Nigerian Football

Nigeria Pitch Award: Furore Over Olanrewaju’s Omission

Published

7 years ago

May 18, 2017

BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA

Like every sports poll, enthusiasts are divided on some of the shortlisted candidates for the Nigeria Pitch Award holding in Uyo next month. In the voting done largely by sports editorial helmsmen in various Nigerian media, some football enthusiasts faulted the inclusion of Mikel Obi and the exclusion of Nigeria’s highest goal scorer in Europe this season, Kayode Olanrewaju.

For the greater part of the season, it was argued, Mikel was inactive and did not play any match for Chelsea and had to seek career development in China.

Even in the Chinese League, his playing time had been cut short by injury which he had to travel to Europe to treat. On the other hand, Olanrewaju, the FK Austria Wien striker who is in the race for highest scorer award in the Austrian Bundesliga, was omitted.

But one of the sports editors that voted explained that the award is not necessarily for the current season, but that of last year and it is just holding now for logistic reasons. Though it may be an isolated case, Sports Village Square witnessed a near fracas at Ikotun Egbe are of Lagos over the inclusion of Mikel and the exclusion of Olanrewaju.

The award which sees the likes of Victor Moses of Chelsea, Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City and host of others stars jostling to bag a laurels will take place in Uyo, shortly after the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match with South Africa.

Nigerian Football

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

Published

46 mins 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

1 day 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

1 day 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.