Nigeria Content Online

Former Super Falcons goalkeeper, Ann Chiejine, has advised
against herding members of Nigeria’s U-20, the Falconets into the senior
national team.

She noted that even though the Falconets need to be celebrated,
care should be taken in pushing them into the Super Falcons as the women’s game
is a bit different from that of the men.

“Women’s football is not the same with the men’s version. In
female football, women mature much later in their football careers. I was
national goalkeeper for close to 15 years and I can say that I was the best
when I was nearing retirement. I have been to three World Cups and two
Olympics, if we graduate these players (Falconets) hastily, we will not get the
desired results. At most, five to seven of the Germany team will be promoted
and that is the truth.

Graduation to the senior
team

“Yes, they performed very well, but they cannot all graduate to
the senior team. Whoever amongst them makes the mark will definitely be given
an equal chance to fight for a shirt in camp but I am sure that not all of them
will make it.”

The Falconets were awarded scholarship gifts and observers
believe that as the U-17s go to Trinidad, they could be worried about these and
undermine their performances.

Chiejine said the gifts are acceptable and she that more will be
done for the girls.

“I know that other things will follow. When you pass an
examination, you usually get more than biscuits and soft drinks… The issue of
awarding scholarship is a very good one.

“We have more competitions coming and these girls need to be celebrated in
cash and kind. We all know how Nigeria is. If our women are supported much
more, we will achieve much more. The ultimate goal is to lift the World Cup or
get the gold medal at the Olympics but that will only be possible if we
celebrate our girls properly.”

It is believed that Newcastle coach, Chris Hughton, is looking
for a striker to add to his squad before the transfer window closes on August
31. And Nigerian international and Everton striker, Victor Anichebe has been
picked out to be the ideal player to score the goals and keep Newcastle United
in the Premier League.

The Magpies have made an enquiry for the 22-year-old, posing the
Toffees a dilemma over whether to cash in on a player whose contract is due to
expire next summer. An offer of £1.5m is on the table for the man who has been
described as a ‘traditional’ centre forward.

Anichebe, who has been in Everton since 2003 has said he is
happy at Everton and willing to stay put, but he may have to change his mind
very soon, as the club’s preference for Louis Saha, the arrival of Jermaine
Beckford and the likelihood that Yakubu Aiyegbeni will stay make his chances
very slim.

As things stand, Anichebe, who missed the Toffees’ season opener
at Blackburn on Sunday due to knee injury, will be free to talk to other clubs
from January and leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Versatile player

Newcastle, who are seeking extra attacking firepower, can offer
him the chance to forge a partnership with Andy Carroll at St James’ Park.
Although his goal scoring record is modest at best, his versatility – being
able to play as a striker, an attacking midfielder and a right winger at
Everton – is another attraction for Newcastle’s gaffer. Newcastle’s policy of
playing Carroll as a lone striker away from home could be adapted to
accommodate Anichebe cutting in from the right wing in a 4-3-3 formation.

Anichebe made his debut for Nigeria on March 26, 2008 in an
Olympic games qualifying match against South Africa. He came off the bench to
score the final goal in a 3-0 victory for Nigeria. He made his first start for
Nigeria alongside fellow Everton player Yakubu in a friendly against Austria on
27 May 2008 being replaced at half time.

In other transfer stories, Belgian side Club Brugge are rumoured
to be contemplating signing 2007 U-17 World champion, Rabiu Ibrahim after his
transfer VVV Venlo in the Netherlands collapsed, due to disagreements over
personal terms.

Nigeria’s captain to the 2010 World Cup, Joseph Yobo could also be switching
clubs as he is now fifth choice centre back behind Sylvain Distin, Phil
Jagielka, John Heitinga and Tony Hibbert.

The Nigeria
Football Federation will today decide conditions and emoluments for a
new coach for the Super Eagle when the board meets in Abuja to discuss
issues regarding the federation elections, which are enmeshed in
controversies.

Since last week,
reports have been rife that former U-20 and U-23 coach, Samson Siasia
would be named to replace the Swede, Lars Lagerback as Eagles coach.
Lagerback failed to negotiate a new contract after his deal with
Nigeria lapsed last month.

Meanwhile, a source
within the football federation indicated that the board might decide to
leave the decision of hiring a coach for the country’s national team to
the incoming board of the federation.

