Argentina Will Face Fire, Ahmed Musa Vows

Ahmed Musa, Super Eagles two goals hero in Nigeria’s defeat of Iceland at Volgograd, on Friday said the game against Argentina will be a tough one for the opponents.

Musa told journalists at a post-match conference in Volgograd after the Eagles won the all important match that made Nigeria to remain in contention for the second round qualification.
Musa, who emerged as the Man-of-the Match, scored in the 49th and 75th minutes of the game to set the victory song for Nigeria.

He thanked Nigerians for the support given to the team which enable it to surmount the opposition.

He equally thanked his Russian CSK club for helping him to make it to the world cup.

The victory has now put Nigeria second on the table with three points behind Croatia with six points from two matches, while Argentina and Iceland are having one point each.

The second qualifier from the group will emerge on Tuesday after the last group matches as the Croatians are already in the second round.

Truck falls off Lagos bridge, kills three persons

Three persons were said to have died when a truck fell off the bridge at Ojuelegba in Lagos state, crushing a Toyota Corolla car and three other commercial buses.
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Adesina Tiamiyu who confirmed the incident said that a flatbed truck-laden with plywood and finished boards tilted on top of Ojuelegba bridge and fell on three commercial buses and a Toyota Corolla car.

Tiamiyu said three others were rescued and are currently being treated at the state’s General Hospital.
He said: "the Agency received a distress call via the control room on Tuesday 19th June, 2018 at about 8:30pm regarding a trailer accident at Ojuelegba bridge inward Fadeyi and immediately activated emergency response to the scene with other stakeholders.
“On arrival at the incident scene, it was discovered that a truck with unknown registration number conveying a huge load of foreign wooden sheets (HDF) tilted while negotiating the curved section of the bridge resulting into  the consignment falling off the truck down the bridge on a Toyota Corolla Car and 3 other commercial buses (danfo)

Govt. Opens Viewing Centers For The Ongoing World Cup

Enugu State Government has opened viewing centres for the ongoing FIFA World Cup, “Russia 2018” in strategic locations in Enugu and Nsukka metropolises. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the viewing centres are located in large open spaces in the two cities and some educational institutions in the state. The Commissioner for Sports, Mr Joseph Udedi, told NAN in Enugu on Thursday that the viewing centres were opened to encourage residents to actively support the Super Eagles in the Coupe de Mundial. Udedi said that the initiative would enable residents, especially soccer fans to participate and follow the World Cup matches. He explained that many local government chairmen in the urban towns of Enugu and Nsukka had also set-up similar viewing centres in densely populated areas.

“Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is sports-loving and has deemed it fit to avail the citizenry of the opportunity to watch the World Cup and also support the Super Eagles. “Ugwuanyi, who played football in his younger age, wants to stimulate the passion of the residents in sports, especially football by providing the opportunity to them.’’ According to him, the viewing centres can be freely accessed freely and they are located in open and decent environment with adequate security.

Although the commissioner could not confirm the number of existing viewing centres, he said that more centres would be opened before Super Eagles second match. NAN reports that Super Eagles would be locking horns with Iceland Friday, June 22, at 4 p.m. local time. Super Eagles are at the bottom of Group D, after losing 2-0 to Vatreni of Croatia.

Super Eagles land in Volgograd, set to battle Iceland

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived in the southern Russia town of Volgograd ahead of Friday’s must-win FIFA World Cup Group D encounter against Iceland.

A statement from the spokesperson of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire read that they flew from their Essentuki base on Thursday morning and were settled in their Hampton-by-Hilton Volgograd Hotel a little after 1 pm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that focus has been on the encounter with the Euro 2016 quarter-finalists since Eagles’ loss to Croatia in Kaliningrad on Saturday.

Victory against the feisty Scandinavians will renew hope for a place in the knockout rounds while defeat would mean early and unflattering elimination from the quadrennial showpiece.

He was quoted as saying that he knows what is best for the team and will deploy same on Friday.

“We have watched the game against Croatia again to see our mistakes so that we can correct them.

It will be a tough game because we have to be at our best and be more professional with our defending especially from set-pieces.

“We have to be fully focused and not lose concentration all through the game and I believe with hard work we can get a good result.

”In truth, there is no need to add to the pressure we have now. More pressure on the team will not necessarily translate to better results,” Rohr was quoted as saying.

According to the statement, all players in camp are fully fit, meaning Coach Rohr is presented with an opportunity to pick among all 23 players, and to cobble together the combination and formation that he believes will best guarantee victory.

The statement added that Nigeria’s number three man, Senate President Bukola Saraki, will be on the ground to support the Eagles at the 45,000- capacity Volgograd Arena.

NAN reports that Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad and which is 940 kilometres to the south of Moscow, extends alongside the Volga River and has a population of one million people.

Victory for the Super Eagles on Friday would be a turning point in Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Buhari Visits Bauchi over thunder storm

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Bauchi, capital of Bauchi state, where a windstorm on Saturday destroyed many buildings and schools.

Buhari, who only several months ago visited the city, returned this morning to commiserate with the people over the loss of lives and property.

President Buhari had on 19 June also dispatched a team led by the minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to assess the damage done by the storm.

An estimated 1505 houses, including the office of The News Agency of Nigeria were destroyed by the storm.

The presidential delegation included the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja.

Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi had said 349 schools were damaged across the state by the windstorm.

Abubakar disclosed this while receiving Chairman and members of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Governing Board in Bauchi on a courtesy visit.

“From the report we received so far, 349 schools were affected by the recent disaster from 13 out of the 20 Local Government areas of the state.

“The schools need immediate renovation because the roofs, furniture and computers were all damaged and students are about to start examination,” he said.

Abubakar called on management of UBEC to assist in renovation of some of the schools, just as he urged the chairman to find time and inspect some of the affected schools. (NAN)

I’m ready to sacrifice my position for Super Eagles, Mikel Obi vows

Nigeria’s captain, Mikel Obi on Thursday revealed that he is ready to sacrifice his current position on the team, if it will help the Super Eagles win the matches in the 2018 World Cup.

This was contained on Super Eagles’ verified Twitter handle, quoting the captain as saying; “I am the captain of this team, if I have to sacrifice for this team to progress, I will. If I have to sacrifice a position, go play wherever, I will do that for this team to win games.”

view tweet here;