Timu ya soka ya Taifa ya Nigeria imetawazwa kuwa mabingwa wapya wa Afrika baada ya kuichabanga Burkina Faso kwa bao 1-0 katika mchezo wa Fainali katika dimba la Soccer City mpambano ukihudhuriwa na mashabiki wapatao 85,000.
Goli pekee na la ushindi lilifungwa na Sunday Mba katika dk 39. Wachezaji wa Nigeria wakishangilia goli lililofungwa na Sunday Mba.
TAIFA Stars jana ilifanya kile kilichosubiriwa na mashabiki wa soka Tanzania baada ya kuitia ‘adabu’ Cameroon kwa kuichapa bao 1-0 katika mchezo wa kirafiki wa kimataifa, shukrani kwa bao la ‘jioni’ kutoka kwa mshambuliaji wa kimataifa Mbwana Samata.
Samata anayecheza soka la kulipwa TP Mazembe ya DRC, alifunga bao hilo muhimu kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa dakika ya 89 baada ya kuusukumiza wavuni kirahisi mpira wa krosi ya Frank Domayo uliompita kipa wa Cameroon, Offala Komguep.
Bao la Samata lilikuja baada ya Stars inayoshika nafasi ya 124 kwa ubora wa viwango vya soka kufanya mashambulizi yasiyo na idadi lango kwa Cameroon. Dakika 20 za mwisho wa kipindi cha kwanza, Cameroon haikuwa mchezo na badala yake jezi za rangi ya bluu ndizo zilizokuwa zikimili mpira. Ni ushindi wa kwanza kwa Stars dhidi ya Cameroon, kwani matokeo mazuri waliyowahi kupata ni sare moja ya bila kufungana kwenye uwanja huohuo, na kisha kukubali kipigo cha mabao 2-1 nchini Cameroon. Stars wangeweza kupata bao la kuongoza kipindi cha kwanza kama siyo beki Erasto Nyoni kushindwa kufunga penalti iliyochezwa na kipa. Mechi hiyo ilianza taratibu na dakika 10 za kwanza zilionekana kama za wachezaji wa pande zote kusomana kimchezo.
Wenyeji Stars walitumia mfumo wa kushambulia pamoja na kukaba kwa pamoja kama alivyosema Kocha Poulsen kabla ya mchezo huo. Cameroon, mabingwa wa zamani wa Mataifa ya Afrika, hawakuonekana kuwa wakali kama ambavyo mashabiki wengi waliojitokeza kushuhudia mchezo huo walitarajia. Erasto Nyoni akijaribu kumtoka mlinzi wa Cameroon Stars ikitumia mfumo wa 4-3-3, ilicheza vizuri kipindi cha kwanza, lakini hata hivyo Cameroon ndiyo walitawala mchezo, huku wakitumia mfumo wa 4-3-4. Dakika ya 19, mpira ulisimama kwa muda baada ya kipa wa Stars Juma Kaseja kuumia kufuatia kugongana na Tchami Herve wa Cameroon.
Mabeki wa Stars,Aggrey Morris na Kelvin Yondan walifanya kazi ya ziada kuwazuia washambuliaji wa Cameroon sehemu kubwa ya kipindi cha kwanza.
Cameroon waliokuwa wakicheza bila nahodha Samuel Eto’o walikaribia kufunga bao katika dakika ya 24, baada ya Aboubakar Vincent kupiga kiki iliyotoka nje kidogo la lango la Stars. Nyoni angeweza kubadilisha ubao wa matokeo, kama siyo kushindwa kutumbukiza wavuni kiki ya penalti dakika ya 26 iliyotolewa na mwamuzi kutokana na Ngoula kuucheza mpira kwa mkono ndani ya eneo la hatari. Beki huyo wa Stars alikwenda kupiga penalti hiyo akionekana kutojiamini kabla ya shuti lake kupanguliwa na kipa Effala. Kipindi cha pili Stars ilicheza kwa nguvu na hapana shaka ndiyo walitawala sehemu kubwa, wakifanya mashambulizi mara kwa mara.