“We have the NFF
election to organise and we are doing that to the best of our ability.
For now Siasia’s deal will be sealed by the new NFF board” the source
said.

The Maigari-led
board came into power with the impeachment of erstwhile president Sani
Lulu alongside three other executives of the board on July 4 and have
just a few days to the expiration of its tenure.

“The newly elected
board into the NFF would solely have the responsibility to appoint the
new coach for the Super Eagles” the source continued.

Earlier negotiations

The board had
earlier engaged itself in negotiations with the Beijing Olympics silver
winning coach with the only grey area being the pay packet.

While Siasia tabled
a demand of 15 million naira which he later reduced to 12 million, the
Federation was only willing to part with N2 million alongside a car and
a house.

The expectation of
football fans is that both sides will reach a compromise in which
Siasia could come on board so has to start preparation for the
country’s 2012 Nation’s Cup qualifying match slated for September.

Siasia had earlier
hinted of his willingness to reduce his asking price while also stating
he would not accept peanuts for the job.

“Of course I am not
saying they must pay the 12 million naira; we can negotiate and come to
an agreement but I won’t take peanuts,” he insisted.

Siasia argued that
he needs quality back room staff to complement his efforts and also a
good pay packet to avoid the temptation of being bribed by players.

“When the players
know I am well paid they won’t be coming with five thousand dollars or
whatever to come and bribe me,” he said.

With the deal now
inconclusive, current assistant coach Austin Equavoen is still expected
to pilot the affairs of the team having only recently led the Eagles
against South Korea in a friendly match which Nigeria lost 2-1.
Equavoen was reported to have accepted the offer to coach the country’s
Olympic team.

The last coach of
the Eagles, Lars Lagerback was given 1.5 million dollars for five
months to take charge of the team. And though he was given a semi final
target at the World Cup, the Eagles failed to make it beyond the first
round.

Newly signed
Nigeria striker, Osaze Odemwingie has been tipped by his new boss at
West Bromwich Albiom to help improve the fortunes of the newly promoted
Premier League club.

The manager, Roberto Di Matteo says he is convinced that the arrival of the Super Eagles player will lift spirits at the club.

“I’m pleased he is
joining us because I’m sure he will be able to help us. He has got
great pace. He’s got a great CV and he’s a good player. We need a few
new faces and it lifts everyone when you see a player like him coming
in,” he told reporters in London.

“He is two-footed
and has good experience at a very high level. He’s played as a striker
and a winger in his career. For example, in France he played very much
up front on his own and for Nigeria he’s played wide and sometimes they
play him up front. He scores goals too which is what we want in the
team.”

West Brom are
currently languishing at the bottom of the English Premier League table
after slumping to a 6-0 defeat to Chelsea on the opening day of the new
season.

Sunderland debut

If other necessary
formalities are completed on time, Odemwingie is expected to play his
first game for the club on Saturday, against Sunderland.

“We are still
sorting out his visa so he’s not here yet. Hopefully he’ll join us as
soon as possible. Whether he will play against Sunderland depends on
when he arrives,” Di Matteo said.

He also added that
he expects the former Lokomotiv striker to be fit a week after he
played for Nigeria in a friendly match and also since he was already
playing in the league in Russia.

Apart from
Odemwingie, West Brom are also hoping to bring in Red Bull Salzburg
winger Somen Tchoyi, but they have had a bid rejected for Portsmouth
defender Marc Wilson.

Sacrificial deal

Meanwhile,
Odemwingie has revealed that he chose the West Brom deal in order to
fulfil his long term ambition of playing in England.

“I was given the
opportunity to stay by Lokomotiv and I was prepared to stay for the
sake of the Russian championship and the Europa league. But the club
understands my desire to play in England and we decided not to
procrastinate.

“I am satisfied
with the financial terms of the West Brom offer. But I made some
concessions compared to the contract I had with Lokomotiv.

“For me, the most
important thing is to realise my dream of playing in England with a
full stadium. West Brom have no problems with attendance.”

Odemwingie joins the legion of Super Eagles players playing in
England. They include Kanu Nwankwo who has also played for West Brom
before; Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo and Victor Anichebe who all star
for Everton; Mikel Obi of Chelsea and Dickson Etuhu of Fulham

Nicolas Anelka has
described the French Football Federation (FFF) as a “bunch of clowns”
after they handed the striker an 18-game international ban for his role
in the national team’s World Cup revolt in South Africa.

