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Showing posts from October, 2016

Why Africa Must be Wary of the 48-team World Cup Proposal....

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has promoted the idea that his 48-team World Cup is designed to satisfy wishes and hopes of continents like Africa and Asia that have a large number of FIFA membership. Reportedly, Africa is nursing the idea of having 8 teams at the enlarged tournament scheduled for 2026. However, with details of the 48-team tournament becoming clear, the question is how beneficial is this proposed enlarged tournament for CAF and Africa? I think it is a case where CAF must look carefully before accepting the proposal without adjustment. It seems to me that this new format will do more to hurt than help in spite of hopes of increasing Africa's World Cup allocations. ____________________________________________________________ THE PROPOSED FORMAT FOR 48-TEAM WORLD CUP 1. The 48-team World Cup will have an elimination layer of 16 games after continental qualifiers. 2. The World Cup tournament proper will involve 32 teams as has been the case for a

Briefs on Milestones from Zambian game....

Here are some achievement milestones that were reached or are close after Nigeria’s game against Zambia. 1       Coach Gernot Rohr became the second Nigerian manager not give a single player a debut in his first two games in charge. The other was Bora Milutinovic who went   seven games without giving any player a debut. Note that Lars Lagerback, after giving one player a debut in his first game, went the   next five games without introducing a new player. 2   Kelechi Iheanacho scored in his fourth consecutive games. If he scores in his next game, he will tie the Nigerian record jointly held by Yakubu Mambo and Emmanuel Emenike. His fourth consecutive game with at least a goal currently has him tied with six players – Segun Odegbami, Obafemi Martins, Sunday Oyarekhua, Paul Hamilton, Rashidi Yekini, and Ikechukwu Uche.       The Nigerian win in Ndola was Nigeria's first win over Zambia on Zambian soil after 8 tries. 3    The win over Zambia is Nigeria’s fourth