Happy FM, an Accra-based radio station, on a sports programme yesterday, announced that three prominent players of the senior national soccer team, the Black Stars, failed to join their colleagues to Angola to play a FIFA sanctioned international friendly match, scheduled for today.
Nigeria qualified for the World Cup in a tense Group Two photo finish after beating brave Kenya 3-2 at Moi International Sports Centre on Saturday. The results pushed the Super Eagles to top position in the group with 12 points after long time table leaders Tunisia were beaten 1-0 by Mozambique in Maputo to remain with 11 points.
The 2009 edition of FIFA Under-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria is over. The concluded round leather tournament has revealed that if there is the political will to resolve the country's knotty problems of underdevelopment, there would always be some ways just as we have just muddled through the recent competition triumphantly.
No doubt, there is yet to be a weekend in Nigerian football history in recent times comparable to last weekend. It was one 'blessed' weekend that saw seeminly impossibile situation turned to possibility. It was a weekend that God answered the prayers of teeming Nigerian football passionate fans.
It is the high season for football and the excitement of fans across the globe is at fever-pitch. The passion and adrenaline is flowing ceaselessly. Several World Cup qualifier matches are on and fans have been held spellbound as to who's in and who's out.
In less than seven months South Africa will host the world's biggest single sporting event - the FIFA World Cup. The chance to reach millions of local and visiting football fans presents a golden opportunity, not only for the country's business and tourism sectors, but also for its efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.
It was celebration galore from every nook and cranny of the country yesterday and great relief for players and Nigerians at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya when the Super Eagles survived a huge scare from the Harambee Stars to secure the sole Group B ticket to the next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.
BAFANA Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has advised visibly heavy striker Benni McCarthy to seriously consider a move away from English premier league side Blackburn Rovers during the January transfer window if he wants to lead the national team to the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Ghana after missing out of a seeding slot will discover Friday who they face at the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola from Pot 2.
I do not know Shaibu Amodu beyond the fact that he is chief coach of Nigeria's senior football team, the Super Eagles. He and I have never met one on one before beyond hearing him speak on TV on matters football and Super Eagles.
Ghana completes qualifiers with a draw against Mali on Sunday in their last World Cup qualifying match at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Algeria defeated Africa's football champions, Egypt, 1-0 today to take Africa's sixth place in the 2010 World cup.
Golden Eaglets coach, John Obuh who is awaiting official confirmation as new national U-20 coach, has revealed that once he takes over the Flying Eagles job, the silver winning 2009 U-17 national team should not expect automatic shirts.
FIFA President Joseph Blatter has advised African countries not to think of winning the Senior World Cup in South Africa next year despite the strong representation the continent would be having at the mundial.
ANGOLA versus Mali will be the opening game of the tournament. Group A will be based in Luanda, Group B will be in Cabinda in the north of the country, Group C will play in Benguela, and Group D will be based in Lubango.
