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Ndlovu taunts Nigerians ahead of World Cup showdown
By Sports
Reporter
WARRIORS
skipper Peter Ndlovu has been taunting Nigeria's Super Eagles ahead
of Sunday's World Cup showdown, telling them: "You are under-achievers."
Ndlovu who recently joined South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns from English First Division side Sheffield United believes Zimbabwe can stage a major upset when the two teams clash in a Grup Four encounter at the National Sports Stadium.
"Nigeria has a great team and every other national team across the world will appreciate the quality of players in the team. But I must point out that if we had the type of players Nigeria have had over the years, we wouldn't have stopped at winning the Olympics, we would have won the World Cup," Ndlovu told the Nigerian Daily Champion newspaper.
"Of course, who doesn't know Jay Jay (Okocha). I know sometimes players might not so freely sing others' praises but Jay Jay could be the best African player at the moment. When you have that kind of player on the other side, you have to take your opponents seriously," Ndlovu said.
But he warned the Nigerians that Zimbabwe would put up a determined performance on Sunday to get a result in the race for a ticket to the 2006 World Cup Finals to be staged in Germany.
"On a day the Eagles fail to find their bearing, they can be so vulnerable," Ndlovu said. "Moreover, being at the Nations Cup has made all of us believe that we can make it. We are no longer minnows in African football."
A clear cause for concern for Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo would be the containment of Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni who scored a hatrick against Fulham in the English Premiership on Monday. Also in devastating form is Okocha who has already scored two goals in the new season.
But the Nigerians have their own defensive problems with news that defenders, Joseph Yobo and Seyi Olajengbesi may not feature through injury.
Everton rested Yobo in Monday's premiership match against Manchester United. Club officials said Yobo suffered a slight injury during last weekend's game against West Brom.
Freiburg's Olajengbesi, who is expected to pair Yobo as Eagles centre back against Zimbabwe also suffered a thigh strain during last weekend's German Bundesliga match involving his club.
Zimbabwe's preparations have been boosted by teh arrival of foreign based professionals led by Peter Ndlovu and French based striker Benjani Mwaruwari. Lanky striker Joel Luphahla who has been on trials with English First Division club Sheffield United has also joined camp.
NIGERIAN SQUAD: Joseph Yobo, Joseph Enakhahire, Seyi Olajengbesi, Gabriel Melkam, Chid Odiah, Seyi Olofinjana, Austin Okocha, Garba Lawal, John Utaka, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Ifeanyi Ekwueme, Julius Aghahowa, Bartholomen Ogbeche, Christian Obodo, Obinna Nwanneri, Vincent Enyeama, Rotimi Sunday
CURRENT GROUP FOUR LOG STANDINGS
P |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
PTS |
|
| Nigeria | 3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
| Angola | 3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
| Rwanda | 3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
| Algeria | 3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Gabon | 3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
Results & Remaining Fixtures
2004
June 5: Nigeria 2-0 Rwanda; Gabon 1-1 Zimbabwe; Algeria 0-0 Angola
June 19:
Rwanda 3-1 Gabon
June 20: Zimbabwe 1-1 Algeria; Angola 1-0 Nigeria
July 3: Nigeria v Algeria; Gabon v Angola; Rwanda v Zimbabwe
September
3: Algeria v Gabon
September 5: Zimbabwe v Nigeria; Angola v Rwanda
October
9: Gabon v Nigeria
October 10: Rwanda v Algeria; Angola v Zimbabwe
2005
March 25:
Algeria v Rwanda
March 26: Nigeria v Gabon
March 27: Zimbabwe v Angola
June 5: Zimbabwe v Gabon; Angola v Algeria; Rwanda v Nigeria
June 17:
Algeria v Zimbabwe
June 18: Nigeria v Angola;
Gabon v Rwanda
September 2: Algeria
v Nigeria
September 4: Zimbabwe v Rwanda; Angola v Gabon
October 8: Nigeria
v Zimbabwe; Gabon v Algeria
October 9: Rwanda v Angola
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