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Int’l friendly: Finidi To Manage Super Eagles Against Ghana, Mali—-Former Nigeria forward Finidi George will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana in an international friendly in Marrakech on Friday.
A statement by Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Tuesday said George had been appointed by the NFF to hold the reins in the meantime.
A group of 22 players are expected to engage Ghana and Mali in this month’s international window.
“On Friday, George, from a family of football stars (elder brother Alari and younger brother Igeniwari of blessed memory were established players), will bellow instructions from the touchline.
“This is coming 21 months after he began to understudy Portuguese José Santos Peseiro, who led the Eagles to runners-up position at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year,” it said.
George, a former Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis winger, made a scoring debut for Nigeria in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos on  July 27, 1991.
On his debut in 1991, George, who also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe, scored one and made four assists for legendary ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory).
He also assisted the latter to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994.
Actually, George scored the goal that took Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup finals, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993.
The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.
The statement added that, as at Tuesday’s lunchtime, 12 of the 22 players expected had arrived in Morocco’s fourth-largest city.
It said that defenders Gabriel Osho and Tyronne Ebuehi, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi having been knocked out by injury.
“At the team’s Adam Park Hotel in Marrakech are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Jamilu Collins, Bruno Onyemaechi and Benjamin Tanimo.
“Also are midfielders Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Moses Simon, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman.
“Others include goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defender Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho were being expected in Marrakech by Tuesday.
“Only Turkey-based defender Bright Osayi-Samuel is being expected on Wednesday,” it stated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the African vice champions will take on Ghana on Friday before confronting Les Aigles of Mali at the same Grand Stade de Marrakech on March 26.

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BREAKING: Victor Osimhen Stars As Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash

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Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash

BREAKING: Victor Osimhen Stars As Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash—-The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the semi-final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Super Eagles pulled off a stunning display to beat Algeria 2-0 in their quarter-final clash on Saturday evening, to book their spot.

Eric Chelle’s men dominated the Desert Foxes for most of the first half, but failed to find the back of the net.

The closest Nigeria came to opening the scoring, came when Calvin Bassey’s effort was cleared off the line.

But in the second half, Victor Osimhen headed in Bruno Onyemaechi’s cross, before setting up Akor Adams for the second goal.

The three-time African champions will now clash with the hosts Morocco for a place in the final.

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The Atlas Lions of Morocco Reaches AFCON 2025 Semis, As Indomitable Lions of Cameroon Bows Out

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Morocco Reaches AFCON 2025 Semis

The Atlas Lions of Morocco Reaches AFCON 2025 Semis, As Indomitable Lions of Cameroon Bows Out—-Brahim Diaz continued his remarkable Africa Cup of Nations scoring streak and Ismael Saibari added another as hosts Morocco saw off Cameroon 2–0 in a tense quarter-final on Friday, keeping their title dreams firmly on track.

Roared on by more than 64,000 fans in Rabat, Real Madrid winger Diaz got the crucial touch to Ayoub El Kaabi’s 26th-minute header at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Diaz’s fifth goal in five games and a second-half strike from Saibari earned Morocco a deserved win and a semi-final meeting with the winner of Algeria vs Nigeria.

The semi-final is likely to present a much tougher challenge for Walid Regragui’s team than Cameroon, who had aimed to spring an upset after surpassing expectations by progressing this far despite a difficult build-up to the tournament.

Five-time African champions Cameroon were largely toothless in attack, with Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo kept quiet throughout.

Morocco, Africa’s top-ranked team and World Cup semi-finalists in 2022, are under enormous pressure to win the Cup of Nations in front of their own fans, half a century after their last continental title.

There have been doubts as to whether they can handle the weight of expectation, but they remain on course to achieve their objective –- it is the first time Morocco have reached the AFCON semi-finals since they lost the 2004 final to Tunisia.

The hosts were unchanged from their 1-0 last-16 win over Tanzania as they looked to continue an unbeaten record going back to their defeat by South Africa at the 2024 AFCON.

Fresh from knocking out South Africa in the last round here, Cameroon were clearly banking on frustrating Morocco as much as possible in an attempt to turn the crowd against the home side.

Morocco were beaten by the Cameroonians in the semi-finals the last time they hosted AFCON in 1988, but a repeat outcome never really looked likely.

David Pagou’s team were not helped by the early loss of right wing-back Jackson Tchamadeu, who tried to carry on after Noussair Mazraoui landed heavily on his knee before eventually being stretchered off.

Moments after that, Morocco scored. Achraf Hakimi sent in a corner from the right which was headed towards goal by El Kaabi at the near post, and the ball struck Diaz in the groin before going in.

That calmed a frenetic home support, who cheered their team off at the break after seeing Abde Ezzalzouli and El Kaabi come close to adding further goals.

Morocco were on top, and Cameroon’s response was to change formation after the break, from a back three to a 4-2-3-1, in an attempt to create more danger.

Ezzalzouli headed just over from a Hakimi corner, and then a cross by the Paris Saint-Germain star caused havoc in the Cameroon box as Samuel Kotto hooked the ball away from the line.

Mbeumo had appeals for a penalty dismissed by the Mauritanian referee before PSV Eindhoven’s Saibari fired in the killer second goal on 74 minutes after controlling Ezzalzouli’s dead-ball delivery, as Morocco march on to Wednesday’s semis.

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