Niger national football team

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Niger
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Mena
Association Niger Football Federation
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Head coach Rolland Courbis
Home stadium Stade Général Seyni Kountché
FIFA code NIG
FIFA ranking 98
Highest FIFA ranking 68 (November 1994)
Lowest FIFA ranking 196 (August 2002)
Elo ranking 117
Home colours
Away colours
First international
 Nigeria 1–0 Niger Niger
(Senegal; 11 April 1963)
Biggest win
 Niger 7–1 Mauritania 
(Niamey, Niger; 12 October 1990)
Biggest defeat
 Niger 1–9 Ghana 
(Niger; 21 September 1969)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 1 (First in 2012)
Best result Group Stage, 2012

The Niger national football team, nicknamed the Menas,[1][2] is overseen by the Fédération Nigerienne de Football and a member of CAF. Niger plays in the colors of the Flag of Niger, white, green, and orange. Their nickname comes from the Dama Gazelle, native to Niger, the Hausa name of which is Meyna or Ménas[3] The Dama appears on their badge in the colors of of the national flag.

Contents

[edit] History

Although one of the weaker sides in the strong West Africa region, Niger has produced a couple of noteworthy runs in qualifying tournaments.

One of their best performances was in the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, in which Niger eliminated Somalia and Togo on away goals, but were beaten by Algeria in the third round where only eight teams were left. Notable players in this run included Jacques Komlan, Hassane Adamou and Moussa Kanfideni.

In 1990 they set one record – they trashed Mauritania 7–1 in continental qualifiers, which is for now the highest win for Mena.

In the 2004 African Nations Cup qualifiers, Niger won all their home games (including a win over Guinea) to finish on 9 points, just 3 short of qualification.

The Niger squad is also plagued by financial concerns, which have caused them to withdraw from international tournaments on more than one occasion. The Niger FA would have turned to fundraising to pay for their trip to the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola, had they qualified.[4]

In June 2008, Romanian coach Dan Anghelescu[5] took over as team manager from Hamey Amadou, who was dismissed. Anghelescu had been coaching in Africa since 1999, training teams from Algeria, Tunisia and Burkina Faso. On 19 December 2008, Anghelescu was dismissed after a disastrous six-month spell. Former Niger U-17 coach Frederic Costa was appointed the new head coach of the Niger national side. Harouna Doula Gabde, a former Nigerien international, succeeded him in 2009.[6]

Despite a failed run for ACON2010, Niger hosted and won the UEMOA Tournament in November 2010, and followed up with their first ever qualification for the African Nations Championship in February 2011.[7]

On 10 October 2010, Niger earned a shock 1–0 win over Egypt at home in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualification.

After home wins -- but away losses -- over South Africa and Sierra Leone, on 8 October 2011 Niger qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in its history.[8][9]

[edit] Competition recrds

[edit] World Cup record

[edit] Africa Cup of Nations record

[edit] Head-to-Head Records against other countries

As of March 28, 2011

  • Match versus Libya in November 2010 finished 1–1, but Niger lost 4–1 in penalty shootout, thus that counts as a defeat (penalties not counted)

[edit] Recent results and forthcoming fixtures

Date Location Opponent Score Scorers for Niger Competition
June 19, 2010 Niamey, Niger  Chad 1 – 1 Koffi Dan Kowa 90' Friendly
August 11, 2010 Porto Novo, Benin  Benin 0 – 0 N/A Friendly
September 4, 2010 Nelspruit, South Africa  South Africa 0 – 2 N/A 2012 CAF Qualifying
October 10, 2010 Niamey, Niger  Egypt 1 – 0 Ouwo Moussa Maazou 7' 2012 CAF Qualifying
November 17, 2010 Tripoli, Libya  Libya 1 – 1 Ouwo Moussa Maazou 73' Friendly
February 9, 2011 Marrakech, Morocco  Morocco 0 – 3 N/A Friendly
March 27, 2011 Niamey, Niger  Sierra Leone 3 – 1 Alhassane Issoufou 64', Modibo Sidibé 79', Kamilou Daouda 89' 2012 CAF Qualifying
June 4, 2011 Freetown, Sierra Leone  Sierra Leone 0 – 1 N/A 2012 CAF Qualifying
August 10, 2011 Niamey, Niger  Togo 3 – 3 Ouwo Moussa Maazou 45', 70', Kamilou Daouda 80' Friendly
August 14, 2011 Monrovia, Liberia  Liberia 0 – 0 N/A Friendly
September 4, 2011 Niamey, Niger  South Africa 2 – 1 Koffi Dan Kowa 15', Ouwo Moussa Maazou 47' 2012 CAF Qualifying
October 8, 2011 Cairo, Egypt  Egypt 0 – 3 N/A 2012 CAF Qualifying

[edit] Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations:

No. Pos. Player DoB/Age Caps Club
1 1GK Rabo Saminou 23 May 1985 (aged 26) Niger Sahel
2 4FW Ouwo Moussa Maazou 25 August 1988 (aged 23) France Le Mans FC
3 3MF Abdoul-Karim Lancina 20 May 1987 (aged 24) Cameroon Cotonsport Garoua
4 2DF Amadou Kader 5 April 1989 (aged 22) Niger Olympic
5 2DF Jimmy Bulus 22 October 1986 (aged 25) Algeria NA Hussein Dey
6 3MF Idrissa Laouali 9 November 1983 (aged 28) Niger ASFAN
7 3MF Seidou Idrissa 24 December 1988 (aged 23) Cameroon Cotonsport Garoua
8 3MF Olivier Bonnes 7 February 1990 (aged 21) France Lille
9 4FW Daouda Kamilou 29 December 1987 (aged 24) Tunisia CS Sfaxien
10 3MF Boubacar Talatou 12 March 1989 (aged 22) South Africa Orlando Pirates
11 4FW Alhassane Issoufou 1 January 1981 (aged 31) Morocco Raja Casablanca
12 2DF Djibrill Moussa 7 May 1992 (aged 19) Niger AS GNN
13 2DF Chikoto Mohamed 28 February 1989 (aged 22) South Africa Platinum Stars
14 3MF Boubacar Issoufou 2 February 1990 (aged 21) Thailand Phuket
15 2DF Sulliman Mazadou 11 April 1985 (aged 26) France Marignane
16 1GK Kassaly Daouda 19 August 1983 (aged 28) Cameroon Cotonsport Garoua
17 3MF William N'Gounou 31 July 1983 (aged 28) Sweden IF Limhamn Bunkeflo
18 2DF Koffi Dan Kowa 19 September 1989 (aged 22) Tunisia ES Zarzis
19 2DF Issiaka Koudize Niger AS GNN
20 3MF Moutari Amadou Niger Akokana
21 3MF Yacouba Ali Côte d'Ivoire Africa Sports
22 1GK Losseny Doumbia 5 April 1992 (aged 19) Democratic Republic of the Congo DC Motema Pembé
23 2DF Mohamed Soumaïla Niger Olympic

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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