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After two weeks of
intensive training in South Africa, Nigeria’s national cricket team,
will today in Gaborone start their quest to qualify from the Pepsi ICC
World Cricket League Division 7 to Division 6 when they confront
Norway. The team had fallen short in the same quest in 2009 when they
came fourth on the island of Guernsey.

Since that time the
team has gone through some changes. The side will be led into battle by
the new captain, Endurance Ofem, and have a new coach in Sean Philips,
who also doubles as a player plus the addition of Ramit Gil and Femi
Oduyebo.

In the two friendly matches played in Benoni, the team won both very convincingly and confidence has been boosted by these wins.

When NEXTSports got
across to the captain, Ofem, he was confident that this time around,
the team will make Nigerians proud. Ofem said, “It has been 15 days of
hard work by the team and management team and within that time, we
played two friendly games and won both.

Nigerian bowlers
had a bowling net session with the South Africa and Bangladesh A sides
on Thursday before the final friendly game on Friday.

Ofem also added
that: “All has been good in camp and every member of the team is
looking forward to the tournament in Botswana.”

The team travelled
to Botswana on Friday and Ofem was joined by the other captains for a
media session on Saturday. The session took place at the Gaborone Sun
Hotel, Gaborone in the afternoon.

Host nation,
Botswana are captained by Akrum Chand, Germany is led by Asif Khan,
Japan has Masaomi Kobayashi, Hisham Mirza leads the Kuwaitis and Norway
are captained by Damien Shortis.

These teams from
Germany, Kuwait, Nigeria, Japan, Norway join hosts Botswana for the
tournament which will be played from May 1 to 8. After the round robin
tournament, the top two sides will be promoted to Pepsi ICC World
Cricket League Division 6.

Ofem has courted
the prayers of Nigerians whilst promising that the players will put in
their best. “What other business do you think we have in these two
countries other than to bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians but we
will need to be remembered in prayers and we pray not to let the nation
down.”

The matches will be hosted at three grounds in Gaborone, namely the
Botswana Cricket Association Ovals 1 and 2 and the Lobatse Cricket
Ground and all the matches will kick off at 9:15am local time (10:15am
Nigerian time).

“We
will immortalise him”; “We will support the family”; “We will…, and
on and on the promises were poured out as the late Super Eagles
defender, Adefemi Olubayo made his final journey to interment last week
Thursday in Lagos.

‘Bayo’ as fondly
called by his fans played his way to the hearts of many Nigerians which
was obvious by the number of fans and well-wishers that thronged both
the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium in Lagos, venue of his
lying-in-state ceremony, and also the Atan Cemetery where his body was
finally interred.

Now that his body
have been committed to mother earth, signalling an end to his sojourn
on earth, the question on many lips is will Adefemi Olubayo not also be
a victim of empty promises like those footballers and athletes who have
been involved in accidents or even died before him?

A member of the
Beijing silver-winning Olympic team, Adefemi had the dream to play at
the World Cup, raise his own family amongst other things but all those
are no longer attainable.

More than ever,
Adebayo had a burning desire to touch lives, and consequent upon this
he was named as an ambassador to Nigeria’s Homeless World Cup team, who
are preparing for Homeless World Cup that will take place in Paris come
August 2011.

The breadwinner for
his family, Bayo had many who depended on him for a bright future; his
mother, brothers, sisters all clung unto the broad shoulders of the
25-year-old footballer and he was forever smiling for the
responsibilities thrust on him.

Happily though he
was given a befitting burial, worthy of a true patriot, a young
Nigerian committed to the course of his country and always doing his
best when called upon to serve as attested to by all and sundry present
at his final journey. It was therefore not surprising to see not just
officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) present but fans
from all walks of life came to pay their last respects with promises to
immortalise the fallen hero.

Empty promises to fallen heroes

While it might be
too early to doubt the sincerity of the country’s football officials,
previous cases like that of the late Samuel Okwaraji, Muda Lawal,
amongst others raises concern on the need for officials to keep to
their words.

Just like
Okwaraji’s teammates promised to get the Italy 1990 World Cup ticket
for their colleague back then – a promise that set of Eagles could not
keep, Olubayo’s teammates who were missing at the funeral owing to club
commitments have vowed to not only to win their next game against
Ethiopia but also qualify for the Africa Nations Cup, a tournament
Olubayo failed to participate in his short career in the national team,
from which he earned five caps.

