U-20 Female Championship: How Nigeria Can Defeat Germany

Pin It Now! The final of this year’s FIFA U-20 female championship in Germany comes up on Sunday, 1st of August 2010, between Nigeria and host country Germany. The two countries have worked assiduously to get to this stage, displaying character, tactical discipline and hard work

The host team is arguably the most potent in terms of attacking, having scored about 18 goals in 5 matches (an average of 3.6 goals per match). Their defense is also very tight; they have conceded only two goals in 5 matches. The girls have height advantage and physical fitness going for them.

The Nigerian team is also good in terms of ball control, physical fitness and team work. They have scored 6 goals in 5 matches (an average of 1.2 goals per match) and conceded 4. They are not a high scoring side, but that is not to say they are a push over. On paper the Germans are clearly favoured to win the tournament, but things don’t always happen that way; football is not mathematics.

One way the Nigerians could win this match is to prevent the Germans from dictating the pace of the match; they should try as much as possible to choke up the midfield and cut off ball supply to the German attackers. If the attackers are starved of ball, they won’t be able to cause any damage.

They should also close-mark the European team, leaving them with no room to dribble them and strike. Popp should particularly be prevented from scoring more goals. However, a lot of attention should not be given to Popp alone; otherwise those who are not marked would do a considerable damage.

Sunday Esther should be allowed to combine with Ebere Orji and Oparanozie to mount pressure on the German defense. They would cave in if the pressure is sustained for a long time. The girls should also take their chances and not waste their opportunities: they should be ready to strike at goal from any distance. They should not wait to dribble into the 18 yard box before shooting.

The falconets should also be ready to match their European opponents fitness-for-fitness; they should not be intimidated by the height and build of their opponents. They must also be ready to play their traditional pattern and not allow the Germans to force them to play their fast paced European pattern. If their opponents increase the pace of the game, they should slow them down by holding on to the ball and close marking them.

The German goalie is very tall and agile; the falconets should therefore be ready to follow up any shot fired at the goal and convert any rebound. The goal keeper is liable to errors; therefore they should always get close to her to utilize every opportunity in case she slips. They must also play their corner kicks directly into the yard box and stop passing it at the edge of the line.

U-20 Female Championship: How Nigeria Can Defeat Germany

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Nigeria U-20 Females Beat Columbioa 1-0; Qualify For Finals

Pin It Now! The Nigerian U-20 female team, the falconets defeated their Columbian counterparts 1-0 in the 2nd semi final match played this evening in the ongoing FIFA U-20 female championship in Germany. This feat makes them qualified to play in the final against the host country Germany on Sunday, 1st of August 2010.

The Nigerian girls got their only goal of the match as early as in the 2nd minute of play through a pull out by Joy Jegede, which was pointed by the goal keeper but Ebere Orji smashed the rebound inside the open net. From then onwards the Nigerian girls took complete control of the match, garnering 51% ball possession in the first half against their opponents’ 49%.

Columbia got her first corner kick in the 6th minute but the Nigerian defense line frustrated their efforts. The falconets got their own corner kick in the 15th minute but they lost the ball outside the yard box. The Columbians also got another corner kick in the 16th minute, which made no difference.

First yellow card of the match went to Amarachi Okoronkwo in the 25th minute for missing a bicycle kick and kicking a Columbian player in the process; Natali Gatia also got a yellow for challenging the referee.

The South American girls got another corner kick in the 26th minute and the Nigerian defense made sure it did not cause them any damage. In the 30th minute, Osinachi Ohale got injured on the nose and was taken outside for medical attention and later returned after the bleeding was stopped.

The 30th minute also saw Oparanozie being brought down by a fallen Columbian defender for what should have been a penalty kick, but the centre referee waved ‘play on’ to everyone’s surprise. In the 38th minute, Esther Sunday was replaced with Charity Adule. She gave a good account of herself before she was replaced; though she lost several chances.

Katerin Castro of Columbia also replaced Daniela Montoya in the 43rd minute. In the 45th minute, Ukaonu’s dropping narrowly missed the net and denied Nigeria the opportunity of increasing the goal tally.

The game was particularly a scramble for the mid field as both sides tried by all means to take control of the mid field. The South Americans tried to juggle the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, but the West Africans relied more on the flanks, where Oparanozie and Ebere Orji continued to swap positions leaving the Columbians confused.

The falconets held on tenaciously to their one goal advantage till the end of the first half. On resumption of the 2nd half, Nigeria’s ball possession increased to 53% as against their opponents’ 47%.

Columbia got a corner kick in the 46th minute while Nigeria got one each in the 48th and 55th minutes respectively, but none produced any anxious moment.

Maria Montoya replaced Paola Sanchez in the 56th minute, while Adekwagh replaced Amarachi Okoronkwo in the 67th minute. The falconets got two more corner kicks in the 70th and 75th minutes and the South Americans got one in the 79th minute.

Ebere Orji got a yellow card in the 80th minute; she also failed to convert Oparanozie’s cross into an empty net in the 85th minute. Melissa Ortiz replaced Carolina Arias in the 86th minute.

Helen Ukaonu got a yellow card in the 89th minute. The 4 minutes added time was tension soaked as the South Americans piled more pressure on the West African team to see if they could equalize in the dying minutes, but they were contained by the Nigerian team. When the centre referee sounded the whistle to signify the end of the match, the falconets were full of excitement, while the Columbian goalie wept bitterly for conceding such a cheap goal that eventually saw them out of the tournament. Nigeria will now play Germany in the finals; Germany had earlier beaten Korea Republic 5-1.

Nigeria U-20 Females Beat Columbioa 1-0; Qualify For Finals

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Ghana's U-20 Female Team Beats Switzerland 2-0

Pin It Now! It was a battle for survival as the Ghanaian U-20 female team took on Switzerland on Wednesday evening at the ongoing world cup in Germany. The team had drawn its first match 1-1 against USA and lost its second against Korea Republic by 4-2. So they needed to win their last match and hope that Korea Republic should beat USA by a wide margin in order to have hope of advancing into the quarter final stage.

The Ghanaians did remarkably well in spite of their size; they were relatively smaller than the Swiss girls. It was the Swiss who made the first attempt at goal through their number 9, who unleashed a terrific shot close to the Ghanaian 18 yard box, but the shot was stopped by the goal keeper. A goal mouth scramble ensued thereafter, and the ball was eventually cleared away.

In the 14th minute, Deborah Afriyie overtook a Swiss defender, but over pushed the ball into the waiting hands of the goal keeper. In the 17th minute, Elizabeth Addo lobbied the ball over the on-rushing Swiss keeper, but the ball went over the bar for goal kick.

