Nigerian Football

Pinnick Looks Forward to 4th Nigeria Pitch Awards

Published

7 years ago

June 6, 2017

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged organizers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards to ensure a seamless fourth edition of the Awards, which ceremony comes up in Uyo on Saturday.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, the CAF Executive Committee member and President of the Organizing Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations insisted the NFF has continued to back the Pitch Awards because the leadership is enamoured by its transparency, credibility and integrity in the four years of the event.

“The Nigeria Football Federation is satisfied with the processes that the organizers bring into play for selection of voters, nomination, collation and eventual declaration of the winners. We urge the organizers to retain those processes for the good of the Awards.

“Awards serve a special purpose for professionals; they motivate in a way that we can hardly imagine.”

Organizers of the Awards, Matchmakers Consult International Limited, confirmed to thenff.com on Tuesday that Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, who is nominated for Football Friendly Governor of the Year alongside Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers, will attend Saturday night’s programme, scheduled to begin at 8pm at the Nwaniba Hall of the Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort.

The nominees for the 4^th Nigeria Pitch Awards were made known last month, after SIAO Partners Limited, the collating and verification firm, released the results to the Nigeria Football Federation.

In a letter to the NFF President, signed by SIAO’s Managing Partner, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the auditing firm explained that the voting was done by Nigeria sports editors/managers across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.

THE NOMINEES

Goalkeeper of the Year: Vincent Enyeama; Carl Ikeme; Ikechukwu Ezenwa

Defender of the Year: Leon Balogun; Kenneth Omeruo; William Ekong

Midfielder of the Year: John Mikel Obi; Etebo Oghenekaro; Wilfred Ndidi

Striker of the Year: Chisom Egbuchulam; Godwin Obaje; Kelechi Iheanacho

MVP (Men) In The NPFL: Godwin Obaje; Stephen Odey; Chisom Egbuchulam

MVP (Women) In The NWPL: Osinachi Ohale; Rafiat Sule; Chioma Wogu

Queen of the Pitch: Desire Oparanozie; Onome Ebi; Asisat Oshoala

King of the Pitch: Victor Moses; John Mikel Obi; Kelechi Iheanacho

Sam Okwaraji Award: Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah; Samson Siasia; John Mikel Obi

Club/Team of the Year: Super Falcons; Dream Team; Enugu Rangers

Coach of the Year: Florence Omagbemi; Gernot Rohr; Imama Amapakabo

Referee of the Year: Adebimpe Quadri; Jelili Ogunmuyiwa; Ferdinand Udoh

Corporate Sponsor of the Year: Globacom Limited; SuperSport; Nigeria Breweries PLC

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.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars add fuel to the fire as title chase turns East – West battle

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Added time-goal specialists, Remo Stars pulled off one of their now familiar traits, chalking up a valuable point as Skipper Nduka Junior scored in the 90+4 minute to scuttle an impending victory by Doma United on Wednesday evening.

When all-hope seemed over, Remo Stars had scored hope-reviving goals as they did against Lobi Stars, Insurance and a host of others in the Nigeria Premier League.

Getting a valuable point take them from fifth position to fourth their haul to 50, just a point below that of second and third placed Enyimba and Lobi Stars respectively.

The 1-1 scoreline also changed the complexion of the league table as their South West rivals were pushed down from their initial fourth position.

As it is, the struggle for the title is taking regional colouration as the top two- Enugu Rangers and Enyimba are from the South East while fourth and fifth – Remo Stars and Shooting Stars are from the South West.

Lobi Stars from the middle belt, stand in-between the South East and South West in the power struggle.

Remo Stars at the fourth position however still have an outstanding home game against Rivers United and that could still change the positions of the top six teams when the match is played.

Attention will now shift to match-day 31 as the league embarks on its home stretch.

On Friday, relegation-bound Heartland will be hosting rejuvenated Shooting Stars who have suddenly discovered they could return to continental competition next seasons after 25 years.

They have lately been having unbeaten runs. On Saturday, Kwara United will host desperate Akwa United who are struggling to avoid dropping into the lower league.

On the same day, Abia Warriors will be at home against Bayelsa United.

On Sunday seven matches are on the card. They are:

Kano Pillars v. Gombe United

Katsina United v. Sporting Lagos

Lobi Stars v. Bendel Insurance

Niger Tornadoes v Doma United

Plateau United v. Remo Stars

Rivers United v. Enugu Rangers

Sunshine Stars v. Enyimba