NIGERIA SET NEW RECORDS AT 2014 WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL – Qualifies for the Round of 16.
Congratulations’
to all fans of Super Eagles of Nigeria! Your favorite team has qualified for
the second round of the on going FIFA World cup in Brazil. You deserve to
rejoice because of the unexpected results we have seen in this tournament so
far.
Current
world champions – Spain as well as three times former world champions – Italy
and other top teams like England,,, are now on their way back home. They’ve
been eliminated out of the tournament at the group stage.
African
teams weren’t speared either. We saw how Cote d’Ivoire, which many looked upon
to bail the continent, were surprise eliminated by Greece at the dying minutes
of the final group match.
Cameroon
lost all its three matches and terribly dashed the expectations of fans who
knew the country’s pedigree in world football.
Now, we’re
hopeful that Ghana may survive the onslaught of Portugal and go on to qualify
alongside Germany. If that didn’t happen, it means only Nigeria may be flying
the African flag in the round of 16
Nigeria is
placed second in group F final table with 4 points and has qualified along side
Argentina, despite being defeated by the South Americans by 2 – 3 in the final
group match; while Bosnia defeated Iran 3 – 1, that made way for Nigeria
qualification. By this result, Nigeria set some new records for itself.
New Records
at the World Cup
- Stephen Keshi, head coach of Nigeria national team, became the first indigenous coach to take an African team to the second round of the world cup. You could recall that Cameroon, Nigeria and Ghana had previously reached second round and quarter Final respectively. But the African sides were all tutored by foreign coaches then.
- Vincent Enyeama, Nigeria’s number one, became the first African goal keeper ever to be named in FIFA XI. Enyeama, who conceded 3 goals in the match against Argentina, was still adjoined the best goal keeper of the world cup group stage. Enyeama made the Castrol index top 10 as the 5th best player in 2014 world cup with 9.59 points.
- Joseph Yobo, captain of the Nigerian side, got 100 caps playing for his country in the 2014 world cup. He played his 100 game in the match between Nigeria and Argentina. By this achievement, Yobo has joined Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu in the Centenary club.
- Ejike Uzoenyi, MVP in 2013 Championship of African Nations (CHAN), became the first Nigeria home based player to feature in a world cup match. Uzoenyi was brought in at 75 minutes of the second half in the match between Nigeria and Bosnia. Although, Uzoenyi had recently signed a contract with Sundown FC of South Africa, but he’s yet to play any game for them. Therefore, he is still regarded as the first home based player to feature in the world cup.
- Kenneth Omeruo, Nigeria’s central defender, became the youngest player to ever feature for Nigeria in the World cup. Omeruo is 20 years and has played full time in all Nigeria matches in the on-going world cup.
- John Mikel Obi, Nigeria’s Chelsea star, won the most valuable player (MVP) in the first world cup match between Iran Vs Nigeria.
So much for
the records, Nigeria will now play France in round of 16.
No comments