Nigerian Football

Rivers United eye Champions’ League Group Stage

Published

7 years ago

February 21, 2017

Rivers United which will face perennial continental competitors, Al-Merrikh of Sudan in the next round of the CAF Champions League are confident of retaining the form that saw them pummel Malian side, Real Bamako last Sunday.

According to the Media Officer of the club, Sammy Wejinya, midfielders: Bernard Ovoke and Esosa Igbinoba have both spoken about their happiness following starring roles in Sunday’s CAF Champions League defeat of AS Real Bamako.

The duo helped themselves to braces as United outclassed the Malian side 4-0 in the second leg, preliminary round clash at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.

Ovoke explained that the weight of expectation as he prepared to take a 35th minute penalty which saw him open the scoring never weighed him down.

“I was not nervous before I took that spot kick. I am never nervous in such situations.

“All I was thinking about was making sure I hit the ball as hard as I could.

“It is a privilege to be the first ever Rivers United player to score in the CAF Champions League,” he told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com

Igbinoba also spoke about his goal scoring contributions. The midfielder said it was pleasing to score while adding that the big win over the Malians was not as easy as the score line suggested.

“I wasn’t happy that I had not scored for the club in my previous matches so to score twice in such an important match means a lot to me.

“It was a big win but the match was very difficult for us, especially in the first half.

“The turning point was our second goal. I think they gave up after that,” he said.

Rivers United will face Sudanese club, Al-Merrikh, over two legs, in the first round of the competition.

The first leg will be played in Port Harcourt on March 12 with the return fixture taking place at the Al-Merrikh Stadium, Omdurman a week later. The winner of the tie will qualify for the group stage of the competition.

Nigerian Football

GTI enlarges coast…spreads from League fund-raising to Federation Cup

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation, GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd has expanded their scope of operations from fund sourcing for the Nigeria Premier League to adding the responsibility of getting the national cup competition back into its glamorous days.

The MD of the company, Abubakar Lawal at the unveiling a revamped Federation Cup which has been renamed President Federation Cup remarked that his company decided to take a bold step to support the national cup.

“I am the happiest man today, he said in the opening remark of the rebranding of the national cup through signing of Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Sports and the NFF.

“Our company is also strategically involved in ensuring that the President Federation Cup is given necessary attention to thrive using The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF) as our vehicle to actualise this dream.

“Therefore, it is our vision that the oldest domestic football event becomes one of the best organised football events in the world in no distant future.”

Nigerian Football

Ikenne’s Beyond Limit Football Academy top goal chart as NNL releases vital statistics

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The secretariat of the Nigeria National League has released the match statistics of the four conferences of the 2024 season.

With 198 matches so far played in Conferences A and B, 426 goals were scored, with 125 home wins and 26 away wins, representing 63.1%, & 26% respectively. There were 47 draw matches, representing 23.7% of matches. 299 home goals were scored, and 127 home goals.

Beyond Limit FC scored the highest goals of 33 goals, with Stormers FC and Ekiti United conceeding the least goals of 28 goals. Tradesafe and Solution FC scored the least numbers of goals of 11 goals and Osun conceded the least numbers of goals of 8.

In group C & D, 209 goals have been scored in the 106 so far played, with 70 home wins and 14 won away representing 66. 3% and 13.1% respectively.

Teams drew 31 matches representing 29.2% of the matches played. Wikki Tourists scored the highest numbers of goals, with 23 goals, while EFCC FC conceded the least numbers of goals. They conceded 18 goals. Nasarawa United’s 8 goals conceded made them the team that conceded the lowest numbers of goals, while ABS scored the least number of goals of 5 goals.

Nigerian Football

Heartland back to their homeland as they host Shooting Stars

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY TOSIN OMOJOLA, OWERRI

The uncertainty surrounding our Matchday 31 encounter against Heartland FC of Owerri, has been cleared with the game eventually slated to hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, the home ground of the host team

The Nigeria Premier League has given the approval to the stadium after an inspection was carried out on Wednesday afternoon.

The Oluyole Warriors have since arrived the Imo State capital and have settled down ahead of Friday’s clash which will be be shown live on cable television.

Meanwhile, the Technical Adviser of the Ibadan soccer lords, Gbenga Ogunbote, while addressing the players on arrival at their hotel, urged them not to be distracted by the development.

“I want to apologise to you on the change of venue. We got to know about it some hours ago, but be that as it may, I want us to remain focused as and get the desired results we needed”.

In the same vein, the players of the Ibadan soccer lords, said they are not in any way moved by the change of venue, expressing their readiness to get the maximum points, not minding the venue.