Nigeria to play for bomb-attack victims

Super Eagles players

It was quiet in the Nigeria camp on Tuesday after news filtered in that there had been a suicide attack on football fans watching the game between Brazil and Mexico back home.

Players and coaches turned in early after their evening training with one thing in mind, how to console a nation in sorrow.

A unifying force for Nigeria’s more than 250 unique ethnicities, football has been the rallying point for most of its people.

Whenever the Super Eagles play, the whole country stands still and prays in one breath for their victory.

Winning the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year, after more than 19 years, took the levels of happiness of a football-loving country to another place.

And the Eagles knew that coming to Brazil this year carried a lot of expectations with it, not least the hopes of more than 160 million people.

There is now increased pressure on the players after Tuesday’s bomb blast in Damaturu that left more than 20 injured and several hospitalised.

The team has spoken of seeking a victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina in their next game for their departed countrymen.

While the fever of football has caught on across the globe, people in North-Eastern Nigeria live under constant fear that they could be attacked simply for exercising their rights to freedom of association and gathering at football viewing centres to watch live matches on television. This is no exaggeration, watching football should be a guaranteed human right enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Their communal method of keeping up with the game has come under attack by enemies of freedom.

During the final of the Uefa Champions League last month, a suicide bomber attacked a viewing centre in the city of Jos, killing more than three people.

While the nation’s favourite pastime has come under attack by Boko Haram and other insurgency groups, Nigerians have remained resolute to stay tuned to the beautiful game.

The Super Eagles have stood by them with a promise to play to lift the broken spirits of the nation after Monday’s drab draw in Curitiba.

Many of them have families based in the north of the country and are hoping that they remain safe during this tempest.

The trio of John Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa and Ogenyi Onazi have families in Jos, the central city that was recently attacked.

Midfielder Onazi has revealed how he escaped being caught in an attack in Jos having left the central market barely 15 minutes before a massive explosion went off killing almost a hundred people.

“Football is the biggest unifying factor in Nigeria. It is shocking that some people should engage in such callous acts by killing fellow human beings at a time that the world is in celebration mood of the biggest sport in the world,” said the team’s media officer Ben Alaiya on Wednesday.

“Our heart goes out to them, we feel very pained and we want to win for them. Even if we win the trophy it would not bring back the lives that we’ve lost.

“The players want to win, they want to do well for those lives that were lost and for the Nigerian people who have seen football as the force to bring them together all the time,” he said.

While the Super Eagles will hope to be propelled by the carnage at home, they will face a Bosnian side that know the realities of war only too well, and have been united by their difficult past through playing football.

Many of the players of the Dragons grew up in a country that was destroyed by civil war between 1992 and 1995, leaving many of their family members dead, missing or displaced.

They have spoken about drawing strength from that sad chapter in their history in order to make their people happy.

As Nigeria made their World Cup debut 20 years ago, Bosnia was embroiled in sectarian violence which many of today’s players witnessed.

Both nations have used football as a means to unite, with the three ethnic nationalities of Bosnia finding common ground through the sport.

In Saturday’s match in sweltering Cuiaba, two teams with something to prove will face each other. While the Super Eagles’ application was questioned against Iran, events in Nigeria will ensure they head into the clash with Bosnia supremely motivated.

Unfortunately, their opponents may well be too. 

Nigeria ready for Bosnia – Onazi

June 20, 2014 by Pius Ayinor 6 Comments

Super Eagles and Lazio of Italy midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi

Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi says the team are aready for Saturday’s World Cup Group F clash against Bosnia africanfootball.com reports.

The showdown in Cuiba will see debutants Bosnia gunning for their first win at the World Cup, while African champions Nigeria also want maximum points after they dropped two points against Iran on Monday.

Onazi said with divine help Nigeria would win the encounter to put their World Cup campaign back on track.

“The Iran game is in the past. We are now looking forward to the next game against Bosnia. We are optimistic that God will see us through,” the Lazio star told africanfootball.com in Campinas on Thursday.

“It is important we win this game. Even for our first game, all our hopes were we will win the game.

“But when man proposes, God dispossess. We did what we had to do, but God wanted it like that. We are still thanking God he will see us through in the next game.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria skipper Joseph Yobo has insisted the Eagles did not hold the nation to ransom with their demand for appearance fee at Brazil 2014.

“No one held Nigeria to ransom. We are ready to play for Nigeria even if we don’t get paid for that,” Yobo told africanfootball.com in Brazil.

“Look at the players who are playing in Nigeria, this money is a life-changer for them. This will change their family, they will be happy because they worked hard to get here.

“This (money) won’t change my life, but as the captain of the team I know what the players deserve.

