The Pharaohs of Egypt edged the Super Eagles 2-1 in an international friendly played at the Cairo Stadium on Tuesday, in what amounted to the two teams’ final preparatory game ahead of the commencement of the 35^th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco on Sunday.

Nigeria started with an unusual 3-5-2 formation, for the first time under Coach Eric Chelle, but they maintained balance and dominated possession in the first quarter-hour, before the hosts clawed their way into the game with sharp counterattacks which paid off midway into the first half when they took the lead.

Three-time AFCON winners Nigeria kept their shape despite the setback and threatened the Pharaohs’ rearguard with a combination of long balls and quick movements through the middle. The Eagles were dangerous from dead-ball situations and in added time, defender Zaidu Sanusi swung one into the box that was guided into the net by Chidozie Awaziem for the equalizer.

In the second half, the Eagles reverted to 4-4-2 formation with the introduction of Amas Obasogie in goal, as well as Ademola Lookman, Cyril Dessers, Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi and Tochukwu Nnadi. Possession appeared largely balanced in the half but the Pharaohs struck from what looked like offside positioning. Nigeria protested but the referee stuck to his gun.

The hosts then resorted to defending deep into their own half to thwart every onslaught from the Eagles. Coach Eric Chelle was shown a yellow card after remonstrating one of the referee’s poor decisions, including a handball incident in the Egyptian box that was waved away.

The Super Eagles will fly to Fés on Thursday aboard a chartered flight for their Group C encounters against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda (in that order), while the Pharaohs head to Agadir for Group B games against South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.    

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A former captain and head coach of the Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, is dead.

The former Enugu Rangers coach died at the age of 74 in the early hours of Saturday in his home state of Enugu.

However, the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.

His longtime teammate and friend, Dr. Olusegun Odegbami, confirmed the development in a post via his official X handle on Saturday.

Odegbami, who won the 1980 Africa Nation Cup with Chukwu, wrote, “My Chairman has passed on. This morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s football history, former captain and coach of Nigeria’s national football team, has passed on.”

Chukwu, born January 4, 1951, captained the Nigerian national team, then known as the Green Eagles, between 1974 and 1980. Chukwu captained the national team to its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and finished as a runner-up in 1976 and 1978.

The Enugu-born legend also led the Enugu Rangers FC team that won the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 1977.

Chukwu also served as assistant coach of the first team to win a FIFA World Cup trophy for Nigeria – the Golden Eaglets that triumphed at the FIFA U16 World Cup in China in 1985.

He was also the assistant coach of the team tagged the Golden Generation, the 1994 class of Super Eagles that qualified Nigeria for its first FIFA World Cup finals.

In October 1998, he was appointed coach of the Kenya national team, and from 2003 to 2005, he coached Nigeria, leading them to reach the semifinals at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.

Chukwu captained the national team to its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and later led the Super Eagles to a bronze medal at the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia.

He was, however, sacked in June 2005 during the qualification campaign for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Chukwu was appointed Ranger’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer by the immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

He was a recipient of the honour, Member of the Federal Republic.

In 2019, Chukwu suffered prostate cancer, which affected his leg, which led the family to open a GoFundMe appeal to solicit funds for the Nigeria football legend’s medical treatment.

Businessman Femi Otedola eventually paid $50,000 for Chukwu’s treatment in the United Kingdom.

The $50,000 cheque was presented to Chukwu in Enugu by the Chief Operating Officer of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, Philip Akinola.

Also present were ex-governor Ugwuanyi, the former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, and a renowned sports journalist, Onochie Anibeze.

Chukwu, with support from the Enugu State Government, had already undergone initial surgery in Nigeria and had recuperated.

Punch Credited

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By Amaechi Agbo

A grateful Nigeria nation has showered National Honours and material gifts on players and officials of the Senior Men National Football Team, Super Eagles for reaching the Final of the Africa Cup of Nations championship concluded in Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu told members of the team at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja on Tuesday: “I am very proud of you. This country is proud of you because you gave us great excitement. Your performance is confirmation that we can achieve so much as a nation if we all come together and unite for positive purposes, despite our diversity.”

“You worked very hard and navigated your way through to the Final. You lifted our spirit; you made us proud and you made us smile.”

The President then conferred National Awards of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on all the players and their officials, as well as President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

All the 25 players and their officials are now also proud owners of a flat each in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as a plot of land each also in the Federal Capital Territory.

President Tinubu described defender and vice captain William Ekong, named Player of the Tournament, as a ‘warrior’ and named Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen as ‘Trojan horse’. He praised the Federal Ministry of Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation for their efforts in preparing the team for glory.

Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh described President Tinubu as the biggest sports-supporting President that Nigeria has ever had, and lauded the Nigeria Football Federation for ensuring that for the first time in a long time, Nigeria has returned from a major sporting competition without any crisis or complaints of any kind by the athletes.

Responding, Ekong, on behalf of the entire, thanked the President for the awards and gifts: “I wish we are here presenting Your Excellency with the trophy, but that is not the case despite giving our very best to the campaign. We have two people in this team who have gold medals, each sitting on either side of me (Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo). In 2019, we won bronze medals. This time, we won silver medals. I believe that at the next competition, we will strike gold.”

Also at the occasion were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Alhaji Tajudeen Abbas (Speaker of the House of Representatives); Chief George Akume (Secretary to the Government of the Federation); Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff to the President); Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Minister of Youth Development); Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (Minister of the FCT); Mrs Tinuke Watti (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports Development), Board Members of the NFF and other top government officials.

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