In the 19th minute, Janet Agyir got a knock on her kneel and could not continue because of the injury: she was replaced with Cynthia Adobia.

In the 31st minute the West African side drew their first blood as the captain of the side, Elizabeth Addo connected a perfectly taken free kick into the right side of the net; with the goal keeper nicely beaten.

In the 39th minute the European goal keeper was dispossessed of the ball, but Deborah Afriyie lost the opportunity of making it goal number 2 as she shot over the bar. But the 42nd minute saw Elizabeth Cudjoe beating the on-rushing keeper to make it goal number 2 (and her third in three matches).

The African side had a better ball possession in both halves (52% to 48% in the first half and 51% to 49% in the second half). Despite their small size, they were able to check mate their opponents, dribbling from one end of the pitch to the other. Though the Swiss tried to intimidate them initially using their size advantage, they eventually began to apply more caution when it was obvious that the Ghanaians were in control of the game.

The European side stepped up their game a little in the second half in order not to concede more goals. Canetta Cora replaced Carolyn in the 46th minute. The Ghanaians got a corner kick in the 48th minute but it was poorly taken and could not produce any anxious moment.

The African side got their goal keeper beaten in the 55th minute, but one of the defenders quickly cleared the ball out before it could get to the goal line. Samira Suleman replaced Deborah Afriyie in the 57th minute.

In the 64th minute, Dadson’s free kick was parried by the Swiss keeper. The European side got corner kicks in the 67th and 74th minutes respectively, but none made any impact on the game. Elizabeth Cudjoe was replaced with Mercy Myles in the 76th minute

In the 78th minute, Chatal Fimian tried to wedge an on-rushing Dadson and got knocked down in the process. The medical team rushed into the pitch to revive her. She was thereafter taken out of the pitch on a stretcher, with an extrication collar around her neck. She got replaced with Nadine Baker.

Few minutes to the end of the game, a mild drama ensued as the Swiss coach tried to bully the centre referee. After series of shouting and gesticulations, he went back to his seat. Ghana won the match by 2-0, but unfortunately USA defeated Korea Republic to top the group with 7 points while Korea had 6 points. Ghana and Switzerland were automatically sent home. Other teams that made it into the quarter finals stage include Nigeria, Mexico, USA, Korea, Germany, Sweden, Korea People’s Republic and Columbia.

Ghana's U-20 Female Team Beats Switzerland 2-0

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Now That The 2010 World Cup Is Over, What Next?

Pin It Now! The 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa has come and gone, and everyone’s attention is now focused on the next host, Brazil. All satellites are now directed toward South America where the action would be, come 2014. Everyone expects Brazil to perform better than South Africa.

The expectations are quite high because Brazil is the home of football; in fact, football is a culture in the South American nation. Having won the world cup more than any other country (has won 5 editions) and being the only country to have participated in all editions, the world expects to see something unique come 2014. Besides, they have won the U-17 cup for keeps; they have won the U-20 and have also won several editions of CONCACAF nations’ cup.

It is also the home of the popular Maracana stadium; and boasts of a well organized league with teams like Corinthians, Santos, Sao Paolo, Vasco Dagama, etc that have always given a good account of themselves at the club world cup tournaments. They have a population advantage (over 200 million people) and a lot of football enthusiasts.

South Africa has surprised the world by organizing a hitch-free tournament; they provided world class facilities – 8 standard stadiums, smooth roads, standard telecommunications system, 5 star hotels, tourist attractions, adequate security, etc thereby setting the pace that would be difficult for the next host to equal.

They provided something that was unique and in a sense African – the Vuvuzela, that would never be forgotten in haste; and the Jabulani football that was both problematic and fun. What should we expect in Brazil? Would they give us something that would make the Samba dance a thing to remember? What kind of football are we going to see there? I am sure FIFA now knows that the idea behind the Jabulani ball did not really work – the ball did not lead to more goals being scored; rather, it led to most of our stars failing to perform and score goals. It made Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Aguero, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard, Osaze Odiwingie, Obafemi Martins, Cesc Fabregas, etc. unable to score at least a goal, because of its slippery and directionless nature.

We hope the 2014 host would be able to provide adequate security to players, officials and fans. They confirmed at South Africa that they had started preparations for the next edition. Let’s therefore hope we shall be seeing better stadiums, better roads, better communication systems and nice hotel accommodations. Brazil cannot afford to perform less, because the world expects much from her.

Now That The 2010 World Cup Is Over, What Next?

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Spain Beats The Netherlands; Wins First World Cup

Pin It Now! Spain finally won her first FIFA soccer world cup on Sunday evening by beating their rivals, The Netherlands, courtesy of Andrea Iniesta’s 116th minute goal. The victory now makes them both European and world champions. It was the moment everyone had waited for, to see new champions being crowned.

The European champions proved too strong for the Dutch to contain; the Dutch actually had mother luck to thank for not conceding several goals as the Spaniards missed several chances, trying to dribble their way into the net without making efforts to shoot from outside the 18 yard box.

Sergio Ramos’ header was parried by the goal keeper in the 5th minute and finally cleared into safety. In the 8th minute, Dirk Kuyt’s shot was caught by Iker Casillas after a little defensive blunder.

In the 11th minute, Spain got her first corner kick, but David Villa’s left footer hit the side of the net for a goal kick. The 15th minute saw Robin Van Persie collecting a yellow card for his rough play against Joan Capdevilla. And Charles Puyol also got a yellow card in the 16th minute for his foul against Arjen Robben.

The Dutch side got a corner kick in the 21st minute, but the ball was nodded away by Sergio Ramos for a throw in. Mark Van Bommel and Sergio Ramos got a yellow card each in the 22nd and 23rd minutes respectively. Nigel De Jong also got a yellow card in the 29th minute for matching Xabi Alonso on the chest, in what should have been a red card; but the referee changed his mind and awarded a yellow instead.

There was a mild drama in the 33rd minute, as a fair play kick was shot directly toward the Spanish goal post and would have scored but for the quick intervention of the goal keeper who pointed it out for a corner kick.

The Netherlands got corner kicks in the 37th and 45th minutes but failed to score with either of them. Van Bronckhorst got a yellow card in the 54th minute for his foul against Sergio Ramos. In the 57th minute, Heitinga got a yellow card for fouling David Villa on the touch line.

Pedro was replaced with Jesus Navas in the 60th minute. In the 63rd minute, Arjen Robben beat two defenders to the ball, but finally shot unto the goal keeper’s legs for a corner kick. In the 67th minute, Joan Capdevilla got a yellow card for his rough tackle against Robin Van Persie. David Villa got the greatest opportunity to put the Spaniards ahead in the 70th minute, but he failed to score even when the goal keeper had fallen down.

