Federation Cup: Big battles begin Wednesday

The Round of 64 matches of this year’s Federation Cup competition will start across the federation on Wednesday.

Huge battles loom, with ABS of Iloring clashing with elite division new boys Giwa FC in Minna and Heartland FC keeping a date with Ebonyi United in Umuahia, while the clash between Wikki Tourists and El-Kanemi Warriors in Gombe headline the matches for Thursday.

Kwara United FC and Sharks of Port Harcourt clash in Benin City, Dynamite FC of Benin City and Rancher Bees of Kaduna meet in Lokoja and Akwa United must overcome FC Abuja in Enugu.

Kano Pillars go up against Gateway FC in Lokoja, Gombe United and Baton FC of Imo tango in Ilorin and Enyimba FC will take on Sokoto North FC in Abuja.

There are only two matches in the women’s section, with Rising Queens of Ondo tackling Ebonyi Babes in Warri on Wednesday while Tin City FC of Jos clash with Tokas Queens in Lokoja on Friday.

2014 FEDERATION CUP ROUND OF 64

WEDNESDAY (02-07-2014)

Enyimba Vs Sokoto North (FIFA Goal Project, Abuja, 4pm)

Zara Studio (Kebbi) Vs Niger Tornadoes (Gusau)

CBN Cashless (Jigawa) Vs Nembe City (Katsina-Ala, 4pm)

Ibom Youth Vs Katsina Sportlight (Lafia)

Heartland FC Vs Ebonyi United (Umuahia)

Kwara United Vs Sharks FC (Benin City)

APA United Vs Ekiti United (Lokoja, 2pm)

Nasarawa United Vs Young Elephants (Jos, 4pm)

Bobbies FC Vs Ajiroba FC (Enugu)

ABS FC Vs Giwa FC (Minna)

Yarmalight FC Vs Jigawa Stars (Kaduna)

AS Racine Vs FC Taraba (FIFA Goal Project, Abuja, 2pm)

Sky Academy FC Vs Plateau United (Gombe)

Abia Warriors Vs Mafara United FC (Old Parade Ground, Abuja)

Dolphins FC Vs Ingas FC (Warri)

Remo Stars Vs Bayelsa United (Rojenny)

FC Lokoja Vs First Bank FC (Akure)

Gombe United Vs Baton FC (Ilorin)

THURSDAY

Dalhatu FC Vs 3SC FC (FIFA Goal Project, Abuja, 4pm)

Dynamite FC Vs Rancher Bees (Lokoja, 2pm)

Kaduna United Vs Leopard FC (Katsina-Ala, 4pm)

Bright Stars Vs Crown FC (Benin City)

Bendel Insurance Vs Sunshine Stars (Kaduna, 4pm)

Enugu Rangers Vs Ikpeazu FC (Umuahia)

Lobi Stars Vs Tornadoes Feeders (Jos, 2pm)

Wikki Tourists Vs El-Kanemi Warriors (Gombe)

Yobe Desert Stars Vs Kogi United (Jos, 4pm)

Binani FC Vs FRSC (Katsina-Ala, 2pm)

Akwa United Vs FC Abuja (Enugu)

Gateway FC Vs Kano Pillars (Lokoja, 4pm)

Prime FC Vs El-Kanemi Babes (Minna)

Dan Buran FC Vs Warri Wolves (Area 3, Abuja)

WOMEN FEDERATION CUP

Rising Queens Vs Ebonyi Babes (Warri) – Wednesday

Tokas Queens Vs Tin City FC (Lokoja)  - Friday

Xxxxxxx

Maigari: Eagles will fly over France

African champions, Nigeria have the quality to torpedo France from the 2014 FIFA World Cup, so says President of Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Mohammed Maigari.

The 58 –year old has presided over Nigeria football for the past four years and is excited at the litany of records his board has set on and off the pitch. “We are not done yet. I can tell you that the Super Eagles will overcome France on Monday and that will be another glorious record,” he said as he flew out of Sao Paulo to Brasilia on Sunday morning.

On Wednesday, as Maigari celebrated his birthday, the Super Eagles had a marvelous game against two –time world champions Argentina to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time in 16 years, and defeat of France on Monday will mean a first –ever World Cup quarter –final for the world’s most populous black nation.

“I have confidence that we will beat France. If you have followed our campaign well, you would notice that we have improved match after match. We came close to upsetting Argentina in Porto Alegre. We do not fear France,” Maigari told a horde of media men at the local wing of Guarulhos Airport.

The Eagles have become a much –better brand over the past two years, on the back of collective hard work by the Federation, players and technical crew and a diligence that has ensured 26 friendly matches for the team since they left the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa with damp wings.

After earning four points in the group phase to come second behind perennial foes Argentina and a berth in the knock –out rounds, Nigeria stand to play at football’s most renowned temple, Estadio Maracana, if they conquer the Les Bleus on Monday.

Already, they have played at some of the world’s breath –taking arenas in Brazil, namely the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba and the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, not forgetting that they did battle on the pitches of Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza and the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador during the FIFA Confederations Cup a year ago.

Setting out at the 72 -000 capacity Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha is fulfilling in itself, but a date on the luscious turf of the Maracana, with the globally –famous Christ The Redeemer landmark overlooking the performers, is the dream of every footballer.  

However, Maigari would rather concentrate on the job at hand.

“We believe we will fly over France but we have to focus on what we have to do to win that match, and not start thinking of what Maracana would look like. We must think of Monday before thinking of Friday,”  

Maigari’s words of wisdom contrast with the attitude of players and coaches before a similar Round of 16 match against Denmark at the 1998 World Cup, with Nigeria thinking of a quarter final duel with Brazil before clashing with the Danes.

The Eagles lost that match 4-1, and Denmark forward Brian Laudrup cautioned at the post –match parley that “Nigeria must learn to count one before four.”

Already, NFF’s Director of Marketing, Adama Idris has secured enough tickets for all members of NFF delegation, members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club who are in Brazil, as well as members of the Nigeria community in Brazil, to go to the stadium and support the Eagles against the French.

Monday’s match kicks off at 5pm Nigeria time (1pm Brasilia time).

FIFA restricts Yobo to quiet 100^th cap

World football –governing body, FIFA, has turned down a request by the Nigeria Football Federation to honour Captain Joseph Yobo on his 100^th cap –day against France in Brasilia.

Should he be picked for the match by Coach Stephen Keshi, it would be Yobo’s one hundredth senior cap for Nigeria, since he featured against Zambia in Chingola in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match that ended 1-1 on 24^th March, 2001.

A request was made by the NFF to present a signed official jersey to the 33 –year old defender prior to kick –off inside the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha, but FIFA insisted it could not go ahead.

NFF chiefs have decided to have a brief presentation of the jersey to the player by NFF President Aminu Maigari, at the team’s Brasilia Palace Hotel after the match.

Yobo, who started his career as a striker and also featured for Nigeria at U-20 level, playing at the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup that Nigeria hosted, has scored seven goals in his previous 99 senior matches.

During this period, he has also won Africa Cup of Nations gold (2013) and bronze medals (2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010) and played in three FIFA World Cup finals (2002, 2010 and 2014).

If he features against France, he would be playing in his 10^th FIFA World Cup match, more than Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu – the only other Nigerian players to have featured in three FIFA World Cup finals.

(Coming soon: Yobo’s 100 matches)