
opening games, he stated
that his wards will
hold their heads high in
the team’s return to the
tournament after missing
the 2017 edition even as
the 2015 FIFA U-17 World
Cup champions.
“I think all first matches
are difficult, not only playing
against the host team
but in all the competitions
I have participated in, our
first matches have been
very, very good.
“I can easily recall that
in 2012/2013 when we
had our opening match in
Morocco against Ghana,
Salah ready to strike for Pharoahs
Amaju Pinnick NFF boss encourages Golden Eaglets
players
it was 6-1 against Ghana.
“In Dubai during the
World Cup, we beat the
defending champions
Mexico 6-1 in the opening
match. Then in 2015
against Senegal at U-20
level, in Dakar we beat
Senegal 3-1, I was in
charge.
“It will not be difficult by
the special grace of Almighty
Allah.”
Golden Eaglets captain
Samson Tijani added that
the team is ready and with
cool heads, they should be
able to handle the title
seeking Tanzanians inspired
by former Golden
Eaglets coach Emmanuel
Amuneke.
The Golden Eaglets will
face Angola and Uganda
next in group A.
Vanguard, SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019—45
CAF looks up to Cameroon to
host CHAN 2020
THE Confederation
of African Football
(Caf) looks set to award
the 2020 African Nations
Championship (CHAN)
to Cameroon after Ethiopia
appeared to have
withdrawn as hosts for
the tournament that is
only open to locallybased
players.
CAF president Ahmad,
speaking in Egypt on
Friday, said the issue
was discussed by African
football’s ruling body
ahead of the draw for the
2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
“We had a reconvening
of the Executive Committee,”
Ahmad told reporters.
“It resulted in some
fairly important points,
including the nomination
of CAF’s new secretary
general and Ethiopia’s
withdrawal as
CHAN hosts in 2020.
“We attributed it [Chan
2020], directly, by a tacit
agreement, to Cameroon
for 2020.
“Therefore, this will allow
us to be better prepared
for the African
Nations Cup,” Ahmad
added.
Last week, the Ethiopia
Football Federation president
Esayas Jira said
their preparations to host
the 2020 CHAN were
behind schedule.
Cameroon was
stripped of hosting rights
for this year’s Africa Cup
of Nations and was
awarded the 2021 edition.
No official statement on
the 2020 CHAN has yet
been made by CAF or
Cameroon’s FA, Fecafoot.
Forget Gerrard slip, Klopp
tells Liverpool fans as
Chelsea visit Anfield
Klopp and Sadio Mane
JURGEN Klopp has
told Liverpool fans to
forget their failed Premier
League title challenge in
2013-14 as they look to beat
Manchester City to the
crown this year.
The Reds famously saw
their chances of becoming
champions for the first time
since 1990 derailed towards
the end of the campaign.
The defining moment
came in late-April when
Steven Gerrard slipped in
his own half against
Chelsea, allowing Demba
Ba to stroll through and
score for Jose Mourinho’s
team while Manchester
City went on to win the title
with a two-point cushion.
Liverpool host the Blues
this afternoon looking to
avoid a repeat of that defeat
and protect their twopoint
lead over reigning
champions City.
As the campaign nears a
crucial stage, Klopp is eager
to put the memory of
Gerrard’s error behind
them, saying the players
are feeling positive heading
into the last five matches.
“It is not important to talk
about what happened [with
the Gerrard slip]. It is too
long ago,” the German
coach told reporters."
Barca rest Messi, others for United
LA Liga leaders Bar
celona were held to
a goalless draw by rock
bottom club Huesca yesterday
as coach Ernesto
Valverde made sweeping
changes to his line-up
ahead of Tuesday’s Champions
League quarter-final
decider against
Manchester United.
The draw means second-placed
Atletico
Madrid could close the
12-point gap with Barcelona,
who are on 74
points, if they beat Celta
Vigo later on Saturday.
With the title practically
assured after last weekend’s
2-0 win over Atletico,
Valverde fielded a radically
different side to the
team that won 1-0 at Old
Trafford in Wednesday’s
first leg, making 10
changes and handing
three players their league
debuts.
Midfielder Riqui Puig
was one of the debutants
and the 19-year-old produced
the best moment of
an uneventful first half,
picking out Ousmane
Dembele with a wonderful
pass but the forward
dragged his shot wide.