Eljero Elia replaced Kuyt in the 71st minute. Spain got corner kicks in the 77th and 79th minutes respectively but the Dutch defense prevented them from scoring. In the 83rd minute, Van Persie failed to put the ball behind Iker Casillas after beating two defenders. Cesc Fabregas replaced Xabi Alonso in the 87th minute.

Spain dominated play in both halves, garnering 56% ball possession against their opponents’ 44%. The full time produced no goal on either sides and the match went into extra time. The Spaniards got their first corner kick in the 3rd minute of the extra time; and Cesc Fabregas had an opportunity to score in the 5th minute of extra time, but he shot unto the goal keeper’s legs.

The European champions got yet another corner kick in the 7th minute of extra time; David Villa was also replaced by Fernando Torres. Rafael Van Der Vaat replaced Nigel De Jong in the 9th minute.

Van Bronckhorst was replaced with Edson Branfneid in the 15th minute of extra time, and in the 19th minute, John Heitinga was shown the red card for his foul against Andrea Iniesta (after getting an initial yellow in the 57th minute).

Andrea Iniesta finally broke the deadlock by scoring the only goal of the night in the 26th minute of extra time thereby sending the whole stadium into raptures. 22nd minute of extra time also saw Van Der Wiel collecting a yellow card for his foul against Andrea Iniesta.

The match finally ended with the Spaniards carrying the day. While goal keeper Casillas shed tears of joy for their victory, Wesley Sneijder shed tears of defeat. Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie just could not believe they had lost the trophy to Spain, as they looked completely confused and shocked. Coach Vicente Del Bosque was the happiest man of the night having led Spain to their first ever final and eventually winning the trophy for them.

Spain Beats The Netherlands; Wins First World Cup

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Germany Beats Uruguay 3-2 To Claim 3rd Position

Pin It Now! The German soccer machines Saturday night defeated Uruguay by 3-2 to claim the 3rd position in the ongoing FIFA soccer world cup in a match that was keenly contested. The two sides gave a good account of themselves, and at least gave their teeming supporters something to cheer about.

The first yellow card of the night went to Dennis Aogo for his rough play in the 5th minute. The second yellow card went to Cacau almost immediately in the 6th minute for handling the ball.

The Germans got their first and second corner kicks in the 9th and 10th minutes respectively, but they were poorly utilized. But in the 19th minute, Sweinsteigger unleashed a hot shot from outside the yard box and the goal keeper parried it; but before he could recover, the ball was tucked into the net by Thomas Muller, for Germany’s first goal.

Uruguay equalized through a pass provided by Suarez and was neatly placed beyond the reach of the goal keeper by Edinson Cavani in the 28th minute.

Uruguay got a corner kick in the 34th minute, but was not converted. In the 42nd minute, Suarez was left with the goal keeper alone, but he blew away the opportunity that should have put his side ahead, in such an unpardonable manner.

In the 43rd minute Lugano handled the ball and got a yellow card. The Germans had another corner kick in the 44th minute but it didn’t alter the result of the game in any way. In the 45th minute, the South Americans had yet another corner kick, which fell on top of the roof of the net.

In the 48th minute, Suarez had another ample opportunity to put his side ahead but he was denied the opportunity by the keeper. In the 51st minute, Diego Forlan scored the second goal through a fantastic kick that left the goal keeper confused.

Five minutes later (in the 56th minute), Boateng’s cross was nodded in by Marcell Jansen for an equalizer. The match became more explosive as both sides tried to wrap up victory. There were attacks and counter attacks from both sides, leaving the fans gaping with delight.

Oezil Mesut was dispossessed of the ball in the 6 yard box in the 58th minute, in what would have made it goal number 3 for his side. In the 61st minute, Diego Perez was issued a yellow card for his foul play against Sweinsteigger.

In the 62nd minute, Suarez got an opportunity that would have made it the third goal for the South Americans, but his shot was parried by the goal keeper. And in the 65th minute, Diego Forlan shot unto the body of the goal keeper.

Cacau collected a cross from Thomas Muller in the 71st minute, but his shot went over the bar. In the 74th minute, Cacau was replaced by Stefan Kiebling. He had his first feel of the ball in the 76th minute, but his shot was parried by the Uruguayan goal keeper.

Walter Gagano replaced Diego Perez in the 77th minute. In the 82nd minute however, Germany scored her winning goal through Khedira Sami, who nodded in the ball after a goal mouth scramble, following a corner kick.

In the 87th minute, Boateng’s shot was again caught by the goal keeper. Edinson Cavani got replaced with Sebastian Abreu in the 88th minute and Oezil Mesut also got replaced with Serda Tasci on the dot of 90 minutes.

Arne Freidrich got a yellow card for a foul play in the 2nd minute of added time, and the resultant free kick was taken by Diego Forlan; but the ball hit the cross bar in what would have been a great miracle. The match ended with that last minute attempt, leaving the Germans as the eventual winners of the match. The final match between Spain and The Netherlands comes up on Sunday 11th July 2010.

Germany Beats Uruguay 3-2 To Claim 3rd Position

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Who Wins The 2010 FIFA World Cup, Spain Or The Netherlands?

Pin It Now! We have reached the climax of the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup in South Africa, and the moment of glory is fast approaching, when the winner of the tournament would be declared. The battle is between two European nations – Spain and the Netherlands. Each of the teams has given a very good account of themselves since the tournament began on the 11th of June; and come 11th of July, we shall all know who emerges champions.

When the tournament started on the 11th of June, not too many soccer enthusiasts beamed their satellites on Spain or the Netherlands. Their satellites had been directed toward Brazil, Argentina, Germany, England, Italy and France. All six countries have won the world cup at least once; and looking at the strength of their teams and the quality of players they came with, it was logical for them to have concluded that one of them would win.

However, thoughts, logics and wishes soon got separated from reality as some of the big names like Italy (defending champions) and France were eliminated in the group stage. England followed in the second round; Brazil and Argentina took their exit in the quarter finals stage, leaving Germany as the clear favorites after they bundled out Argentina 4-0.

On Wednesday 7th July, Spain ensured that the remaining favorite, Germany, was sent home, leaving only Spain and the Netherlands to decide where the world cup goes to this time around. It is now very clear that the world is expecting a new champion because the two teams remaining have never tasted world soccer glory before; none has ever kissed the FIFA soccer trophy.