The 31-year-old was
handed the suspension by an FFF disciplinary commission on Tuesday, a
decision derided by Anelka, who said he never intended to play for
France again anyway.

“For me, that
commission thing is absolute nonsense, an aberration, a farce, an
attempt not to lose face,” Anelka was quoted as saying by daily France
Soir on Wednesday.

“They know that
very well. They didn’t punish anybody… because the Les Bleus chapter
was closed for me on June 19, when I was kicked out of Knysna,” he
added, referring to the town where France had their World Cup training
camp.

Anelka was banished
from the France squad in South Africa for insulting then coach Raymond
Domenech at halftime of a 2-0 defeat by Mexico in Polokwane, his 69th
international appearance.

“They just entertained the public,” Anelka said of the commission hearing.

New era

“They’d better turn
the page because (new France coach) Laurent Blanc needs to work in
peace. These people are clowns. It makes me die of laughter,” he added.

“For me, since the
World Cup in South Africa, the France team is all in the past… I wear
a blue shirt with Chelsea every weekend and that’s far enough for me,”
The striker did not attend the hearing, where World Cup captain Patrice
Evra was banned for five matches for leading a boycott of a training
session in support of Anelka.

The FFF also banned
Franck Ribery for three games and Jeremy Toulalan for one. Eric Abidal
was the only one of five players involved in Tuesday’s hearing to
escape without sanction.

Ribery accepted his ban but felt the players at the hearing had been cast as scapegoats.

“This is a great
disappointment for me,” Ribery told reporters ahead of Bayern Munich’s
Bundesliga opener against VfL Wolfsburg on Friday.

“What happened at
the World Cup happened to all of us. I do not know why only five
players had to go to Paris (for the hearing).” Unlike Anelka, however,
Ribery plans to continue playing for France.

“Of course. There is no question about that,” the 27-year-old added.

Worried by the manner in which the election into the board of
the Nigeria Football Federation is being handled, a group of former
internationals under the aegis of ‘The Diaspora and Nigerian Soccer
Federation’, has written a petition to the world football governing body, FIFA,
and the Sports Minister, Isa Bio.

According to the ex-Eagles spokesperson, Paul Okoku, who is
based in America, former Nigerian internationals based in the USA like most
Nigerians are not happy with the way Nigerian football is being run.

“We have written a letter to the sports minister, which will
soon be submitted to him in Abuja. Part of our request is that a level playing
field that will allow ex-internationals get into the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) board must be created. We are not happy with the way things
are done and are determined to change it for good,” Okoku said.

Illegality and politics

Another former Eagles player, Taju Disu, confirmed that the
(Maryland) U.S.-based group had even petitioned FIFA over the way the NFF
Statutes have been tampered with.

“We are worried by the way the NFF people are conducting the
affairs of Nigerian football. So, we have written to FIFA to register our
displeasure – myself and other ex-internationals like Paul Okoku, the Olukanmi
brothers; Femi and Segun, Sam Okpodu, Ikechukwu Ofoje, Totty Okoro Totty,
Thompson Usiyen, Tony Igwe, Humphrey Edobor and others also based in the United
States of America, have resolved to return to Nigeria to present our grievances
to the minister. We have also resolved back to the candidacy of ex-captains
like Christian Chukwu, Segun Odegbami, Austin Okocha and Mutiu Adepoju. We
won’t give up until the right thing is done,” Disu said.

Disu has taken the NFF to court over the upcoming election and
the court will decide tomorrow whether the election will hold or not. Disu is
seeking an injunction over the illegality of the election and is asking the
court to stop the NFF election so that the state elections will hold first
before that into the executive committee of the football body.

“The tenure of the current state football associations’ board members has
expired and therefore they are not eligible to vote. If the election holds as
planned then most credible candidates like Segun Odegbami, Christian Chukwu,
Austin Okocha and Mutiu Adepoju have no chance of winning. This was the reason
I decided against contesting the election. There are too many illegalities and
a lot of politics involved and I do not want to be part of it,” he said.

After initial fears
of a possible boycott by the defending champions; Enyimba FC of Aba,
the Federation Cup finals will go ahead today at the Sani Abacha
Stadium in Kano. The Peoples Elephant, in their quest for the treble,
will confront the surprise of the season’s competition, Kaduna United.