Super Eagles
captain, Joseph Yobo lamented that the demise of Adefemi is shocking
because he wined and dined with the group a month ago during the Africa
Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia and the international
friendly against Kenya, which took place in Abuja.

The Nigerian
captain has now promised that he and his teammates will ensure that
they beat Ethiopia in Addis Ababa in June as well as qualify for the
2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

“The big honour we
can give to Olubayo Adefemi is to go to Ethiopia in June and take the
three points and eventually qualify for the 2012 African Cup of
Nations,” Yobo stated.

Nigeria currently
trails current group leaders Guinea by a point in the race for
qualification to the 2012 Gabon/Equatorial Guinea Nations Cup and will
be playing away to Ethiopia on June 5.

Samson Siasia, who
could best be described as Olubayo’s mentor, as he nurtured him to
stardom, starting off from the Africa Youth Championship in Benin
Republic in 2005, then to the World Youth Championship, also in 2005 in
Holland and also to the Olympic football event in Beijing (2008), where
his team won a silver medal, also unveiled his plans for Olubayo’s
dependants.

The Beijing
Olympics silver-winning coach said he will meet with other Super Eagles
players to fashion how they could best support the family of Adefemi.

“As a team we
cannot force any of the players to do something special for the late
Olubayo Adefemi or to promise anything on their behalf, but we can
advise to that effect. What we will suggest and advise the players to
do, is to support the family of Adefemi in a way that it would have a
long, lasting and positive effect on his family,” said Siasia.

Adefemi died on
April 18, 2011, in an automobile accident in Greece. Greek police said
the 25-year old defender, who played for Skoda Xanthi, lost control of
his car on the Egnatia motorway while driving from Xanthi to Salonika
in the Kavala region of the country. He was reportedly on his way to
Nigeria to finalise details of his wedding when the accident happened.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace!

Nine-time world
champion and current leader of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
2011, Orlando Duque will miss the rest of the season after breaking his
ankle.

The 36-year-old
Colombian, who was taking part in a sky dive in Hawaii, underwent
successful surgery on Thursday, with the injury expected to keep him
out of action for between three and six months.

It’s a major blow
for Duque who had recently returned to some of his best form, but, if
his determination to return from previous setbacks is anything to go
by, then he will not be out of the water for long.

Backdrop of a career in diving

After more than a
decade of Olympic diving, he made the transition to what he calls “the
more natural form of diving.” Duque’s high diving career began in 1995
in Europe where he improved his diving skills, helped at the time by
coach Ken Grove, a former Olympic diver and one of the series’ judges.

In his first world
championships in 1999, he took second place and so began a hugely
successful cliff diving career, the highlight of which saw him become
the first World Series Champion at the series final in Athens, Greece,
in September 2009. The left-hander is a perfectionist whose dedication
is unswerving and, combined with the two new dives he has added to his
repertoire for 2011, the new season will be all the more interesting
and the challenge even greater – for him and his competitors.

Duque worked hard
during the 2010 off-season to recapture his past form and returned to
his dominant best at the start of this year, winning the first two
events, in Rapa Nui and Mexico, and had hoped to make it a hat trick of
wins in Greece on May 22.

With nine world
championship titles and two Guinness world records on his side, the
Colombian cliff diver has proved his tremendous ability over many
years, reaching a special position within the high diving scene over
the last fifteen years.

He was the clear
favourite for the World Series 2009 and of course he measured up to
expectations. He won three competitions, was off the podium only once
and took the overall title. In 2010, the 36-year-old had two new dives
in his programme, took six out of six podiums, including one victory
and finished second overall.

Duque said: “My
plan is to win the title back next year (2011). I will practice a lot,
get back to the gym and do my homework,” was The Duke’s immediate
reaction, after losing the World Series title to Gary Hunt, “but Gary
is going to do exactly the same.”

It left no-one in
any doubt that the fight for the crown had started right after the last
prize-giving in Hawaii. But unfortunately ‘the Duke’ will not be able
to dive to his aims.

But after winning the inaugural Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
in 2009, Duque ended a testing year in 2010 as the runner-up to Gary
Hunt.

Finally,
the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had the good sense to do what it
ought to have done at the beginning. We read on Thursday that it had
taken over the welfare of the U-23 team, which had camped in Benin for
some time now.