Ngasa aliyeisumbua zaidi ngome ya Cameroon alimjaribu kwa shuti la mwendo mrefu kipa Offala ambaye alifanya kazi nzuri ya kulizuia. Kiungo chipukizi Abubakary naye alikaribia kufunga kwa Stars kama siyo shuti lake kuchezwa na kipa wa cameroon ambaye sehemu kubwa ya kipindi cha pili hakupumzika kuokoa hatari.
Pamoja na kufanya mabadiliko mengi kipindi cha pili, Stars waliendelea kutawala mchezo na kuwafunika Cameroon sehemu ya kiungo.
Katika mchezo huo, Stars ilifanya mabadiliko kwa kumtoa Mwinyi na kuingia Thomas Ulimwengu ambaye aliongeza nguvu ya mashambulizi.
Kipa wa Cameroon Efalla akiondosha hatari langoni mwake Patashika kwenye lango la Cameroon Mbwana Samatta akionesha udambwidambwi wake Samattaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa goooooooooooollll Mbwana Samatta akishangilia goli Uingereza yaichapa Brazil Katika mchezo mwingine uliochezwa huko duniani kati ya Uingereza na Brazil uliopigwa katika dimba la Wembley mashabiki wa soka wameshuhudia Uingereza ikiishushia kisago Brazil cha bao 2-1. Goli la kwanza la Uingereza lilitupiwa kambani na Wayne Rooney baada ya kazi nzuri iliyofanywa na Jack Wilshere na Theo Walcott na mpira kumkuta Rooney nae bila ajizi akatupia kambani. Katika mchezo huo Brazil walioonekana kuzidiwa sehemu ya katikati ambapo wachezaji kama Wilshere,Walcott na Cleverly walionekana kuwasumbua wabrazil sehemu ya katikati. na kuwafanya kina Ronaldhino Gaucho na Oscar kushindwa kufurukuta.
Ronaldhino alikosa penati katika mchezo huo iliyookolewa kitaalamu na kipa Joe Hart, Goli la kusawazisha la Brazil lilitupiwa kambani na Adriano kabla Frank Lampard hajatupia goli la pili na la ushindi kwa Uingereza. Ronaldhino akicontrol mpira mbele ya Rooney Rooney na wachezaji wenzake wakishangilia goli Jack Wilshere akichanja mbuga Mshikemshike Wilshere na Oscar Ronaldinho akijaribu kumalizia mpira wa penati uliiokolewa na Joe Hart bila mafanikio Lampard akishangilia goli Neymar chini ya ulinzi wa Gary Cahill Mashabiki wa England
Nigeria yatinga fainali baada ya kuicharaza Mali magoli 4-1
katika mchezo wa kwanza wa nusu fainali za Kombe la Afrika.
Elderson Echiejile aliifungia Nigeria goli la kuongoza katika dk 24 na Ideye akaongeza msumari wa pili katika dk 29 ya mchezo. Goli la tatu lilitupiwa kambani na Emenike katika dk 45 baada ya mpira
alioupiga kumgonga Momo Sissoko wa Mali. Hadi mapumziko Nigeria ilikuwa ikiongoza kwa 3-0. Ahmed Musa alizidi kuleta majonzi kwa mashabiki wa Mali alipofunga bao la nne
katika 59. Mali ilizidi kusaka bao, katika dakika ya 74 Cheikh Diarra aliifungia timu
yake bao la kufutia machozi. Nigeria kuingia nusu fainali waliwabwaga Ivory Coast 2-1, timu ambayo ilikuwa
inapewa nafasi kubwa ya kucheza fainali kutokana na ubora wa wachezaji wake. Nayo Mali iliwatoa wenyeji wa mashindano Afrika Kusini kwa njia ya mikwaju ya
penalti 3-1 baada ya timu hizo kucheza dakika 120 zikiwa zimefungana goli
1-1. Timu nyingine katika nusu fainali za Afcon ni Ghana itakayokwaruzana na
Burkina Faso. Ghana waliitoa Cape Verde katika hatua ya robo fainali kwa magoli
2-0, huku Burkina Faso wakiifunga Togo kwa goli 1-0. Sasa Nigeria inamsubiri mshindi kati ya Ghana na Burkina Faso zinazocheza
mchezo wa pili wa nusu fainali za Kombe la Mataifa ya Afrika 2013. Wachezaji wa Nigeria wakimpongeza Emenike kwa kutupia bao maridadi sana Tulia wewe sisi tumeahidiwa mademu alaah Mlinda mlango wa Mali haamini kilichotokea Hapa kazi tu kulala kwenuu Mashabiki wa Nigeria wakilipuka kwa shangwe baada ya Nigeria kutinga fainali ya kombe la mataifa ya Afrika kwa kuibandua Mali 4-1
Burkina Faso, imetinga fainali baada ya kuilaza Ghana kwa njia
ya mikwaju ya penalti baada ya timu hizo kutoka sare ya 1-1 katika dakika 120 za
mchezo, ukiwa ni mchezo wa pili wa nusu fainali za kombe la mataifa ya
Afrika.