But who wins this year’s edition?
The two sides have done remarkably well; they have shown class, discipline and technical efficiency. On paper, the Spaniards have an edge over the Dutch; they are the reigning European champions and the bulk of the team is made up of former UEFA champions, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Considering what they did to Germany in their semi finals match, they are surely not a push over.

The Spaniards have got a potent striker in the person of David Villa, with 5 goals in 6 matches; and also a good mid field and defense supported by Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Pedro, Charles Puyol and Sergio Ramos. They also have a goal keeper (Casillas) who has not conceded many goals from the commencement of the tournament.

The Dutch on the other hand, have a reliable striker, Wesley Sneijder, who has so far scored 5 goals; and a dependable mid field marshalled by Bronckhorst. They also have reliable attackers like Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie and Kuyt.

We therefore expect a very fluid, attacking football, balanced with tactical discipline from both sides. The outcome of the game would be decided by the technical crews, and also by the number of opportunities utilized by both sides. Wastage has to be minimized by anyone who hopes to emerge as the crowned champions. Selfishness on the part of the strikers has to be checked as well. Temperaments must be controlled, and all kinds of diving and false alarms must be avoided if they are to give their teeming fans something to enjoy; and they should be ready to win the match convincingly to the delight of all spectators.

We earnestly await the crowning of a new world champions come Sunday 11th July 2010. We wish the finalists best of luck in their quest to win the trophy for the very first time.

Who Wins The 2010 FIFA World Cup, Spain Or The Netherlands?

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Black Stars Receive Heroic Welcome In Accra

Pin It Now! The Black Stars of Ghana received a heroic welcome from their fans and government as they returned home after losing 4-2 on penalty kicks against Uruguay at the ongoing world cup in South Africa. They were the only African side that gave a good account of themselves, and gave their fans something to cheer about.

Though they lost their quarter final match to 2 time champions, Uruguay, they returned home to a heroic reception; they did not bow their heads in shame. They were the only African team that returned with their heads held high; and the nation rolled out drums to welcome them as achievers. Other African teams strolled in as people beaten in war; nobody remembered to go and wait for them at the airports, let alone line the streets to welcome them. It is truly sweet to be successful.

The Black Stars lost their quarter final match, but their people saw them as winners; they understood it was sheer ill-luck that robbed them of a semi finals place. Nobody castigated anyone; Asamoah Gyan who had lost the penalty that eventually led to their exit was not humiliated in defeat. He had paid his dues: he gave a very good account of himself, scoring three vital goals for his team along the way.

Since the exit of Nigeria for example, Yakubu Aiyegbeni has become a laughing stock as soccer fans saw him as one who did not merit being in the Super Eagles’ team. He was seen as the worst striker in the tournament. A lot of people are even calling for his head. It shows that it is not the loss that matters, but the way and manner you lose. Asamoah Gyan lost and Yakubu also lost, but the reception they get today is not the same because one had lost gallantly while the other lost in a lackluster manner.

The Ghanaian team had taken their matches serious at the world cup as people who meant business. They saw themselves as people who came, not only to represent Ghana, but the whole of the African continent. They gave their very best to draw the praises of the African people; and the day they were eliminated, African fans were weeping – they deserved to be at the semi finals.

When you represent a people, you should have it at the back of your mind that you are either going to give them joy or you are going to break their hearts. A lot of people die of heart attacks following the failure of their darling teams at major tournaments. I am sure you wouldn’t want to be remembered for breaking people’s hearts or for sending people to their early graves.

Simply do your best; and when you are coming back home you wouldn’t be like a Yakubu, or a Sani Keita who disgraced their nation and brought bitterness to so many hearts. Just go and shine like the stars even though you are the black type. Black Stars, we say ‘well done’ for making Africa proud and for removing our shame. You made us excel over Asia, Australia and North America at this year’s world cup (none of them got to the quarter finals stage). You are the pride of the Black continent; 21 gun salute for you.

Black Stars Receive Heroic Welcome In Accra

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Spain Knocks Down German Soccer Machine Engine

Pin It Now! Spain lived up to the expectations of soccer pundits Wednesday evening, by beating the German soccer machines by a lone goal, courtesy of Charles Puyol’s 73rd minute goal, to prove they truly deserved to be European champions. It was the goal that eventually separated the two soccer giants.

The Germans had come into the game as the highest scoring side in the tournament after scoring 13 goals, and conceding only 2 goals in 5 matches. And Spain had come in as reigning European champions. Though some had expected the German soccer machine to have an easy ride after beating highly rated Argentina by 4-0 in their quarter final match.

There was a mild drama in the 4th minute when a fan ran into the pitch and was immediately apprehended by two security men, and taken out of the pitch.

In the 5th minute, David Villa failed to put the Spaniards ahead as he shot into the body of the on-rushing Spanish goal keeper. Ozil was ruled off-side in the 10th minute. Spain got their first corner kick in the 13th minute but failed to take an advantage of it as Charles Puyol failed to click, with his nodding in the 18 yard box going over the bar for a goal kick.

The Germans went on a counter attack and got their first corner kick in the 15th minute. The Spaniards had yet another corner kick in the 22nd minute but failed to score with it.

Trochowski’s deadly left footer was pushed into corner by Casillas in the 32nd minute. Spain got another corner kick in the 45th minute. The first half ended on a barren note; with Spain controlling much of the play in the mid field and the flanks.

The second half saw superior fireworks from the Spanish team; though they lost a lot of scoring chances, with David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Pedro being the worst culprits. In the 49th minute, Pedro ran through the right flank, beating three defenders in a roll, but his cross to Xabi Alonso was shot wide.

In the 50th minute, Xabi Alonso also failed to utilize a cross provided him by Xavi, with his shot rolling across the goal line for a goal kick. Jansen Marcell replaced Jerome Boateng in the 52nd minute.

In the 58th minute, David Villa failed to connect Iniesta’s cross into a yawning net. And in the 61st minute, Miroslav Klose’s shot went over the bar. In the 63rd minute, Sergio Ramos was brought down by Podolski in the 6 yard box but the centre referee waved ‘play on’.

Kroos’ direct shot was parried by goal keeper Casillas in the 69th minute and eventually cleared away from danger zone. Germany got a corner kick in the 70th minute but failed to convert it into a goal.

The Spaniards however broke the deadlock through Charles Puyol, who nodded in a corner kick in the 73rd minute to score the only goal of the night to make sure Spain advanced into the finals for the very first time.

Germany got another corner kick in the 77th minute but could not equalize with it as Spain’s defense proved too compact to concede any cheap goal. Gomez replaced Sami Khedira, while Fernando Torres replaced David Villa in the 81st minute, after he had wasted a lot of scoring chances. In the 82nd minute, Pedro selfishly wasted a chance that would have been easily scored by Fernando Torres.