The story goes that
the team handled by Austin Eguavoen, had been going through a hard time
following the abandonment of the team by the Edo State Government,
which had undertaken to be responsible for their welfare. According to
the report, the shabby treatment meted to the team had necessitated
their change of accommodation to a less than befitting place.

Emmanuel Ikpeme,
NFF deputy general secretary (Technical), who was in Benin to see
players and officials in Benin, said the poor treatment of the team
arose as a result of the Edo State Government’s preoccupation with the
just concluded elections.

“I just returned
from the team’s camp on Sunday after holding a very important meeting
with the technical crew and management. I think the issue has been
settled and the federation has taken full charge of the team’s welfare
since the government of Edo State could not continue with its earlier
agreement to take care of the team in Benin,” Ikpeme said.

I suppose the NFF
expects a pat on the back for doing this. Well, they shouldn’t. If
anything they deserve censure for making an exhibition of themselves in
the first place.

For some years now,
the football federation has been going round the country cap in hand
like a beggar begging states to foot the bills of our national teams
engaged in one competition or the other. This reason for this has been
because given the credibility deficit in the federation; no decent
organisation has been willing to do business with it.

With a marketing
department that exists only in name and a marketing consultant content
to idle away, only to show up asking for its ‘cut’ when a sponsor turns
up seeking to do business with the NFF, the football federation, has
always found itself in a bind financially.

Not that it should
be so anyway, because a lot of things still need to be explained to
Nigerians about exactly what the NFF has been doing with funds it gets
from the federal government, FIFA and its sponsorship deals with the
companies that have kitted the national teams in the past.

If a former
president of the federation and two other high ranking members of his
executive committee find themselves on trial for misappropriation of
funds, does that not say something about the way business has been
conducted at the football house all these years?

Of journeyman and jesters

I have often said
it that the vast majority of the men who run football in Nigeria have
no business anywhere near the glass house and I repeat it here again.

When before the
August 26, 2010 elections, some sycophants looking for a foothold on
the slippery glass house took pot-shots at some of the former Nigerian
internationals interested in getting into the federation declaring that
their having played the game was no guarantee that they would make good
administrators, I had shaken my head in amusement.

The reason was
because I had taken a good look at the men who were vying for positions
into the board and had only seen about two people that inspired my
confidence; the rest were just journeymen looking for a huge jackpot in
the casino that the NFF has become.

Now, these men are
there and the NFF with football, a game that keeps the adrenalin of the
average Nigerian, regardless of age, tribe or creed, pumping and they
cannot market it well enough to raise funds. Instead, the leadership of
the federation is genuflecting before every state governor, begging for
handouts.

If the men at the
NFF had any sense, how could they expect Adams Oshiomhole, a man whose
party was seeking to improve on its fortunes at the national level, to
distract himself with a U-23 team engaged in Olympic Games (not World
Cup) qualifiers?

Again, if their
marketing consultant, who so happens to come from Edo State, cannot
prevail on his governor to look in the direction of the team, is it any
wonder why the NFF has been lagging behind in marketing matters?

The leadership of the NFF should stop embarrassing the country
before the world by finding ways of funding its activities. Football
has a lot of goodwill in this country; they should exploit it and not
keep rolling on the floor like court jesters seeking to ingratiate
themselves with royalty.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are through to the final of the ongoing
African Youth Championship after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the ‘Les
Aiglons’ of Mali at the Dobsonville Stadium, in Soweto yesterday.

Two-goal hero in the opening match against Ghana, Uche Nwofor,
put the Nigerians ahead in the 22nd minute of play before Stanley Okoro sealed
the win from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time.

Nigerian coach John Obuh made no changes to the side which ran
out 2-0 winners over Gambia in Nigeria’s last Group B game.

And with the pitch at the Dobsonville Stadium looking much
better than it had previously been after a break from the incessant rains that
had plagued Johannesburg and rendered the surface almost unplayable. Both sides
began the game cautiously with the Nigerians more comfortable moving the ball
on the ground while the much taller Malians opted for aerial balls.

The tempo of the game, however, moved up a gear in the eighth
minute when Chidi Osuchukwu rose above his marker to head the ball towards goal
only to be denied by Malian goalkeeper Cheick Sy.

