Sunday, November 22, 2009

Africa Cup of Nations 2010 Groups And Schedule



Africa Cup of Nations 2010 Groups

Group A:
Angola
Mali
Malawi
Algeria

Group B:
Cote d’Ivoire
Burkina Faso
Ghana
Togo

Group C:
Egypt
Nigeria
Mozambique
Benin

Group D:
Cameroon
Gabon
Zambia
Tunisia

Africa Cup of Nations 2010 Schedule:

#01 – Jan 10th, Angola vs Mali (Group A) 17:00 kickoff

#02 – Jan 11th, Malawi vs Algeria (Group A) 14:45
#03 – Jan 11th, Cote d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso (Group B) 17:00
#04 – Jan 11th, Ghana vs Togo (Group B) 19:30

#05 – Jan 12th, Egypt vs Nigeria (Group C) 17:00
#06 – Jan 12th, Mozambique vs Benin (Group C) 19:30

#07 – Jan 13th, Cameroon vs Gabon (Group D) 17:00
#08 – Jan 13th, Zambia vs Tunisia (Group D) 19:30

#09 – Jan 14th, Mali vs Algeria (Group A) 17:00
#10 – Jan 14th, Angola vs Malawi (Group A) 19:30

#11 – Jan 15th, Burkina Faso vs Togo (Group B) 17:00
#12 – Jan 15th, Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana (Group B) 19:30

#13 – Jan 16th, Nigeria vs Benin (Group C) 17:00
#14 – Jan 16th, Egypt vs Mozambique (Group C) 19:30

#15 – Jan 17th, Gabon vs Tunisa (Group D) 17:00
#16 – Jan 17th, Cameroon vs Zambia (Group D) 19:30

#17 – Jan 18th, Angola vs Algeria (Group A) 17:00
#18 – Jan 18th, Mali vs Malawi (Group A) 17:00

#19 – Jan 19th, Burkina Faso vs Ghana (Group B) 17:00
#20 – Jan 19th, Cote d’Ivoire vs Togo (Group B) 17:00

#21 – Jan 20th, Egypt vs Benin (Group C) 17:00
#22 – Jan 20th, Nigeria vs Mozambique (Group C) 17:00

#23 – Jan 21st, Cameroon vs Tunisia (Group D) 17:00
#24 – Jan 21st, Gabon vs Zambia (Group D) 17:00

Quarter-Finals‘

#25 – Jan 24th, 1st A vs 2nd B, 17:00
#26 – Jan 24th, 1st B vs 2nd A, 20:30

#27 – Jan 25th, 1st C vs 2nd D, 17:00
#28 – Jan 25th, 2st D vs 2nd C, 20:30

Semi-Finals
#29 – Jan 28th, Winner #25 vs Winner #28, 17:00
#30 – Jan 28th, Winner #26 vs Winner #27, 20:30

Third place playoff
#31 – Jan 30th, Loser #29 vs Loser #30, 17:00

Final
#32 – Jan 31st, Winner #29 vs Winner #30, 17:00

Saturday, November 14, 2009

The players are the heroes: Amodu

Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, has saluted the determination and commitment of his players following the country's dramatic qualification for next year's World Cup, saying the Eagles merited their ticket to South Africa.
The Eagles leapfrogged erstwhile Group Two leaders Tunisia on the final day of action in the qualifying tournament for the 2010 World Cup after they beat Kenya 3-2 and the North Africans lost 1-0 in Mozambique.

Amodu told reporters immediately after the Super Eagles victory at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi that the players never lost hope and were fired up to qualify for the World Cup.

“I will say kudos and congratulations to the players for making it happen because they are the heroes of today. This was a victory well deserved because we fought and worked hard for it," Amodu said at a press briefing monitored on Lagos radio.

“It could have been difficult for us here [Nairobi] if we didn’t have the experience, the resilience and the determination it takes to win a match of this magnitude and importance.

“This is a typical Nigerian side which you can never rule out when it is faced with difficulties to excel. This is a Nigerian side that is determine to go to the World Cup in South Africa next year and you can see the desperation and the determination to achieve this in the team in today’s match.

“This is a Nigerian side that is motivated to be there because we believe that we deserve to be there. So, today’s victory against Kenya is a victory for all Nigerians."

The Eagles are due in Abuja early Sunday morning after a five-hour flight from Kenya.

They are likely to be hosted by the government to a special reception before they leave for their overseas clubs

Martins brace seals qualification for Nigeria

Obafemi Martins came off the substitute’s bench to score a priceless brace to help Nigeria beat Kenya 3-2 and snatch a 2010 World Cup ticket that looked all but gone to Tunisia.
The North Africans did not help their cause by losing 0-1 to Mozambique in Maputo on a dramatic day of Group B qualifying.

Going into the final round of games, the Super Eagles trailed Tunisia by two points, and needed to win against Kenya to have any hope of profiting from a Tunisia slip up.

But the Eagles, who have made hard work of this campaign, made things even tougher for themselves when they went a goal behind after just 15 minutes.

Some slick Kenyan passing sliced open the Nigerian defence and Denis Oliech strode in to tuck away past Vincent Enyeama and beyond Joseph Yobo's desperate last ditch attempt to clear.

Nigeria were forcing thei way into the Kenyan area and creating half chances but failing to finish, and coach Shuaibu Amodu threw on Obafemi Martins in the second half.

That proved to be the turnng point. The impressive John Mikel Obi launched a superb ball into the area, and Osaze Odemwingie, ubiquitous as ever, cushioned his header into the path of Martins, who threw himself at the ball to draw Nigeria level.

Yakubu, who had missed a simple chance in the first half, made amends. Obinna Nsofor squeezed off a shot but the miscued ball fell invitingly for the Yak. His first effort came off the post, but the Everton striker made no mistake with his second effort.

But dreadful defending allowed Kenya back into the game. Allan Watende was allowed all the time in the world to meet a teasing cross with a powerful header, and it was as you were again.

Martins, however, showed how valuable he was when he tracked a Kenyan counter attack all the way into his half, then arrived in the box to acrobatically squeeze in a throw-in with the outside of his foot.

And the team could celebrate, and play for the final whistle when word came in that Dario Monteiro had given Mozambique an 83rd minute lead in Maputo.

That game went on to 9 minutes of additional time, but Tunisia failed to find a goal, and Nigeria held on to join Ghana and Ivory Coast on the trip to South Africa.