Pedro was replaced by David Silva in the 85th minute. Spain got a corner kick in the 89th and 90th minutes respectively but none was converted. Carlos Machena replaced Xabi Alonso in the 3rd minute of added time.

At the end of 90 minutes, the Spaniards and their coach, Vicente Del Bosque were overjoyed for qualifying for the final for the first time, while coach Joachin Loew and his lads were unhappy for crashing out against the European champions. Spain will now play the Netherlands in an all European final on Sunday 11th July, 2010 to determine who goes home as the crowned champions.

Spain Knocks Down German Soccer Machine Engine

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World Cup: 7 Ways To Perform Better

Pin It Now! Everybody’s ambition is to perform very well at the world cup, and at the end come back home as the winner of the tournament, with the trophy to show for their efforts. However, not every team that went there would become eventual winners; only one team (the very best) would emerge victorious.

In order to perform very well and emerge as the champions, there are some tips that you need to follow. When you successfully implement these tips, they would separate you from those who did not plan well.

1) Eat less: Excessive food or fatty foods would not help you much, because they would make you heavy and sluggish. Since speed is part of what you need to do well, you have to drop foods that make you dull and heavy. You should eat more fruits and light foods like pasta or noodles.

2) Increase your fitness: Physical fitness is very important; it makes you last throughout the duration of the match, and also keeps you going if the match goes into extra time. You therefore need to improve your physical exercises like jogging, running, swimming, gym, etc. They help to strengthen your heart and improve your blood circulation, thereby ensuring that you don’t get tired too easily during a match.

3) Improve your skills: You must learn to increase your skills so as to have an edge over your opponents in the field of play. Improve on your shooting and scoring skills; also improve on penalty kicks, close-marking your opponents, ball control, dead ball situations, etc. when you are well equipped in all aspects, victory becomes easier.

4) Relax: you should relax in order to build up your mental strength. Relax by swimming, watching movies, playing lido or scrabble; and then take sometime to sleep. You would be stronger and fresher by the time you face your opponents.

5) Friendly matches: Engage in both local and international friendly matches, at least some months before the actual competition. Play less of the friendlies when the competition draws nearer, in order to prevent injuries. Make sure you utilize your time to play quality opponents.

6) Understand the pitch: You need to have a feel of the pitch and get used to the flaws before the competition commences. A lot of players were falling during their group matches and even up to the quarter finals stage in South Africa, because they were not used to the slippery pitches. If you arrive the venue at least a week before the tournament, you would be able to understand the pitch.

7) Overcome fear: Try to compose yourself and overcome fears: Your opponents are afraid of you just as you are afraid of them. Those who learn to overcome their fears eventually would have an advantage over the others.

When you have fully prepared yourselves, you need to relax and take every game as they come. If you discipline yourself enough to follow these tips, you are sure to do well at the world cup.

World Cup: 7 Ways To Perform Better

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A Lesson For Diego Maradona

Pin It Now! Diego Maradona, the Coach of the Argentine national team, crashed his team out of the 2010 FIFA world cup at the quarter finals stage, losing to Germany in such a scandalous way. His highly rated team lost by a whopping 4-0 to the Germany soccer machines, putting an abrupt end to his bragging and utter display of disrespect to other coaches and legends of the game of soccer.

Coach Diego Maradona had boasted he would win the world cup, and that he would go naked in public if he didn’t. Surprisingly, when he finally crashed in such a humiliating fashion, the world waited patiently for him to strip himself naked in public, but he refused to honour his words.

I am sure that by now, he has understood that football is not a game of verbosity; rather it is a game of skills, tactics and careful plan. He had failed to prove himself as he had challenged the legendry Pele to prove his rating as a legend, by winning the world cup as the coach of the Brazilian National Team. He went to the world cup with the best team on paper, comprising great soccer stars like Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez, Angel De Maria etc, and many soccer followers had given the world cup to him based on the strength of his team.

However, one thing a lot of people failed to remember was that Maradona had qualified his team for the soccer fiesta only on the very last day of qualifiers. They also forgot that Argentina got their worst result in 60 years during his time, by losing 6-1 to little known Bolivia, during the qualifiers. What this amounts to therefore, is that Argentina did not get to the quarter finals because their coach was too good; they only used their individual skills to survive to that stage. And when they met a more technically sound team, they had no choice but to bow out.

If he had gone to the world cup as the coach of teams like North Korea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Australia, Algeria, etc. and had met Germany, perhaps his team would have lost by up to 12-0, if he could lose by 4-0 with a stars-studded Argentine team. Perhaps one of the reasons the Germans were so merciless was because of the uncontrolled utterances he had made before they met.

Coach Maradona should go back to a coaching school to improve upon his tactics, because football is advancing daily; so he should not depend on his exploits of Mexico ‘86 as a player, to coach in the current dispensation. Besides, he should learn to control his mouth and give respect to those who deserve to be respected. Pele still remains the greatest, with over 1,000 goals and two world cup titles as a player. He knows why he has not decided to take up a coaching job; his personal opinion should be respected.

A Lesson For Diego Maradona

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Football Reform: Why FIFA Should Support Nigeria

Pin It Now! World football history can never be complete without Nigeria, because of her great exploits in the soccer world. The African giant has achieved what so many countries (developed and underdeveloped) have not been able to achieve. FIFA therefore needs to support her on the steps she has taken to reform the game of soccer and make her national teams a force to reckon with again.

The recent performances of Nigerian teams in both continental and world football have been appalling, considering the nation’s rating and previous achievements in both male and female football. For instance, the Nigerian Golden Eaglets was the very first team in the world to win the U-16 world cup (China ’85); they have now won a total of three editions, and also played in three other finals.

The U-20 national team has also played in the final in 2 editions (Saudi ’89 and Netherlands 2005), and staged the greatest comeback in the U-20 history, where they came back from a 4-0 deficit to beat the USSR on penalty kicks. The U-23 team became the first African side to win an Olympics gold medal (Atlanta ’96), after beating Brazil and Argentina in the semi final and final respectively.

The Super Eagles participated in the FIFA world cup for the first time in USA ’94, and got voted as the most entertaining team, after treating the world to great soccer artistry. They were even rated 5th best team in the world (FIFA ranking). So far, the Super Eagles have won 2 African Nations’ cup titles (1980 and 1994), 4 silver medals (1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000), and 7 bronze medals.

