Nigerian Football

Shooting Stars Will Fight To The Last, Says Agoye

Published

7 years ago

July 3, 2017

BY JUBRIL AROWOLO.

Relegation threatened Shooting Stars are determined to fight gamely against a possible drop at the close of the season. “It’s a battle for survival”, said head coach, Edith Agoye.

He gave the assurance during the post match reaction to www.3sc.com.ng after their 2-0 win over visiting Wikki Tourists on Sunday in the week 27 tie of the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL).

He also expressed happiness over the team’s recent form which he believed would help it to survive the drop.

“For some time, things have not been working well but now the team is evolving and the last four games have given us some stability. We are happy for the three points.”

We are taking the game as they come and we won’t relent till the last game.

Agoye also disclosed the injury status of the team’s highest scorer, Sunday Faleye.

“Sunday scored against ABS but he has not really recovered from injury he got from the game. He was on the bench today and we couldn’t bring him in because we got what we wanted early and we have to let him recover well,” Agoye explained.

Ajani Ibrahim and Bode Daniel scored in the 29th and 45^th respectively to check the fighting spirit of the visitors and buoyed the chances of Shooting Stars to escape the drop.

Shooting Stars started the game on a fast note with smallish duo, Ayobami Junior and Ibrahim Shile pulling the strings from the midfield.

Their efforts were complemented by Ajani Ibrahim, Bode Daniel and Jimoh Wasiu who kept the heat on the tall defence line of Wikki Tourists.

With the constant raids, goalkeeper Emeka Nwabulu, despite the good cover from his defence quartets of Festus Ummanah, Waziri Christopher, Harrison Madu and Ambrose Peter, had to make some daring saves from their rampaging hosts.

But it was not all a one-sided affair as Wikki Tourists too made some dangerous incursions with promising Victor Alegbe who combined well with the duo of Ajoku Chidiebere and Chinedu Onyelonu to bring out the best in Waheed Omololu, Ebiaku Promise, Samuelson Owono and Alaba Osawe in the heart of Shooting Stars defence and goalkeeper Adamu Abubakar.

However, Ajani’s goal on 29′ gave the homers some respite. Wasiu Jimoh free kick was cleared for corner which he shortly took before Ajani jabbed into the left side of impressive goalie Emeka Nwabulu.

The second goal was in similar manner as Emeka parried a corner into to the path of trailing Bode Daniel who tapped it in on 45′ while the second have could not produce more goals despite the fireworks from the two teams.

In his own reaction to www.3sc.com.ng, Coach Magnut blamed his side for not converting their chances with high regards for the referees.

“The result wasn’t what we expected but we must give it to 3SC, they took their chances. The officiating was excellent and the goals were good.”

Coach Magnut however expressed hope that Wikki Tourists continental aspiration is still intact.

“We still need to step up in our remaining games, only six points separate the leaders from us, so, our continental dream is not over yet,” he concluded.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

8 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Remo Stars on Friday inch closer to achieving their first ever title in the Nigeria elite division league after beating visiting Niger Tornadoes 3-0 to move second on the log and just a point behind league leaders, Enugu Rangers.

Remo Stars are now with 53 points and still have an outstanding home game to play.

Friday’s win which comes on the eve of the proprietor’s birthday has put the team back into contention for the title.

They have progressively become prominent in the Nigerian premier league having placed third two seasons ago and second last season.

Top finish this season will confirm their progression and also a third consecutive continental outing.

Top scorer, Sikiru Alimi launched them of victory path as his 28^th minute penalty kick heralded their return to high scoring ways.

It has been a while since they scored high in the league. Barely three minutes later, Sikiru, a contender for the top scorer award increased the tally to two.

Ahmed Akinyele completed the route in the 75^th minute.

Nigerian Football

Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers

Published

3 days ago

April 23, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.

The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.

Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.

The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.

Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.

However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.

Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.

Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.

The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Groups:

Group A: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin

Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.

Nigerian Football

Former Nigeria international, Onye recommends Amuneke-Siasia combo for Super Eagles

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Kingsley Onye, the left sided defender who was a member of the first Flying Eagles side to have a podium finish at the U-20 World Cup has suggested the employment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the coach of the Super Eagles.

He wants him to be assisted by Samson Siasia when the ban on the latter lapses in August. Alternatively, Onye pointed to Sylvanus Okpala as alternative to Siasia.

The Super Eagles are in dare need for a head coach as the clock ticks down to the Match day 4 and 5 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in which the team is trailing at the third position.

The two matches in early June are crucial for the Super Eagles to bounce back into reckoning as the team can not afford to drop any of the available six points in the duels with South Africa at home and away to Benin.

From this Monday, it is 41 days to the potentially challenging tie with South Africa, but the Nigerian national team has been without a coach since the expiration of the contract of Portugal’s Jose Peseiro shortly after the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Without mincing words, Onye remarked: “Emmanuel Amuneke is the right man for the job of the coach of Super Eagles. He has been there before.

“He tasted it and had been fantastic with the Nigeria youth team, the U-17 by assisting Manu Garba to win the U17 World Cup in 2013 and as head coach, led the Golden Eaglets to win the cup again in 2015.”

Onye who played for the Enugu Rangers in Nigeria before venturing to the UK but had his career scuppered by freak injury pointed out that the solution to Super Eagles’ technical deficiency is the appointment of an indigenous coach and that Amuneke is the man.

In buttressing his assertion, he declared: “As a senior team coach, Amuneke qualified a long standing absentee team, Tanzania for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

“He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.”

Onye also looked at the personality of Amuneke in recommending him for the Super Eagles job.

His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.