Enyimba who have
already been crowned Premier League champions added the Super 4 title
to their trophy cabinet last weekend and the team’s captain, Okey Odita
believes the cycle of trophies will be completed in Kano later today.

“It has been a
tough season for us both on the local scene and on the continent but
one thing that keeps us going is the thought of lifting trophies, I am
confident that we will not relinquish the Federation Cup title to
Kaduna United on Sunday,” he said.

Lagos replay

Odita was handed
the Federation Cup last year by the Lagos State Governor Babatunde
Fashola after defeating Sharks by a lone goal. The final match was
played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. Odita said he was looking forward
to a similar showing this year in Lagos before organisers announced a
change of venue – choosing Kano for the final instead.

“I have good
memories of the final match played in Lagos, it was one of my best
matches and so I was happy that I would be returning there for another
final match but that notwithstanding I still hope for a very good match
in Kano and I believe we would be victorious at the end of the day,” he
said.

Odita is however
not expecting an easy game as he reckons with the capability of Kaduna
team which finished 10th in the league table, 18 points behind Enyimba.

“Kaduna United are
definitely not a small team because they have done well to reach this
stage of the competition and we will not underrate them at all. I know
that they beat Rangers before getting to the final, and that means they
are a very good team. But we are ready for them because we are not
afraid of playing any club whether in Nigeria or Africa.”

History in the making

However, while
Enyimba are gunning for their third trophy of the season, Kaduna United
are craving their first ever big silverware. The team which has been in
and out of the elite division of the Nigerian League is currently being
handled by experienced Belgian coach; Maurice Cooreman.

No team from Kaduna
has ever won the Federation Cup which gives a greater motivation to the
Kaduna-based team to make its own history in the competition formerly
called the Challenge Cup. Cooreman will be gunning for victory with the
hope of re-enacting the form that made him win the league title with
Ocean boys of Oghara in the 2005/2006.

Already a key
figure from the Kaduna state and former Super Eagles player; Garba
Lawal is backing the team to make history in Kano today.

“Kaduna teams have
only gotten to the finals twice before but have also lost in both
finals. I hope the story will be different on Sunday, the state
deserves the trophy and I believe the boys can make us all proud,” he
said. One thing Kaduna United will not lack going into today’s match is
fans support as Kano is just over an hour’s drive from Kaduna.

Meanwhile, a third
place match will precede the final match with losing semi-finalists;
Rangers International facing Sunshine stars. While Enyimba edged
Sunshine out by a lone goal, Rangers lost out on penalties to Kaduna
United.

Appeal to fans

Wary of a possible
crowd trouble, former Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim
Galadima has urged Kano fans to avoid doing anything that will breach
the peace of the city.

“I am using this
medium to appeal to our numerous football fans in Kano not to do
anything that will breach the peace during this all-important match,”
said the former NFA Chairman.

He said there was no cause for alarm and expressed confidence that
the commercial city would host a successful and exciting final.

Elections into the
board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) comes up at Abuja in six
days. It is another opportunity to get back on the right track and
develop the game into a viable industry. So many names have been
dropped into the hat and famous former footballers have joined the
contest saying they have the ingredients needed to move football
forward in Nigeria.

And for the first time, there will be a live televised manifesto night on Friday.

This mix portends
exciting times ahead for would-be occupants of the ‘Glass House’ as the
secretariat of the football federation is known.

There is the saying
that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Nonetheless, boulders will be hauled on Friday night and hopefully, the
end result will be a board composed of individuals who will leave
sentiments behind and run football in Nigeria the best way possible.
That is all that is needed – sincerity in leadership.

Here are some words from the presidential candidates about their vision for Nigerian football.

Bukola Olopade

“We should be among
the top 10 countries in the world consistently. We have everything to
be there. What we are lacking is a good administration and that is why
I want to be the next President of the NFF. With proper planning and
vision, football will bounce back from its poor state. We have so many
players abroad, yet we are having a problem of raising a quality team.
The state of facilities in the country is a big issue while we are also
not developing the game as we should.

“The records are
there to show. We (Ogun State) hosted the National Sports Festival and
emerged third, while we have also hosted a number of quality football
matches, including a World Cup qualifier. The facilities we have now
are second to none in Nigeria because we have four quality stadiums.
The Ijebu-Ode camp is now being used by the national athletes.”