The Female national team (The Falcons) has won 5 consecutive African Women Championship titles (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006); participated in all Women world cups till date, and also participated in all female Olympics football competitions. They even got to the quarter finals of the USA ’99 female world cup, where they were eventually edged out by the Samba girls of Brazil. The female U-20 has also been to all the female U-20 world cups.

The country has also hosted 2 nations’ cup tournaments (1980 and 2000); hosted the world U-20 championship (1999), and the world U-17 (2009), and did remarkably well as host.

However, the fortunes of the Nigerian national teams dwindled recently; in 2008, the Super Eagles got their worst Nations’ cup outing in Ghana, where they failed to win silverware for the first time since 1984. The U-20 team failed to get beyond the second round in Egypt (2009); while the U-17 failed to qualify for the African championship, having been knocked out by little known Benin Republic in the qualifiers (They only participated in the world cup as host in 2009).

Our female team (The Falcons) lost the last edition of the African women championship to Equatorial Guinea; and they even failed to reach the final.

In South Africa 2010, the Super Eagles failed to advance beyond the group stage, losing to Greece and Argentina, thereby making Greece win a world cup match for the first time. The performance of the team was less than impressive and has actually drawn condemnation from soccer fans worldwide.

The world soccer governing body therefore needs to support the effort being made by the Nigerian government to reform her football, instead of declaring a war against the nation. We understand tournaments would not be exciting without Africa’s best team; we should at the same time remember it would be ridiculous if we participate and lose scandalously. It makes sense therefore for the country to go back to the draw board for sometime to try to fashion a way to improve the fortunes of her teams.

When they have fully reorganized themselves, they would come out more entertaining, more result-oriented and better focused. They would add colours to FIFA organized tournaments and help attract more fans, which would translate to better earnings for FIFA. Africa would be happy to see Nigeria bounce back and win more trophies for her.

Football Reform: Why FIFA Should Support Nigeria

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The Netherlands Defeats Uruguay 3-2; Qualifies For Finals

Pin It Now! The Netherlands kept their dreams of winning this year’s edition of the world cup alive by beating Uruguay 3-2 in the semi final match played Tuesday evening. The match was almost a one-sided game as the European side outclassed their South American opponents in all departments of the game, and finally went home with all three points at stake.

Kuyt was the first to try a shot at goal but his shot went over the bar in the 4th minute. In the 6th minute, Pereira’s left footer also went over the bar. In the 11th minute, Wesley Sneijder’s goal-bound shot hit Van Persie in the 6 yard box and bounced back.

The first goal of the night came in the 18th minute when Van Bronckhorst unleashed a terrific shot with his left foot, which beat the goal keeper hands down and hit the top left corner of the post into the net.

Maxiliano received the first yellow card of the match in the 21st minute for his foul on Arjen Robben. The Orange boys also got a corner kick in the 21st minute, which was taken by Robben but was headed away. Uruguay got a corner kick in the 27th minute but it didn’t yield any meaningful fruit. In the 28th minute, Martins Caceres and Wesley Sneijder were issued a yellow card each.

In the 31st minute, Arjen Robben narrowly missed a chance that would have increased the goal tally for his side. And in the 32nd minute, Van Bronckhorst pushed down Cavani in the 18 yard box but was ignored by the centre referee. Diego Forlan’s header went wide for a goal kick in the 38th minute.

Diego Forlan equalized for his side in the 41st minute through a left footer that left the Dutch goal keeper flat on his back. In the 44th minute, Forlan’s free kick went straight into the keeper’s arms.

The Netherlands were the better side in the first half with ball possession of 63% to their opponents’ 37%. They were superior in all departments, with Wesley Sneijder, Van Persie and Arjen Robben running circles round the Uruguayan defense.

Second half saw more attacking football on both sides as they tried to add more goals in order to win the game. Dutch goal keeper was beaten in the 51st minute, but the goal-bound ball was nodded away by Van Bronckhorst for a corner kick. The Orange boys also got a corner kick in the 52nd minute but it was not converted.

In the 57th minute, a corner kick by Uruguay was parried away by the Dutch goal keeper; the Dutch went on a counter attack and got a corner in the 58th minute, but it didn’t change the outcome of the game. They also got another corner kick in the 63rd minute. In the 67th minute, Diego Forlan’s free kick was parried by the keeper for a throw in.

In the 68th minute, Arjen Robben’s shot was parried by the goal keeper, but the rebound was ballooned away by Van Der Vaat. In the 70th minute, the Orange boys made it goal number 2 as Wesley Sneijder’s right footer was deflected into the net.

Diego Forlan’s free kick again went into the waiting hands of the Dutch goal keeper in the 72nd minute. The 73rd minute saw the Netherlands scoring their 3rd goal, as Robben nodded home Kuyt’s cross.

Sebastian Abreu replaced Alvaro Pereira in the 78th minute, while Forlan was replaced by Sebastian Fernandez in the 84th minute. Arjen Robben missed another chance to wrap up the game for the Netherlands in the 86th minute but he squandered the opportunity. He was replaced by Eljero Elia in the 89th minute.

The Uruguayans however got their 2nd goal in the 2nd minute of the 3 minutes injury time. Surprisingly the centre referee refused to end the match after 94th minute, and issued a yellow card to Mark Van Bommel for signaling to him that the time was over.

The Europeans outplayed the South Americans throughout the match, but they fought back gallantly in the last 15 minutes of the game and came close to scoring their third goal. The Netherlands will now meet with the winner in the match between Germany and Spain in the final on Sunday, 11th July 2010.

The Netherlands Defeats Uruguay 3-2; Qualifies For Finals

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John Obi Mikel: Comparing Him With Lionel Messi

Pin It Now! John Obi Mikel of Nigeria and Lionel Messi of Argentina were both at the world youth championship (FIFA U-20) in Netherlands in 2005, where they both shone like a Million Stars, to the delight of soccer fans the world over.

Both players played as creative/attacking midfielders for their countries at the youth championship. Argentina eventually defeated Nigeria by 2-1 at the final to win the trophy; and Lionel Messi emerged the world’s best player, while John Obi Mikel was voted second best player at the U-20 level.

Five years after, the gulf between the two players has widened so much that one begins to wonder what has happened. The Argentine went to FC Barcelona thereafter and developed his skills further to the point of wining several domestic titles, 2 champions’ league titles, 1 club world cup, 1 Olympics gold medal, European footballer of the year, world footballer of the year, etc.

But the Nigerian made the mistake of his career by allowing his father to influence him in choosing to go to Chelsea FC of England. The only achievement he can boast of till date include a few FA cups, Carling cups and community shield cup. He just won his first league title with Chelsea this year.

What went wrong?

