Nigerian Football

Rivers United’s Ayo Saka Wins Maiden VAT Wonder Goal Award

Published

7 years ago

May 31, 2017

Ayo Saka’s 39th minute goal for Rivers United has been voted the VAT Wonder Goal in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 20.
Saka beat off a still challenge from Enyimba’s Ugochukwu Leonard to emerge with the popular votes cast by fans in the poll conducted on the NPFL twitter handle @lmcnpfl and the official website of the league, www.npfl.ng.
Ugochukwu beat Saka in the twitter polls, earning 47% of the votes while Saka had 38% and Afolabi Abdulwaheed picked 15%.
However, Saka who recently joined Rivers United from Sunshine Stars edged Ugochukwu by a cumulative vote of 89.5% after he picked up 51.5% of the votes cast by fans on the website with Ugochukwu winning 37.9% to end on a total of 84.9%. Abdulwaheed of Gombe United finished third with 25.6%.
In the match against Nasarawa United, Saka had perfectly controlled a pass from Zoumana Doumbia on the left flank and with his second touch of the ball, drove into the 18 yard box past two Nasarawa United defenders before unleashing a left hook from 12 yards to the roof of the net for the only goal of the fixture.
Voters favoured his effort ahead of the long range strike from over 35 yards by Ugochukwu against Remo Stars at the Sagamu Stadium.
Saka thus emerges the winner of the inaugural VAT Wonder Goal, an initiative of the League Management Company (LMC) to enhance club-community engagement and also support the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) mass campaign on tax education.
Saka will receive N150, 000 from which he will donate 50% to a charity of his choice in Rivers State where his club is based.
The prize will be presented at the next home fixture of Rivers United after their continental engagement in Uganda this weekend.

Nigerian Football

Rivers flow to the top!

Published

6 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.

It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.

Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85^th minute.

Sunday Results

Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

Nigerian Football

Enyimba’s duel with Katsina United plunges into darkness

Published

6 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Nigerian champions, Enyimba were coasting to a comfortable 3-0 lead before the game got enveloped by darkness.

The game could not be completed after 75 minutes when the floodlights of the arena suddenly went off.

According to a post on Enymba x-handle, the match will resume at 8.00 am on Monday “ as agreed by both teams and the match officials.”

Sunday Results

Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

Nigerian Football

Amuneke’s Heartland secures first win this season

Published

6 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Heartland finally got into winning ways on Sunday after the Owerri side secured a 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.

The club, under former Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke had gone four matches without a win, finding themselves swimming in the murky waters of relegation.

A brace by Michael Ogu has lifted the club which climbed up to the 16^th position. They had begun the season badly losing at home to Enyimba and failing to win any of the subsequent three matches.

Sunday Results