Austria friendly will ginger Eagles for Bafana Bafana – Kanu
•••Center referee arrived on Virgin Nigeria Airways
•••South Africa storm Abuja on chartered aircraft
Super Eagles’ skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, said yesterday that the team is ready to deal with the challenge of a boastful Bafana Bafana when Sunday’s 2010 FIFA World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifying match kicks off at the National Stadium, Abuja .
The 1996 Olympic gold winning team captain made it clear that the friendly international against Austria on Tuesday has helped ginger themselves into great match form.
“It was a drawn game but we took a lot of things away from the game with the Austrians. We fought hard, held our own and proved that we were in good match form. On Sunday, we have the impetus to go in there and perform”.
Nigeria takes on South Africa in the opener to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals that the Rainbow Nation will be hosting in 24 months’ time.
The Super Eagles, fresh from a heart lifting performance in the 1-1 draw with Austria in Graz on Tuesday, landed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport at 5pm yesterday aboard a Lufthansa Airline flight and immediately connected a Virgin Nigeria flight to Abuja in the evening.
They will have their first training on the practice pitch of the National Stadium, Abuja this morning.
Meanwhile, Malian referee, Koman Coulibaly, who will be at the center during Sunday’s World Cup qualifying match, arrived in Abuja yesterday.
He was flown from Lagos aboard a Virgin Nigeria Airways flight and was joined in the evening by his compatriot Ousmane Sidibe, who is the Reserve Referee for the big match. The duo will be joined in the Bolingo Hotel, Abuja today by the two Assistant Referees, Moroccan Redouane Achik and Inacio Manuel Candido from Angola .
Match Commissioner Wolanyo Aggra, who replaced compatriot Mohammed Dawuda Jawula (originally appointed), will arrive in Abuja on Friday.
The South African contingent will fly into Abuja on Friday aboard a chartered aircraft.
The delegation will depart the Oliver Tambo International Airport , Johannesburg at 10:30am on Friday and arrive Abuja at 5pm.
However, the Team Manager, Mr Sipho Nkumane will arrive in Nigeria tomorrow.
Pageantry, funfair welcome Peter’s arrival
•••Says I’m ready to defend my title anywhere
•••Don King expected today
BY ABEL ORUKPE
Reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) heavy weight champion, Samuel Okon Peter has said that he is a lion, who is ever ready to defend his world title crown against Wladimir Klitschko, if the Ukrainian is willing to put pen to paper to challenge him.
He made this known to journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos on his way to Akwa Ibom State to celebrate and rejoice with the government and people of the state, as they celebrate one-year anniversary of Governor Goodswill Akpabio led government.
Peter was accompanied to the Presidential Lounge by the Nigeria Consulate in Charge of Protocol in the US, Bello Sumonu Osagie, the President, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Mr,Adebayo Liade ,the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Youth and Sports Enobong Umoh Eto, the President General, Nigeria Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo, Peter’s Promoter, Dino Duva and the Chairman, Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN)
Peter, fondly called the ‘Nigerian nightmare’ was very calm and cool at the briefing said he is ready to fight any of the Klitschko brothers anytime and anywhere as long as the contract is signed.
According to Peter: “I am happy to be back home since I won the title. I am very happy for what the Akwa Ibom State Government did by supporting the fight. I’m ready to fight any of them at anytime and anywhere, I’m a lion and not a chicken. I can fight anyone at anytime and anywhere if they will be ready to sign the contract. That is just the simple thing.”
On the fight he lost to one of the Klitschko brothers in 2005, which has been his only defeat out of the 31 fights, Peter said that he did not lose the fight but that he was robbed, adding that he was ready at any time to put his title on the line.
Peter, who could not wait for the question replied, “Let me correct that insinuation, I didn’t lose that fight; I was robbed of that fight, they said he belonged to HBO and he is white but that doesn’t matter to me. But if he is saying that he defeated me, he should put his belt on line and I’ll put my WBC on line”.
On whether he would like to defend his title in Nigeria, the World Heavy Weight Champion said he is ever ready to fight in Nigeria if only the Federal Government is willing to sponsor the fight.