Christian Chukwu

“Most of us that
graduated to the Green Eagles were discovered in the then Academicals
teams. It’s a pity that the Academicals programme is no longer in
existence, but such would be resuscitated if our football must grow.

“We have kept quiet
for too long while our football has been ruined so I urge Nigerians to
come behind people like me to stop the rot at the Federation.”

Austin Okocha

“I am still working
hard to get onto the board so Nigerians should not think my silence
means I have given up. I believe it is time we take over the running of
football in the country so we can take Nigerian football to the level
it is meant to be.”

Shehu Dikko

“I want you to know
that I have a well articulated programme for transformation of Nigerian
football. I have the best programme and I am going to release it to
football stakeholders and even my opponents. I want them to read and
have a clearer picture of the way forward for Nigerian football. Even
if in the end I am not the president of NFF, the document should be of
benefit to whoever will become the next president for the good of
Nigerian football.”

“I want to be the
president of NFF because in that position, I will be able to implement
my programmes without hindrance. Moreover, I have been working silently
but the time has come for me to enter the mainstream and contribute my
quota to the redemption of our football.”

Fan Ndubuoke

“You know it is
high time that Nigeria should be doing away with the old ideas of
putting people who they think are easy candidates at the helm of
football affairs in this country. I am saying it without any fears that
I will contest and deliver if I got voted to be the president of the
NFF. People like me have a track record in this country and what the
game needs presently is people with the track record and can give the
promise that they will do it. I can do it and I will do it for this
country”.

Sanni Toro

“We are all
witnesses to what Blatter is doing at FIFA because he knows the problem
of football at the global scale. It is not out of place if I say I that
I can fix the problem here and address it squarely, our stunted growth;
if I am given the opportunity.”

Segun Odegbami

“I’ve never been
this prepared for an election. In the past eight months I have done an
examination on what needs to be done to win an election. If we plan to
move the game forward, we must look at the most important human
resource in football development that we have neglected all through
these periods, which are the footballers. We have to look at that very
important resource and incorporate them into our administration; once
we do that we will get it right.”

Efforts seem to be
paying off for the footballers that put up good performances during the
recently concluded Lagos State Principals Cup as GT Bank, the sponsors
of the tournament, have gone a step further to help realise the dreams
of the young male and female footballers. A one-week camping exercise
was organised for the 25 players that were chosen throughout the
campaign.

The event which had
the final matches played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos has
already produced four players for the new U-17 team under John Odigie,
and two players for the Lagos team. GT Bank set up a one-week camping
exercise for 25 promising youngsters at the serene surroundings of the
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, under a
foreign coach, David Penney and four Nigerian coaches- Yisa Sofoluwe,
Waidi Akanni, Ann Agumanu-Chiejine and Bankole Olowookere.

Penney, said: “A
week has not been enough to give a valid assessment of the program.”
However, one thing that the Briton is hoping to leave with the
youngsters is the knowledge of how to re-fuel their bodies with the
right elements.

“I believe they
will have learned what to eat and what to drink and likewise those
things that will not help their growth. Their behaviour on an off the
pitch is an important part of their education.”

Catching the limelight

One player who has
used the occasion of the 2010 Principals Cup to catch the limelight is
Ibrahim Jamiu, a student of Gaskiya Senior College in Lagos. He has
been invited into the U-17 national camp on account of his exploits.

“It has been a
worthy experience and I thank Coach Odigie for allowing me to make the
trip. The training has been very nice; the surroundings have been a
welcome change from the Lagos scene. The coaching has been great and
what I have learnt in the days that I have been here will benefit me in
the national team. For a striker, I need to know more about positioning
to help me get the goals for my team and that is one of the things that
I have learnt here and I will be a better player when I get back to the
national camp,” Jamiu said.

Chinyere Nwoku,
Deputy Manager, Communications and External Affairs with GT Bank and
the officer in charge of the Principals Cup franchise, believes the
initiative can only get better.

“We wanted to do
much more than sponsor the tournament. This camp is like going the
extra mile for the talents that were exposed during the competition.”

Another beneficiary
of the get-together is Nene Pius. A slim and very shy 16-year old, she
is just happy that her skills are being recognised.

“You know that it
is a challenge to play football as a female but I have to thank my
parents who after some fight agreed to let me pursue my dream. Now I am
in this camp and I hope to make it into one of the national camps very
soon.”

