FIFA remembers Former African Footballer of the Year, Rasheed Yekini

The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), on Wednesday remembered Nigeria’s late ex-international, Rasheed Yekini, four years after his death.

In a statement on the world football governing body’s website, FIFA looked back on Yekini’s memorable goal which became historic and the subsequent celebration.

Yekini, who is Nigeria’s highest goal scorer (37 goals) till date, died of illness on May 4, 2012, at the age of 48.

He entered history books after scoring the Super Eagles’ first ever FIFA World Cup goal at the 1994 finals held in the U.S. in the 3-0 group stage win over Bulgaria.

BREAKING Sacred flame for Rio Games lit at ancient Olympia, Greece

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, GREECE — Fire spurted from a concave mirror Wednesday as a priestess, kneeling in her long, pleated dress before a ruined Greek temple, focused the blazing sun's rays on her metal torch.

Come rain or shine on Thursday's official lighting ceremony, Rio de Janeiro has now secured its Olympic flame, which will burn in the Brazilian host city throughout the Aug. 5-21 games.

About 2,500 people attended Wednesday's dress rehearsal for the meticulously-choreographed ceremony in Ancient Olympia, southern Greece, where the Olympics of antiquity were held for more than 1,000 years.

The flame lit before the Temple of Hera will be kept as a backup, in case cloudy skies derail Thursday's ceremony, which will be attended by top International Olympic Committee officials and Rio organizers.The buildup to the Olympics has been clouded by a series of non-games linked setbacks in Brazil, which is facing a major political corruption crisis, a Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who is facing an impeachment process, canceled a scheduled appearance at Thursday's ceremony.

But IOC officials and Rio organizers maintain that preparations remain on track and the games will be a success.

"The last stretch is always the most difficult one, and of course there are challenges," IOC President Thomas Bach said. "But I think the organizing committee has shown in the last year which great progress they made and, with the ongoing solidarity of the IOC and the international federations, we are very confident that it will be excellent games."

Speaking to reporters in Ancient Olympia, Bach played down concerns the political crisis could harm the games, saying preparations are already at an operational phase, "and therefore we can concentrate now together with the organizing committee on the delivery."

Referring to concerns over water pollution in areas where sailing and rowing events will be held, Bach said the city and organizing committee have made strenuous efforts "and what we see now is that in the bay, about 60 percent of the surface is clean."

"Without the Olympic Games it would be zero," he added. "We are very confident that the competition area for the athletes will offer safe and fair conditions."

WE CREATE OUR GODS BY FASEYIKU

It was a flight from Leeds. I had worried myself sick about missing the flight because I made wrong assumptions about how long the drive to the airport was. It took nearly 45 minutes and cost £22 pounds instead of 30 minutes and not more than £15 I was advised by AYT. By the way, AYT is my daughter and travel advisor. She takes a keen interest in everything daddy does. We both can tell each others moods. She seems to smile eternally. But I know when those smiles are not there even when the teeth is flashing. I can always tell when I see those lucid, penetrating, questioning eyes communicating something else. This time she was questioning why I was going to Nigeria. And when I said to her that this trip was a holiday to somewhere different, the smiles came back. But I could feel the question she didn't ask. Why is Nigeria always bad news? Bombs in Kaduna; rustlers in Jos; billions embezzled in Abuja; ritual killings of humans in Soka, Ibadan; kidnappings in the east; oil installations blown up in the delta; Boko Haram insurgent attacks in Borno; political upheavals in Ekiti. How come there is never something positive coming out of this enclave.

Die cries for occasion, not Dad

Tearful Ivory Coast midfielder Serey Die said the emotion of playing at the World Cup had simply overcome him during his country's national anthem before they lost to Colombia on Thursday.

Pictures of Die crying during the Elephants' hymn were beamed around the world, sparking social media rumours that his father had died just a few days ago.

Die dismissed those rumours and said it was simply the occasion that got to him in Brasilia.

"I'm a very emotional person. My life has always been difficult. I thought about my father who died in 2004, and I also thought about my tough life," said Die.