Lionel Messi carefully chose a club side that allowed him to develop further, and brought out the best in him. John Obi Mikel, on the other hand refused a bid from Manchester United that would have enabled him maintain his position as an attacking midfielder and develop his skills further. Instead, he chose to go to Chelsea FC because of the money involved. On getting to Chelsea, Coach Jose Maurinho turned him into a defensive midfielder, and his skills nosedived. During the period he has stayed in Chelsea, Man U has won 3 league titles, 1 club world cup, 1 champions’ league title, etc. Today, he regrets his decision: he would have won 3 league titles, 1 champions’ league, 1 club world cup, several FA cups and Carling cups by now with Man U. He would have also had the opportunity to shine better than he is doing right now and perhaps be close to Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in terms of skill. But today, he is not in the top 50 players’ list. What an Irony!

In choosing a career, one should not consider only the monetary aspect; one should think of one’s opportunity to develop further, and when the place you intend to develop your career does not guarantee you that chance, you should look elsewhere.

Besides, you should not allow anybody to influence you when it comes to choosing your career. You know what you want; why don’t you go for that which would give you satisfaction? If you make any mistakes from the onset, you may end up regretting for life.

John Obi Mikel: Comparing Him With Lionel Messi

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Germany Humiliates Argentina Out Of The World Cup

Pin It Now! The German Soccer Machine finally humiliated the Argentines out of the current world, ending their ambition of playing in the semi finals. This defeat also silenced their loquacious coach, Diego maradona and also put a halt to Gonzalo Higuain’s dream of winning the Adidas Golden Boot after scoring 4 goals in 5 matches.

Thomas Mueller opened scoring in the 3rd minute through a header. His goal put the Argentines under tension as their Coach Diego Maradona could not settle down in one place anymore.

Otamendi got the first yellow card of the match in the 11th minute. In the 13th minute, Podolski missed an opportunity to increase the goal tally for Germany. In the 22nd minute, Carlos Tevez failed to score from the cross provided him by Lionel Messi; the ball was intercepted by the goal keeper.

In the 24th minute, Miroslav Klose ballooned Mueller’s cross over the bar. In the 31st minute, Lionel Messi’s free kick went over the bar for a goal kick. The Argentines kept pressing forward and occasionally applying their provocative tactics; but all these were frustrated by the Germans who kept their cool and remained focused.

In the 35th minute, Gonzalo Higuain’s attempt to equalize was frustrated by the keeper. In the 36th minute, Thomas Mueller got a yellow card, which automatically means he’s going to miss their next match, having gotten a yellow in their previous match. In the 37th minute, Higuain’s goal was ruled off-side by the centre referee. Podolski also lost the chance to increase the tally for his side in the 39th minute, as his shot went across the goal line for a goal kick. Messi once again shot over the bar in the 45th minute as he tried by all means to equalize before the half time.

The second half saw the European team scoring three more goals against their South American opponents to completely send them out of the tournament. In the 54th minute, Carlos Tevez’s shot hit a German defender in the face right in the 18 yard box but went across the line for a corner kick. In the 57th minute, Jerome Boateng’s goal-bound shot was parried by the goal keeper.

Messi’s ball beat the keeper in the 64th minute, but it was cleared out of touch by Lahm for a corner kick. And in the 68th minute, Miroslav Klose increased the goal tally for Germany by neatly tucking in Podolski’s cross. 72nd minute saw Marcell Jarsen replacing Jerome Boateng, and in the 74th minute, Freidrich made it three for Germany after connecting a pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger . Klose completed it 4 in the 89th minute to make sure the Argentine were sent packing.

Germany Humiliates Argentina Out Of The World Cup

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Asamoah Gyan's Penalty Miss Cost Ghana A Place In The Semi Finals

Pin It Now! Asamoah Gyan stepped forward, highly excited and already relishing the thought of having to play in the semi finals of the 2010 world cup. The referee sounded his whistle and with the speed of lightening, he moved forward and took the kick. The goal keeper dived to the wrong direction; and I heard the shout of ‘ow!’ from my neighborhood. I held my hands over my head in utter disbelief: he has lost the penalty.

Asamoah Gyan had been outstanding in the 2010 world cup in South Africa, where he had helped his country Ghana to the quarter finals. He made the Black Stars get to that stage through his great goals in the group stage (2 penalty goals), and his terrific strike that sent USA home in the second round. He had scored three goals in four matches, making him one of the contenders for the Adidas Golden Boot.

So in their quarter final match against Uruguay, the Black Stars had played with enthusiasm, hoping to be in the last four. Full time scores had ended at 1-1, and the match went into extra time. The first 27 minutes of the extra time were without any goals, and everyone had concluded the match would end in penalty kicks. Then on the dot of 30 minutes (the very last minute), there was a goal mouth struggle on the side of Uruguay and eventually one of the players had handled the ball with his hands. The center referee wasted no time by issuing him a red card and awarded a penalty to Ghana.

Going by his performance in the tournament, he was favored as the best person to take the kick; and what happened? His shot hit the cross bar, after the goal keeper dived to the wrong direction. The Ghanaian team was devastated by this great miss; and when the game was finally decided on penalty kicks, the Uruguayans won by 4-2. Gyan wept bitterly as the Uruguayans celebrated their triumph over Ghana.

What do you do if you want to take a penalty kick?

1.Compose yourself: you should first compose yourself, and don’t be over excited. Over excitement would make you not able to aim your kick very well.

2. Dissipate fears: Remember the goal keeper is also afraid of the outcome of the kick. Don’t ever feel he is going to catch your ball: he is also afraid you are going to score. Remove fears and you would be able to act rationally.



3.Aim very well: Don’t aim too close to the upright or the cross bar; if there is any little mistake, you are likely to hit the upright or the cross bar.

4.Look the goal directly in the face: Look the goal keeper in the face while your mind should be where you want to direct your kick to. This leaves the goal keeper confused as he would not be able to predict your next move.

5.Move quietly toward the ball: Don’t rush the ball, otherwise you make a mistake.

6.Shoot hard: Kick hard at the ball, and if the goal keeper misses it, he would not have the chance to quickly turn back to remedy the situation.

Asamoah Gyan's Penalty Miss Cost Ghana A Place In The Semi Finals

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Goal Line Technology; Why FIFA Should Consider It

Pin It Now! Controversial goals have become a part of all FIFA organized tournaments; and have given undue advantage to some countries, while those who are at the receiving end go back home with heart aches, only to nurse their wounds after being unfairly edged out of a competition they were supposed to have perhaps won.

