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African Beach Soccer Union President highlights expectation ahead of AFCON 2022
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The President of the African Beach Soccer Union Mr. Mahmoud Hadejia is expecting top-quality football with razzmatazz at the 2022 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This year’s edition will take place in Vilankulo, Mozambique from October 21 with eight teams taking part.
“Beach Soccer AFCON is top there just as the football AFCON for men and women. In beach soccer, this is the top stage you can think of in terms of continental competitions for national teams.
This has been going on for years. Beach Soccer Worldwide was organising the competition for Africa but in 2013, CAF took over. Nigeria hosted the 2016 edition in Lagos. We have been having some African countries coming up.” Mahmud Hadejia said on a radio program (Super FM, Ijebu Ode) this week.
Senegal won the last edition, defeating Mozambique at home in Saly, where Hadejia, who doubles as the Coordinator of the Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) was present with some of the ABSU officials despite Nigeria’s absence.
“Rwanda, Mozambique who was newcommer participated at the last World Cup.” Mahmud Hadejia continued. “We are expecting a lot of excitement, and progress in terms of the general play of the game and our teas and we would expect to have a good tournament in a couple of weeks in Vilankulo in Mozambique.”
Host, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda, Madagascar, and Egypt will participate at the 2022 Beach Soccer AFCON.
Two Nigerian players, Emeka Ogbonna and Abu Azeez made the top 100 Beach soccer players in the world and Hadejia is upbeat more talents to be discovered from the Nigeria Beach Soccer League at this year’s Super 4 finals.
He said: “Having Emeka Ogbonna and Abu Azeez being named in the top 100 players in the world is a big motivation for all upcoming Beach Soccer players to know that there is a future in the game and they can make a name in this game. The future is really bright. It’s never been like this in beach soccer as far as the country is concerned.
“We are moving forward and not going to rest with what we are doing with lots of talents coming out from this league. The beauty with the current Beach soccer league in Nigeria is the fact that we have almost all the former Sand Eagles players that have gathered a lot of experience over the years. Playing with the upcoming ones really helps the league.
“I could remember that earlier on in the league we had the likes of Isiaka Olawale and Victor Tale. These are legends of the game. They have played in this league and also shared lots of experiences and knowledge with the upcoming ones and that is what we need.
“We have a technical study group that studies all the players and the technical play to see how we can share this information with the team so that we can improve technically. This is very important and we are seeing the results on the pitch of play. Congratulations to the two nominated Nigerian players. We want to have more of them in that category,” he concluded.
The 2022 Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) Super 4 will feature holders, Kebbi Beach Soccer Club, Smart City FC, Kada Beach Soccer Club, and Badagry Warriors jostling for the league title.