Keshi Squad: Injury forces Nigeria’s Echiejile out, Uzoenyi recalled

The Super Eagles left defender, Elderson Echiejile, has been ruled out of the World Cup. The Monaco of France left full back suffered an injury in the first half of Nigeria’s friendly match against Greece and was substituted.

He was among the 23-man list Nigeria submitted to FIFA for the World Cup and was sure to start for the Eagles if fit.

Medics in the national team ruled Echiejile out of the Mundial with a hamstring injury that would take him between 10 days and three weeks to heal and return to full fitness.

Brazil 2014: Keshi declares Eagles fit for USA clash

The Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi is sure that the criticisms the Super Eagles have received in their build-up to the World Cup will stop after the match against the United States on Saturday.

The Eagles manager, in an interview on Thursday, said the players were now going through specific training programmes with the squad cut down to the exact 23 players billed to play in Brazil. 

He attributed the pattern of play exhibited so far by the players to the fact that they were just starting to train as a team. He said, “We all just started training as a team last week. Now we have increased the intensity and the focus has shifted to specifics. We simply played against Scotland with little or no training having just arrived in town but the players are in better conditions now and responding well. We are facing a good team as we play the USA but I am sure people are going to see a much coordinated and purposeful team. The game will be better.”

Brazil 2014: Chelsea Congratulates Mikel, Moses and Omeruo

The Chelsea FC of London has congratulated the Nigerian trio, Mikel, Mose and Omeruo for making the Nigerian Eagles Squad to the Brazil FIFA World Cup. 

Nigeria will be one of the nations with the greatest Chelsea representation at the World Cup which starts next week. John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Kenneth Omeruo are selected by the Nigerian national team coach Stephen Keshi as part of the Super Eagles' squad.

It will be the first World Cup finals for all three, Mikel having missed out on the 2010 tournament due to injury.

The reigning African champions start their group stage against Iran with games versus Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina to follow.

Brazil 2014: Why Jose Mourinho tips Eagles and Elephants

Chelsea Boss, Jose Mourinho, has tipped the Super Eagles of  Nigeria and the Elephants of Ivory Coast as the African countries to reach the second round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil. The African champions, Nigeria, are in Group D alongside Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Portuguese coach expects the Super Eagles to finish in second position behind the South Americans.

He opted to pick Nigeria to qualify behind Argentina and ahead of Bosnia and Iran based on the fact that they have a Chelsea player in John Obi Mikel. "I'll do the same I did in Group A. I'll have to say Argentina has to be the group winner. What makes me decide in favour of Nigeria is the fact that I have one player there (John Obi Mikel). I'll pick Nigeria as the runner-up," Mourinho said on Yahoo's Dirty Tackle.

Stephen Keshi to Name His 23man Eagle Squads today

The Head Coach of the World Cup bound Super Eagles of Nigeria, Stephen Keshi, who has delayed his final list of the team to the world cup to the last minutes may release the names of his killer squad today.

The Big Boss says he already had an idea of his final 23-man list to the global tournament in Brazil but would wait till last minute to name his squad. the delayed would enable him do double checks on the list and the possibility of finding those who may not be measure up when hostilities start in Brazil.

FIFA had set Monday June 2 as the deadline for all participating teams to submit their final list and Keshi said that he was willing to take full advantage of the time left by only revealing his list on the said date. The Media Officer of the Senior National Team, Ben Alaiya, was said to have quoted Keshi saying, “I have an idea of those who will go with us to Brazil but we will still wait till the last minute before we announce the list.”

2014 World Cup: I wait till the last minute for Eagles list - Keshi

Super eagles' coach, Stephen Keshi has said that he knows the players that will make his final list of 23 to the 2014 World Cup, but will wait till the last minute before making it public. The Big Boss was speaking about the team trained at the Philadelphia Eagles Stadium in Philadelphia.

“Yes, I have an idea of those who will go with us to Brazil but we will still wait till the last minute before we announce the list,” he said.

Keshi added that he was also having another look at the players who are not measuring up.