These controversies have repeated themselves in such a way that there is now the feeling amongst soccer pundits that there must be some conspiracies somewhere to ensure that the world cup keeps going to certain regions. FIFA seems to be helpless about the whole thing, not because they do not know how to address the problem, but because they want the status quo to remain.

FIFA knows for instance, that if there is a level playing ground, Africa and Asia would perform better and the over bloated chances given to UEFA would no longer be justifiable. So the best thing to do is let the match official always pretend to be helpless when certain important decisions need to be taken.

So far the world cup has been rotating between South America and Europe because that is how they want it to be. Poor officiating has never really been a matter of error; it is a deliberate thing.

Now back to those controversial goals: it almost marred the 1966 world cup final match between Germany and the host country, England. England eventually went away unpunished. Ever since, it has been from one controversy to another. If FIFA were serious to address this problem, then they should have gotten a solution since 1966 (44 years now).

In Mexico ’86, it was Diego Maradona who scored the ‘God hand’ goal against England and eventually helped Argentina to win the world cup. In France ’98, Chile needed desperately to advance into the second round, and midway into their match against Cameroon; Ivan Zamorano deliberately placed the ball on the hand of a Cameroonian defender in the 18 yard box. Surprisingly, the centre referee pointed to the penalty spot: the rest is now history.

The current world cup in South Africa has also witnessed several goals scored under controversial circumstances. First it was Nigeria losing against Argentina, because Walter Samuel held down Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke, preventing him from marking Gabriel Heinze. That gave Heinze the ample opportunity to score the only goal of the match. And what did the match officials do? They pretended not to see anything.

In the group match between USA and Slovenia, Maurice Edu’s 85th minute goal was disallowed by the centre referee, Koman Coulibaly, for no good reason. The match the USA would have won eventually ended 2-2. We also saw Luis Fabiano’s second goal against Cote D’ivoire, which he got after handling the ball twice. The goal was allowed by the referee after series of protests by the Cameroonians. The officials pretended not to see the first contact with the hand and then the second one; but they saw the ball when it went across the line into the net.

The second round also produced some wonders as Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany was disallowed after it obviously crossed the goal line. A replay of that goal showed that the referee was not even far from where the goal was scored. I think that decision dampened England’s morale and made them concede one of their worst world cup defeats ever, losing by a scandalous 4-1 to Germany.

Carlos Tevez of Argentina was not left out of the controversy as his off-side goal against Mexico was also allowed to stay. The whole spectators saw Tevez left behind after he lost the first opportunity to score; so when the ball which had hit the goal keeper and rebounded was brought back, Tevez was standing alone and he nodded in the ball to everyone’s utter disbelief.

It is now obvious that the match officials really need some help to be able to give the best judgment and minimize the level of injustice meted out against certain teams. Let it be that a team is losing a match because it deserves to lose, and not because of poor officiating. This is why FIFA needs to consider the use of goal technology in deciding the actual position of certain goals.

FIFA’s arguments that the use of goal line technology would slow down the game, and that it would be expensive, do not hold water. The live score boards are already in the stadiums and it takes only few seconds to show a replay of the goal and a decision would be taken (whether it was actually a goal or not). It would be shown to the whole world, and that would settle the controversy. Both teams would also see clearly who is right or wrong.

I would also suggest some electronic devices be placed on the goal posts and should be automatically activated the moment a ball crosses the line. When activated, it should begin to flash some lights or give a beep directly to the referee through his ear phone.

Matches should be won to everyone’s satisfaction and no one should feel cheated anymore if the right things are done. Crowd violence which has often been sparked off by these controversies would also be reduced to the barest minimum.

Goal Line Technology; Why FIFA Should Consider It

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Nigeria Pulls Out Of Football Competitions Till 2012

Pin It Now! The Nigerian president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan directed on Tuesday that the country should pull out of all football competitions till 2012. This is as a result of the country’s poor performance in the ongoing world cup in South Africa.

The president’s directive did not come as a surprise to me, considering the lackluster performances of our teams in recent time. The last time they gave Nigerians something to cheer about was in South Korea 2007, when the U-16 team conquered the world and came back with the trophy.

Our performance in Egypt 2009 (FIFA U-20 World Cup) was less than satisfactory as we could not advance beyond the second round in a competition that was eventually won by the Black Starlets of Ghana. We eventually hosted the U-16 world cup (Oct/Nov 2009) and lost to first-timers, Switzerland in the final; we should also not forget that we did not qualify for the competition because we were knocked out by little known Benin Republic, and only got there as the host nation.

Why The Dwindling Fortunes?
A lot of things have contributed to this downward spiral of our national teams; I will only mention few of them for the sake of time:

Corruption: This has remained the bane of our football as players get imposed on the coaches by certain people who are highly placed in government. This issue of God-fatherism has contributed to a large extent to the lackluster performance of our players, as those who are backed by these cabals believe no one could ever remove them from the team so long as their God fathers are still alive. So they do not give their best because they never got there by merit but through the back door.

Quota system: The use of quota system in almost all spheres of life has also affected our football as certain areas/zones must also contribute players whether they are fit or not. Players used to be selected to play for the national teams based on merit, skills and fitness and not by geographical affiliation; but today the reverse is the case.

Lack of continuity: Ghana is waxing strong today because they were able to graduate their young talents to replace the aging ones. But in our own case, the old players have held tenaciously to the national team’s jerseys, preventing the young ones from graduating. How do we explain a situation where Kanu Nwankwo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, John Utaka, Joseph Yobo, Rabiu Afolabi, etc still maintain a regular shirt in the team? Only Haruna Lukman is now playing for the Super Eagles when all his team mates to South Korea – Rabiu Ibrahim, Yakubu Alfa, Oseni, etc. have all been left out. What also happened to Coach Sampson Siasia’s Olympic squad?

What Should We Do?
Administration: The old hands in NFF should be flushed out and ex-footballers should administer our football. They would bring in passion and commitment, unlike the present people who are after money.

Continuity: Our young players who have done well at various levels should be graduated to take over from the aging players who are struggling for fitness: we should borrow a leaf from Ghana.

Stop quota system: Players should be invited to the national teams based purely on merit and not on quota system that is bringing mediocrity into the teams.

Discipline: Our players should be subject to discipline; nobody should be guaranteed a permanent shirt anymore. Anyone who does not do well should be shown the way out, and more committed ones be brought in.

Good developmental plans: The foreign coaches have not done too well for us (except Clemence Westerhof and Otto Gloria). We should therefore begin to develop our local coaches who would show more commitment if appointed to handle our teams. Our football academies should also be improved to produce quality players.

Nigeria Pulls Out Of Football Competitions Till 2012

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