| A report in Greece's national newspaper, 'Ta Nea' | | | | Everton Ace Joseph Yobo, who is said to have |
| has suggested that the Greek National teams | | | | received healing at The SCOAN from a hamstring |
| biggest threat to their South African dreams | | | | injury sustained at the AFCON. |
| come June is none other than Nigeria's own Pastor | | | | “The Synagogue Church of all Nations is |
| TB Joshua... | | | | famous in Africa among the soccer players and |
| With Greece and Nigeria drawn in the same group | | | | the coaches,” wrote George Nasmis, a sports |
| for the first ever African World Cup in South | | | | writer for Ta Nea. “Its platform is found in a |
| Africa, the Greek Press has taken keen interest | | | | poor area of the capital of Nigeria, Lagos, and its |
| in the circumstances behind the Super Eagles | | | | spiritual pastor is T.B. Joshua.” Describing The |
| dramatic qualification. Greek manager Otto | | | | SCOAN as a 'specialist in soccer miracles', the |
| Rehhagel, who was at the helm of affairs at their | | | | article then recounted Shaibu Amodu's visit to the |
| historic European triumph in 2004, is also said to | | | | church, even as a Muslim, where he thanked God |
| have taken note of the pastor's input in Nigerian | | | | for Nigeria's qualification against all odds. |
| football. “The pastor is considered the | | | | “The qualification of the Super Eagles to the |
| greatest opponent of Otto Rehhagel in the World | | | | finals of the World Cup was almost impossible and |
| Cup of SA, because it appears he is responsible | | | | only a miracle would save us,” Ta Nea quoted |
| for Nigeria's qualification to the finals,” said the | | | | Amodu as saying at a thanksgiving service in The |
| report, aptly titled 'The Father Of Football Miracles'. | | | | SCOAN. “Some believed that even that would |
| The story chronicled Joshua's recent rise to | | | | not be enough. But after Joshua's intervention the |
| relevance in African football, noting his purported | | | | team qualified”. Nigeria dramatically qualified for |
| impact in Ghana's U-20 World Cup victory as well | | | | the World Cup after a last-gasp triumph over |
| as his influence in Nigeria's impressive outing at the | | | | Kenya, with the unfortunate Tunisia falling to |
| U-17 World Cup where they eventually turned out | | | | Mozambique. Nigeria and Greece will also have to |
| runners up. Aside from his prophetic insight to | | | | surmount the challenges of facing Argentina and |
| coaches, the article also mentioned notable players | | | | South Korea in their bid to get past the group |
| who had received prayers from Joshua for | | | | stages in South Africa. |
| various injuries, the most recent of which was | | | | |