The Nigerians kept up the pressure and deservedly shot into the
lead in the 22nd minute through Nwofor who stabbed the ball into the back of
the net after the Malian goalkeeper failed to properly deal with Osuchukwu’s
cross.

It was the third goal of the tournament for the Enugu Rangers
forward and he joined South African player, Lucky Nguzana, on three goals to
top the scorers chart.

The Malians reacted by throwing more men forward and came close
to grabbing an equaliser three minutes after the restart but Adama Toure’s
shot, after the Nigerian defence failed to deal with a corner kick, came off
Danjuma Paul’s right upright.

But the greatest undoing of Diallo Sekou’s Malian side remained
their overdependence on long balls which the Nigerians easily dealt with
through well-laid offside traps by the backline marshalled by the duo of Gbenga
Arokoyo and Gani Ogungbe.

But with the half drawing to a close, Nwofor thought he had
increased Nigeria’s lead when he got on the end of Abdul Ajagun’s cross only to
see his goal bound header stopped from hitting the back of the net by an
incredible reflex save by Sy.

Nigerian grit

The Malians started the second half determined to pull level.
And five minutes into the half Adama Toure beat the Nigerian offside trap, but
goalkeeper Paul was quick off his line to deny the Malian forward.

A minute later Ogungbe was booked by referee Mario Bangoura for
a rash challenge. It was the second yellow card of the tournament for the
Gateway FC defender and ruled him out of Sunday’s final.

Around the hour mark, and against the run of play, Nigeria
almost went 2-0 up through Nwofor who somehow failed to get his head onto a
delightful cross by Ajagun with the goal at his mercy.

Then came a period of complete Malian domination but Paul was on
hand to save the day for the Flying Eagles. And even when the Nasarawa United
goalkeeper was beaten, as was the case in the 74th minute when Ibrahimma Diarra
latched onto a header, the post denied the Malians.

Shortly after the match referee indicated that there will be
five minutes added time, Olanrewaju Kayode was brought down in the Malian area.

The Guinean referee wasted little time in pointing to the spot
and Stanley Okoro, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, calmly
slotted the ball into the net with Sy rooted to the spot.

The Flying Eagles will come up against Cameroon in the final
after the Young Pharaohs were defeated by Cameroon in the other semi-final
match on penalties.

It will be Nigeria’s eighth Africa Youth Championship final
appearance and they will be hoping to claim their sixth African title, while
the Cameroonians will be seeking a second title.

Both sides met earlier in the tournament with the Cameroonians running out
1-0 winners.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will commence their defence of the WAFU
Cup of Nations with a game against the Eagles of Mali.

The draws ceremony on Thursday had the Super Eagles coming out
of the pot with the national teams of Niger and Liberia in Group A. Group B
consists of Senegal, Gambia, Togo and Ghana.

The ceremony took place under the supervision of the
secretary-general of the West Africa Football Union (WAFU), Aka Malan, in
Abeokuta and had in attendance football bigwigs, such as veteran Nigerian coach
Kashimawo Laloko and the sports commissioner of Ogun State, Bukola Olopade
amongst others.

The championship which will see eight countries competing for
the coveted trophy gets underway on May 5, 2011 at the 35,000 capacity Moshood
Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta with the Nigerians taking on the
Malians.

It would be recalled that the WAFU Championship, which was
introduced in 1975, became moribund thereafter for nineteen years, but was
resuscitated by the Ogun State Government last year.

Nigeria won last year’s tournament after defeating Senegal in
the final.

In a related development, official draws of the 26th Edition of
the Eyadema Cup was also conducted yesterday with twelve clubs across West
Africa participating in the tournament scheduled to hold in Togo in December
2011.

The clubs include, Atletic De Coleah (Guinee), Horoya AC (Guinee), ASC Niary
Tally (Senegal), ASC Hlm (Senegal), Mighty Barrolle (Liberia), Watanga
(Liberia), Akonana FC d’ Arit (Niger), Dan Ka FC de Maradi (Niger), Aduana
Stars (Ghana), Kwara United (Nigeria) and Rangers International (Nigeria).

The national stadium, Surulere was agog with fans and
well-wishers on Thursday as the body of the late Super Eagles and Skoda Xanthi
defender, Olubayo Adefemi was laid to rest.

On hand to pay their last respects were Super Eagles coach,
Samson Siasia; former Nigerian goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu; Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) technical director Chris Green, family members, journalists,
and fans.