On his relationship with the world acclaimed boxing promoter, Don King, Peter informed that his promoter is Duva Boxing and that Don King is working in partnership with Duva as confirmed by the Dino Duva, the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), adding that Don King would arrive Nigeria tomorrow.
The leader of the Akwa Ibom State delegation, Commissioner, Youths and Sports, Enabong Umoh Eto, “We are here to receive our son, who has made us proud. The entire Akwa Ibom State is in high spirits that their son is now the current world champion. He will be in the state to celebrate one year anniversary of Akpabio’s government.”
On his part the President of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Liade Adebayo thanked Nigerians for the support they have giving to Peter as the first indigenous African to wear the green and gold belt.
According to Adebayo: “We are happy that a Nigerian is the first indigenous African to wear the green and gold WBC heavy weight belt and he is going to hold the title for a long time to come. Whoever is willing to challenge the Nigerian Nightmare is therefore welcome”
NewAgeSports recall that one of the Klitschko brothers Wladimir won an unanimous decision against Peters on September 24, 2005 in an elimination match in Atlantic City for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) world titles, in which Peter's NABF title was also on the line.
However, following Peter’s victory over Oleg Maskaev, he publicly challenged IBF and WBO champion, Wladimir Klitschko to a unification bout, which would be Klitschko's second of such fight, as well as his second match up with Peter.
Klitschko has however indicated that he might fight Peter, but suggested that the Nigerian should first fight his brother, Vitali, who retired as WBC Champion in November 2005, and is considered the WBC's Champion emeritus, which gives him the right to a mandatory challenge under the rules of that organization should he be elected to fight again.
McCarthy out of Bafana W/Cup qualifiers
Benni McCarthy will not represent Bafana Bafana in the four 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations matches in June, but coach Joel Santana has left the door open for the striker to return in the future.
McCarthy has asked to be excused from the matches against Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Sierra Leone (home and away) due to personal reasons – it is believed his father is ill in Cape Town – and Santana has acceded to the request.
The Brazilian coach and the Blackburn Rovers player met at the team camp in Johannesburg today, and both appear satisfied with the outcome of those talks.
“I had a frank, but good discussion with Benni where we listened with full attention to what he had to say,” Santana says. “We appreciate the situation that he has explained to us and we therefore fully understand the personal circumstances that he finds himself under. I also put our position very clear to him that we want this to be the last time we have to talk about him.
“Benni is one of the best players in the world and that cannot be ignored. The door has been left opened to him for future, but it will also be up to him. We have important games now that we want to focus on. I have just arrived in South Africa and I have a job to do,” added the coach.
McCarthy, for his part, says he appreciates meeting Santana, describing it as an important experience.
“I have great respect for coach Santana and appreciate that he understood my current family issues. Admittedly, I must say that I’m a little bit disappointed that I won’t feature in any of the four qualifiers, but then I understand that the Coach does not want me to disrupt his camp.
“On the other hand, it gives me an opportunity to address my personal issues and hope I will be called in future.
“I am happy with the coach and wish the team the best of luck in the coming crucial matches. I also hope that my teammates will do us proud against Nigeria by believing in themselves, like I believe in them. I am confident that they will go in there and fight for the three points at stake,” says McCarthy.
Drogba, Eto’o confirmed for Okocha testimonial
Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o Fils have been confirmed for the Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha testimonial match in Warri, Delta State next month.
Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Amaju Pinnick said on Tuesday that more than twenty top footballers from around the continent will be available for the match.
His list of players includes, Samuel Eto, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, and El-hadji Diouf who according to him have accepted in principle to be part of the game.
“It will be about the biggest event that has been hosted in Delta State when you consider the number of top stars that we expect to show up. In fact we expect about twenty of them,” Pinnick said.
The team of Africa’s best will play against the Super Eagles on June 26 at the Warri City Stadium.
“Amos Adamu has also invited all FA Chairman in West Africa including the CAF President, Issa Hayatou.”
He also disclosed that a chartered flight has been arranged to fly in the Super Eagles from Abuja, while Mr Pinnick said the Delta State government has given the LOC a take-off grant of twenty million naira.
Other side attractions for the game include star performances from Chaka Demus and Pliers, Original Stereo man and Oritse Femi.
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