Sofoluwe is of the view that the programme will revive the dwindling fortunes of the national team.

“We have lost all
the foundations of our game. The skills needed to get the ball under
immediate control, make runs off and on the ball – these are the
attributes that are missing in our players and they are letting us
down. If we can get it right from this point then the future can be
brighter again.”

Penney had good last words for the four local coaches and the
players. He said, “This week can only be the beginning of greater
things. We need to carry on with this kind of program and make sure
that Nigerian players have well developed football brains.”

Nigeria’s sole
representative in the CAF Champions League competition, Heartland FC of
Owerri, have a daunting task today as the team needs an outright
victory over their opponent, Isamaily Club of Egypt, to still harbour
any hope of moving into the semi finals of Africa’s biggest club
football competition.

The match, billed
for the Ismaila Stadium in Egypt, is important to both teams as a win
for either side will lift it up the table which currently sees
Heartland occupying the third spot with just a point from two matches,
while Ismaily are bottom placed with no points.

Match officials
from Sudan have been chosen to handle the match with centre referee
Abdel R. Khalid leading his other assistants; Ahmed Ali Waleed, Bakheit
Awad and Rassas Librato.

Chasing history

Heartland are
seeking to become the second Nigerian team after Enyimba to win the
prestigious CAF Trophy and are currently been handled by the duo of
Samson Siasia and Emeka Ezuego.

A narrow 1-0 loss
to Algerian side J. S. Kabylie in their last match has made today’s
game a must win for Siasia if he hopes to match and possibly surpass
the record of his predecessors.

The Naze
Millionaires, as the Nigerian team is sometimes referred to, were
beaten finalist in the last edition of the competition while still
under the tutelage of the duo Kelechi Emetiole and Ben Iroha, who were
both sacked just before the commencement of the Group phase of this
year’s competition.

Though the timing
of the sack of the team’s bench was highly criticised, some still
believe in the ability of the new technical team led by Siasia to do
well despite the odds against the team.

Ike’s support

One of such
optimist is ex-international Ike Shorunmu who believes Heartland can
still qualify for the semi-finals despite the team’s current precarious
postion.

“There is still
hope of qualifying for the semi-finals if they can win their next match
(today’s game). I believe this is possible because Heartland have
quality players and Coach Samson Siasia would have worked on the
weaknesses he has noticed in the team in their last two matches” he
posited.

The former Super
Eagles goal keeper trainer also counselled the team not to be carried
away or intimidated by some of the big names in the Egyptian team.

“Heartland should
not be intimidated by the fact that some of Ismaily players are in the
Egyptian national teams. What they possess is a better league, not
better players.

“Siasia can improve the quality of the team if given the right assistance.”

Heartland has done
well to retain the core of the team that reached last year’s final with
only Uche Agba and former national U-17 player Stanley Okoro the
notable absentees following their respective transfers overseas.

Captain’s belief

Meanwhile,
Heartland captain Ike ThankGod said the team has put behind them the
defeat against JS Kabylie of Algeria and are now focused on getting the
maximum points at stake in today’s game.

“We know the
importance of today’s game and we know we cannot afford another slip,
we going all out for victory and we believe it is quite possible” he
said.

While reflecting on
the team’s last game, ThankGod admitted that the defeat came as a
result of a loss in concentration by the defenders and the failure of
the team’s forwards to take the few chances that came their way.

“We could have
picked up a draw or even won that game, our performance was not
entirely bad but we failed to take our chances when we had the
opportunities.

“Right now we are
focusing on our next match against Ismaily. I‘m confident we are going
to win against Ismaily home and away. That will give seven points and
from there we‘ll see what comes up.” the Super Eagles fringe player
boasted.

Other match

In the day’s other
fixture, current group leaders, J.S Kabylie of Algeria will be up
against the second placed team, Al Ahly of Egypt.

A win for J.S.K
will give it an unassailable lead of nine points and could mean well
for Heartland if they seize the moment in Egypt to increase their tally
to four points which makes them equal or above Ahly depending on the
margin of victory.

Meanwhile, Egypt
and Algeria have agreed to put behind them the bitter feud which became
rife on the eve of the last World Cup in South Africa when both teams
where seeking Africa’s last ticket to the Mundial.

Both teams have warned their supporters’ against fomenting trouble in what portends to be an exciting match later today.