The day, which began with a lying-in-state at the national
stadium saw representatives from the NFF, sportswriters and fans pouring
encomiums on the late Adefemi.

Speaking on the loss, Siasia exclaimed that it was sad to lose a
player that young, stating that a promising career had been cut short by fate.

For his part, Yomi Opakunle, a journalist described the defender
as somebody who was God-fearing.

“He did not speak two sentences without acknowledging God,”
Opakunle said. “He was so humble and respectful.”

From the stadium to the
grave

From the national stadium, all roads led to the Atan Cemetery
where a brief ceremony was held.

Speaking at the graveside, Adesanya Adewara of the Celestial
Church of Christ, while delivering a sermon, admonished the crowd to examine
their lives.

“There is time for everything and I tell you, one day, each and
every one of us is going to answer the call, but the only thing that would
speak for us is the impact we have had on people,” he said.

He added: “Though Adefemi’s life was short, it was a life well
spent because of what we have heard about him.” He thereafter enjoined his well
wishers not to forget him and the legacies he was trying to leave behind.

Teammates speak

Some of his teammates also expressed sorrow at his demise. Yinka
Adedeji, Adefemi’s long-time friend, who also played alongside the late player
in the Flying Eagles, as well as in the Olympic team, explained that Adefemi’s
demise would leave a gap in his heart.

“The extent of love, which we have for each other as a team and
as individuals is great and we are going to miss him,” he said.

“To me, Olubayo was more than a friend, he is a brother. We have
been very close; we are just like five and six.

“I have so many memories of him and one thing is that he would
be remembered forever. His memory would forever linger in my heart,” Adedeji
concluded.

Goalkeeper for the team that won silver in the U-20 World Cup in
2005, Ambrose Vanzekin, explained that it still unbelievable to him that his
former teammate is no more.

“For me, he is a brother, he is a friend and we have been
together in the national team for a long time,” said Vanzekin.

“The first time I heard about it, I could not believe my ears
because it was like a dream. I could not go to train that morning. The way I am
now, I have not been myself since I heard the news.

“I have not been able to play games; I told my coach that I was
not psychologically fit. He was a brother to us, we started the whole thing and
it is so sad when you see one of your numbers gone. I pray God would help his
family to be able to bear the loss.”

Vanzekin also spoke about the one recurring memory he has of the
late defender.

“Every time he scored a goal, he had a special way of
celebrating it. He would act like he was riding a boat and this is what I
continue to see when I think about him and that is one memory I would never
forget of him.”

Adefemi is survived by an aged mother, sisters, brother, nephews and nieces.

The
5th CBN Junior Tennis Championship will serve off on Monday, May 2, at
the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. And a press conference was held yesterday
to herald the championship and also an exhibition match the U-12 and
U-10 national champions. The watch word of the championship is ‘The
future is now’.

As a testament to
that future, Michael Oshewa, the national U-12 champion took on Terry
Das, the U-10 champion, in a match that stretched to over 30 minutes,
with Oshewa finally prevailing 9-6 in the one-set exhibition.

Speaking
afterwards, Faruk Garko, director, governor’s department, who was
represented by Odessa Ogunmola, noted that the CBN Juniors is now the
number one-ranked junior tennis championship in West Africa, a position
it achieved last year.

A part of the
address said, “A key objective of the social responsibility function of
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to make positive contributions to
the development of sports through this championship.

“To this end, we
wish to reaffirm the commitment of the management of the CBN to the
continued sponsorship of the tournament towards the promotion and
development of the game of tennis in Nigeria.”

The competition,
which is open to both boys and girls, will be competed for by
youngsters between the ages of 10 and 18. CBN has also initiated a plan
to set up a ‘futures team’.

The CBN
representative added that: “To further consolidate the gains of the
championship and produce world class players, the International Tennis
Academy is setting up a CBN futures team comprising the best eight
players drawn from the 16s and 18 year olds.

“The players will
be assembled for training and taken as a team to national tournaments
and international ranking events while establishing a strong transition
platform for the senior category and tennis development.”

The above model sponsored by the Bank of Scotland produced the current world number four player, Andy Murray.

The boys and girls who impress during the one-week tourney can win
rackets, tennis gear and also scholarships to some American
universities.

Messi’s two goals settled a scrappy and tense
affair at the Bernabeu and gave Barcelona a huge advantage to take back
to the Nou Camp.