“Most countries have appearance fee and this was what we spoke about.

“It (meeting with NFF on appearance fee) was peaceful and quiet, there was no problem, but at the end of the day it came out differently in the media.”

The Fenerbache defender, who is at his third World Cup, argued that the issue of an appearance fee for the players should not have been thrashed at the last minute.

He said, “They should have addressed this much earlier than when it was almost game time. Why did we wait till the last minute?

Wrong time to blame anybody – Enyeama

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama | credits: liveofofo.com

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, tells Pius Ayinor in this interview that the team is not under pressure ahead of Bosnia clash

 Nigerians are disappointed with the team following the outcome of the game against Iran. What do you have to say about this?

I am disappointed…we are all deeply disappointed I will tell you sincerely. Let me not say we were not good but the best way to say it is that we were not very effective; we were not as effective as we would have loved to be. But this is football and that ends it as we move on looking forward to the next game against Bosnia.

Many people believe the Eagles will find it difficult against Bosnia, who are better than Iran regarded as the weakest team in Group F.

No, nobody is weak, no team is bad. At least you could see they defended very well even though we could have done better. I really tell you the truth we are looking forward and ready for the next game.

Are you saying Nigerians can still count on the Eagles?

Are you suggesting we are on our way out? No, we still have two games at hand; two open game we have to play…

But does the result against Iran not put us under any pressure facing Bosnia?

Why the pressure? Even if we had won it would be just three points and we would need more than that to qualify for the next round. We need to beat Bosnia or take a point from them to think of qualifying.

Wouldn’t it have been a lot easier taking on Bosnia with three points in the bag?

For me, it is the same thing. We are going back to the drawing board so to say and examine what we did wrong and do right next time.

Your message to Nigerians on the game against Bosnia

What I say to Nigerians is to pray for us. This is football. I mean what else can I say to convince them? Let them just pray for the team, be patient with us and support us in every way possible. They should stay together for the team. It is not really a time to apportion blames or criticise people. Blaming anybody now won’t help anybody. This is really the time to stay together and back the team and then we as players will look at ourselves to see where we got it wrong. But we really need the support of the fans now more ever.

You had a good save against Iran. What was running through your mind afterwards?

I tell you I would trade that save for victory.

But that save kept Nigeria in the game…

I tell it would have been better to trade for victory and enjoy peace of mind with Nigerians. I know that’s what Nigerians would have loved. We will make up to them.

Eagles mustn’t underrate Bosnia – Ogu

Eagles celebrating a goal against Scotland

Super Eagles midfielder John Ogu has backed the Super Eagles to defeat their Brazil 2014 Group F opponents Bosnia-Herzegovina when both sides meet on Saturday in a crucial Group F match at Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba.

Nigeria drew their opening group game against Iran on Monday and a defeat to the Europeans on Saturday will put their chances of advancing to the Round of 16 in jeopardy.

Combative midfielder Ogu played a major role during the qualifiers for the World Cup but he was surprise exclusion when Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi released his provisional 30-man list for the trip to Brazil.

Despite his exclusion, the 26-year-old has voiced his support for the Eagles to overcome Bosnia but warned that they must not underrate their opponents on match day.

“If we go into the game not underrating the Bosnians, we will come out in flying colours,” the Academica de Coimbra player told our correspondent on Thursday.

“It’s going to be a tough game. Bosnia is a good team, they have quality players and individually they are good. It’s going to be a big test for us. But I believe we will beat them. I believe in the team, the managers and the players that we have. I am sure Nigerians will be happy after the game.”

Ogu, who began his European career at Slovenian side, Drava Ptuj, added that the Bosnia game would help erase the pain of the scoreless draw the Eagles played against Iran.

He said, “I know everyone is sad over our performance against Iran but we didn’t do too badly. We played with great intensity. I believe the game against Bosnia is going to be a different ball game but our players will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians after the game. From there we will move on. I just believe the game against Bosnia will be much better than our first game.”

Ogu made his Nigeria debut in March 2013 against Kenya, coming on for the injured Victor Moses in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.

He scored his first international goal against Mexico in a friendly game two months later in the US and then went on to represent Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Meanwhile, the President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters’ Club, Rafiu Ladipo, has told the Eagles to beat Bosnia, KickOffNigeria.com reports.

“For the first time since I started supporting the Super Eagles, I have to say I was very disappointed at the way they played (agisnt Iran on Monday),” Ladipo told KickOffNigeria.com.

“They were just playing like there was nothing at stake.Who is Iran that we cannot beat them?

“We are talking about getting to the semi-final, and we cannot beat Iran.

“Let me advise them. In fact, let me warn them, that they have to win the next game against Bosnia.

“Nigerians will not accept anything less.”