Nigerian Football

Ten-man Akwa Disunited in Jos

Published

7 years ago

July 10, 2017

BY MFON PATRICK.

Ten-man Akwa United suffered a 3-0 defeat to league leaders Plateau United at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos on Sunday in one of Match Day 28 games of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Ariwachukwu Emmanuel’s clearance inside the box bounced off Ifeanyi Ifeanyi but referee Jonathan Zakariya adjudged it to be a hand ball and awarded a penalty to the home team in the 20th minute which was converted by Emmanuel James.

Moments after the restart, Musa Newman was harshly tackled from behind, but it was Ubong Friday that got involved in an argument with Ogene Elijah. The incident fetched Friday a yellow card but further argument with the referee resulted in the winger being sent off in the 24th minute.

In a tactical move to contend the home team, Coach Abdu Maikaba replaced Cyril Olisema with Christopher Lolo in the 36th minute.

Despite the poor pitch, the midfielder was able to combine with Ifeanyi and Aremu to supply Musa Newman and Gabriel Okechukwu with some decent passes but their attacking moves were continuously repelled by Plateau United’s defence as the host went into the break with 1-0 lead.

On resumption, the league leaders enjoyed the numerical advantage and mounted pressure on the visitors, playing long balls and making long throws into the vital area.

In a bid to capitalise on the aerial balls, Coach Kennedy Boboye introduced Kabiru Umar and the tallest player in the league Emeka Umeh into the game.

Both Umeh and Umar put their height into good use towards the closing stages of the match, as Umeh headed in Daniel Itodo’s long throw in the 86th minute before Umar headed in a free kick deep into stoppage time to give the home team a comfortable 3-0 win.

The result ensured Plateau United remained on top of the log with 51 points from 28 matches while Akwa United slipped to 4th position on the log with 43 points from 27 matches and with one outstanding match against Rivers United.

The 3-0 defeat is Akwa United’s biggest defeat this season and the Promise Keepers will next face Gombe United at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.

Nigerian Football

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

Published

11 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.