The Argentine met
Ibrahim Afellay’s low cross from the right to steer past Iker Casillas
from close range 14 minutes from time to break the deadlock.

Messi
then netted a wonderful second three minutes from time when he weaved
his way into the Real penalty area and slotted past Casillas to give
the Catalan side a two-goal cushion to take into Tuesday’s return back
in Barcelona.

Mourinho was sent
off for his protestations soon after midfielder Pepe was dismissed in
the 61st minute by referee Wolfgang Stark for a flying tackle on Daniel
Alves.

Tempers had already flared at halftime with players and officials involved in a melee near the tunnel.

Barcelona reserve goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto was sent off for his part in an unsightly fracas.

A
confrontation between Barca midfielder Seydou Keita and Real defender
Alvaro Arbeloa as they left the pitch appeared to spark the trouble,
which was quickly ended by security staff and police.

The
Real fans turned the giant arena into a sea of white flags before
kickoff, while several thousand Barca faithful waving Catalan banners
high up in the stands tried to make themselves heard above the din.

Real
tore into Barca and stopped them playing in the first half of last
week’s King’s Cup final but it was a different story on Wednesday as
the visitors dominated possession without showing too much ambition in
attack.

David Villa cut in from
the right wing in the 11th minute and sent a low drive whistling past
the post and Messi sent Xavi clear in the 25th but his effort was
straight at Casillas.

The home
side’s best effort of the first half came moments before the break when
Cristiano Ronaldo tested Victor Valdes with a swerving effort the Barca
keeper just managed to block.

The
second half was short on the kind of attacking football Real and Barca
normally produce as the visitors again controlled the ball without ever
really threatening the home goal until Messi broke the deadlock and
then gave Barca a huge boost for the return leg at the Nou Camp next
Tuesday with his second.</

Not
perturbed about the size of their opponent or lulled by their exploits
so far at the ongoing Africa Youth Championships (AYC), Nigeria’s
Flying Eagles have vowed to win today’s semi-final contest against
fellow West Africans, Mali.

The match, which is
the first of the two semi-final matches billed for today, comes up at
the Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg at 11am Nigerian time.

Mali and Nigeria
have met four times at past AYC, with one being a match for third place
in 1995. Of the four matches, Nigeria won two while the other two ended
in draws. However the Malians have been superb in the present edition
of the AYC, scoring the most goals, so far, at the tournament – six.

With their sheer
size and athleticism, the Malians easily overcame their Group ‘A’
opponents, South Africa and Egypt. However, John Obuh, the coach of the
Nigerian team dismissed fears that the size of the Malians would put
them at an advantage over his team. According to Mr Obuh, there is more
to football than the physical size of players.

“Football is not
about size. The most important thing is your brain. After all, the best
player in the world (Argentina’s Lionel Messi) is not the biggest
player around,” he said.

He added: “By the time we clash with them, we will know which will come out tops – (body) size or the brain.”

New target

After achieving
their primary target of making it to the FIFA U-20 World Cup billed for
Colombia later this year, the Flying Eagles now hope to add another
feather to their cap by making it to the final of the AYC.

A win will see the
Flying Eagles make their first final appearance since losing in the
championship game of the 2007 tournament to hosts, Congo; the young
Nigerians are resolute that the goal is attainable.

Chima Uluocha, a
defender, is one of the home-based players in the Flying Eagles team;
he has promised an improved performance from him and his teammates.

“We will improve on
our performance against Gambia to beat Mali. They are a good side but
we are better and have been improving as the tournament progressed,” he
said.

Similarly, Terry
Envoh, a forward, affirmed: “We expect nothing short of victory. We
will be alert, fit, quick and stick to our style of play and game plan
so as to win on Thursday.”

To get to this
stage, Mali defeated hosts South Africa 4-2 in the opening match and
Egypt 1-0, before holding Lesotho to a 1-1 draw to top Group ‘A’.

Nigeria picked the
second spot in Group ‘B’ after beating world and African champions
Ghana 2-1; losing the second game 0-1 to Cameroon before beating Gambia
2-0.

Meanwhile, in today’s other semi-final match, Cameroon and Egypt will be doing battle for the other final ticket.

Both teams had clashed at friendly matches played in Egypt, leading
up to the AYC, with the young Pharaohs defeating their Cameroonian
counterparts on all three occasions.