Katika kipindi cha kwanza Ghana mnamo dk 12 walijipatia bao kwa mkwaju wa penati iliyopigwa na Wakasso. Bao hilo lilidumu mpaka mapumziko Ghana wakiwa kifua mbele,Kipindi cha pili kilianza kwa kasi huku kila timu ikitafuta bao na dk 59 bundi aliangukia katika lango la Ghana na mshambuliaji hatari A.Bance aliipatia Burkina Faso bao la kusawazisha na matokeo kuwa 1-1 katika dimba la Mbombela mchezo ukihudhuriwa na mashabiki 35,000.
Ghana ambao walikuwa wanapewa nafasi kubwa kucheza fainali, walishindwa
kutamba mbele ya vijana wa Burkina Faso na kulazimika mikwaju ya penalti
inatumika. Ghana walipata penalti mbili tu, huku mbili zikipigwa nje na moja
ikipanguliwa na mlinda mlango wa Burkina Faso. Sasa Ghana itachuana na Mali kumtafuta mshindi wa tatu siku ya Jumamosi. Jumapili, ndiyo siku yenyewe ya kujulikana bingwa. Je, ni Nigeria au Burkina
Faso? Dakika 90 zitatoa jibu la kitendawili hicho. A.Bance mfungaji wa goli la Burkinabe Wakasso akiipatia goli Ghana kwa mkwaju wa penati mapema kabisa ya mchezo. Mlinda mlango wa Burkinabe akiokoa hatari langoni mwake Wachezaji wa Burkina Faso wakishangilia kutinga fainali baada ya mlinda mlango wao kupangua penati ya mwisho. Mlinda mlango wa Burkina Faso Asamoah Gyan Chini ya Ulinzi
Wenger: 'Our defence was very solid' Dear Arsenal supporter,
Stoke City made it difficult for us on Saturday, as they always do. They were well organised and denied us space, and when we did get chances their goalkeeper did very well.
But overall I feel we deserved to win the game and we got what we wanted, even if there was some fortune when Lukas Podolski's free-kick took a deflection.
It took some time for the goal to be given because the linesman put his flag up, but although Walcott was in an offside position he was not interfering with play. So it was the right decision to let the goal stand.
Speaking of Theo, I was impressed with the way he handled himself in what is traditionally a physical game for us. He received some strong tackles but he showed full commitment and a desire to impose himself. He is a different player now.
We knew we would have to grind out the result and that's what we did. It was crucial not to concede and I must say our defence was very solid. Nacho Monreal had a good debut, he got stronger and stronger as the game went on. There is no better introduction to English football than a game against Stoke!
We are a bit more mature now and we dealt well with Stoke's game plan. Peter Crouch is a handful because he is not only physical, he is technically very good. He uses space well and in his link play he is international class.
We are older and a bit more experienced these days and you could see that in our defence. Sagna, Nacho, Koscielny and Mertesacker - they have experience and stature.
In England you have to deal with all types of football without losing sight of how you want to play. It is not always easy because if you have a team of 10 Santi Cazorla's technically you would be very good but against a team like Stoke you would struggle.
We are in a close race with a number of teams for a Champions League place and some results went our way at the weekend with Chelsea losing and Everton drawing. We dropped points against Liverpool but we couldn't afford to do that again on Saturday.
The quality of our performance is there, the spirit is there and our belief and confidence is high. Now we must focus on another big game at Sunderland next weekend.