stars in Europe - Uche not angry at Nigeria World Cup snub

The Villarreal striker was not picked by Keshi, despite scoring 12 goals in the Spanish top flight this season. Uche has not played for his country since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. The 30-year-old insists, however, that he holds no grudges against Keshi. "Of course as a professional footballer you'd love to represent your country, but I have never had bad words towards the national coach," Uche is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most reliable strikers at international level and is one of his nation's all-time top scorers, with 18 goals in 45 appearances, behind Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. 

10 May 2014
2014 World Cup - squad - Shola Ameobi in provisional Nigeria squad

Stoke striker Peter Odemwingie and Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi are in Nigeria's provisional 30-man World Cup squad for Brazil 2014.

7 May 2014
stars in Europe - Wilfried Bony - Ivory Coast striker happy at Swansea City

The Ivorian has scored 24 goals in all competitions since joining the Swans from Vitesse Arnhem for a club-record fee of £12m last summer. Bony, 25, has been the bright spot in a disappointing Premier League season. 

4 May 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - MOROCCO - COACH - former player Badou Zaki confirmed as new coach

Zaki takes charge of the Atlas Lions for the second time in his career.

3 May 2014
club - coaches - Youssef resigns as Al Ahly coach

Al Ahly has accepted the resignation of coach Mohamed Youssef on Thursday. Youssef had been in charge of Al Ahly since May last year following the resignation Hossam El Badry.

2 May 2014
African Champions League 2014 - DR Congo rivals drawn together

TP Mazemebe, runners-up in last year's Confederation Cup, and AS Vita Club are fierce rivals

30 Apr 2014
African Confederation Cup 2014: play offs - 2nd leg - fixtures & results

Fixtures and results for the 2014 Confed Cup.
2013 champions: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)

Winners advance to group stage

29 Apr 2014

STARS IN EUROPE - GHANA - CLUB - Majeed Waris targets French Ligue 1 survival with Lorient

FC Lorient Abdul Majeed Waris

 

Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris has put French club Lorient's Ligue 1 survival above personal glory after his ninth goal of the season helped the club claim a 5:1 win over Metz.

Lorient needed a victory on Saturday to keep their survival hopes alive.

Michael Ciani opened the scoring before Waris added a second and Jimmy Cabot scored a brace.

Cameroon's Nations Cup-winning captain Benjamin Moukandjo added his 13th of the season to seal a comprehensive win.

Benjamin Moukandjo

 

The Brittany-based club currently lie 16th in the Ligue 1 table, two points above the relegation zone with four games left.

But the 25-year-old forward believes the victory against Metz can give his side a much-needed boost.

Waris hopes to help keep Lorient in France's top division - to end the season on a high

"I was excited to get on the scoresheet, but the most important thing was that the team got a very important win, so I am very happy," Waris told BBC Sport.

"The players gave everything on the pitch and we got our rewards.

We deserved it and it was a fantastic performance.

"We are happy with this win and we need to win more games now because the important thing this season is that we stay in Ligue 1."

Waris previously suffered relegation in France with Valenciennes in 2014, despite scoring an impressive nine goals in 16 games that season.

But the Black Star - who was a surprise omission from the Ghana squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations - hopes his experience and mental strength will help Lorient's bid for survival.

"If we continue working hard for the rest of the season I believe we'll win games away and at home," he said.

"We have players with strong mental ability and the will to survive, so we have to make the most of that.

"The atmosphere in the changing room after the game against Metz was fantastic.

Hopefully it's the start of many more here."

Lorient travel to Nantes next weekend, then host Angers on 5 May, followed by a trip to bottom-placed SC Bastia, before hosting Bordeaux on the final day of the season on 20 May.

 

25 Apr 2017
(BBC Sport by Oluwashina Okeleji)

Related countries

Related articles