Sports
Italy break 60 years record by failing to qualify for world Cup
Italian football suffered one of its greatest disasters as the national side missed out on the World Cup finals for the first time in 60 years.
Despite relentless pressure and countless chances the Azzurri failed to overturn the 1-0 deficit from the first leg, plunging the football-mad nation into anger and despair.
Now November 13, 2017 will go down in infamy as one of its darkest nights.
In the short term national coach Gian Piero Ventura will almost certainly be sacked, and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will retire.
But the shock waves will reverberate far and wide in country whose national team has been a fixture at 14 successive finals and has won the World Cup four times. They are expected to qualify as an absolute bare minimum.
Ventura’s side, toothless in the first leg, carved out enough opportunities to break the deadlock in the San Siro but a combination of bad luck, bad finishing and inspired defending denied them.
The upshot is that today a bewildered, disbelieving nation is waking up to the prospect of watching Russia 2018 without the famous blue jerseys of Italy.
In contrast the Swedish side that somehow kept Italy at bay have become instant national heroes.
In the wake of talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s retirement Swedish football was thought to be facing decline, bu, instead, Janne Andersson’s men have carved their place in national folklore.
“I’m not sorry for myself but all of Italian football,” said Buffon.
“We failed at something which also means something on a social level. There’s regret at finishing like that, not because time passes.
“Those who’ve played know how hard these matches are. We weren’t able to express ourselves at our best.
“We lacked the composure to score. Play-offs are decided by episodes and they went against us but you can understand that when you’re at fault.
“We have pride, strength and we’re stubborn. We know how to get back up again as we’ve always done.
“I’m leaving an Italy side that will know how to speak for itself. Hugs to everyone, especially those I’ve shared this wonderful journey with.
“Blame is shared equally between everyone. There can’t be scapegoats. Win together, lose together.”
As kick-off approached the white-hot atmosphere in the San Siro reflected the high stakes, although the crowd took their passion too far by whistling the Swedish national anthem.
Ventura’s side started positively with Southampton’s Manolo Gabbiadini partnering Ciro Immobile in attack.
However despite early pressure they were finding it tough to create clear-cut chances.
The Italians did manage to carve the Swedish defence open in the 27th minute when an exquisite lobbed pass from Jorginho found Immobile in space on the left.
He cut it back across goal and it fell for Antonio Candreva, whose effort skimmed the top of the crossbar.
Five minutes from half-time Immobile got on the end of another gorgeous Jorginho pass and beat Swedish keeper Robin Olsen, only for Granqvist to get back to clear.
It looked as if the Swedes’ brave resistance was about to crack under the strain, and Allessandro Florenzi had another glorious chance just before half-time but Olsen saved brilliantly to preserve the 0-0 scoreline.
The second half opened with another claim for a penalty – this time when right-back Mikael Lustig’s knee connected with Darmian’s ribcage – but again referee Lahoz was unmoved.
In the 53rd minute Florenzi again came close, this time with an acrobatic volley from the edge of the 18-yard box.
The Swedes seemed to have taken the sting out of the Italian threat and even had a handful of half chances to themselves.
However in the 87th minute El Shaarawy crashed in a volley that was well saved, yet again, by Olsen.
As the match ticked over into added time the Italians became desperate, and Buffon hauled his ageing body upfield for their last two corners.
But is was all in vain, and when the referee blew for time the Azzurri players collapsed on the turf as a crescendo of boos rang round the the San Siro. The unthinkable had happened.
“We had no weapons left,” said Sweden coach Jan Andersson.
“We just had to sit there and hope that we could hang on.
“We couldn’t do it in any other way, they are so skilful.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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