Nigerian Football

Survival Battle in Ilorin as Rivers Confront ABS

Published

7 years ago

July 14, 2017

BY SAMMY WEJINYA.

ABS FC and Rivers United go toe to toe in one of the stand out fixtures on Match Day 29 of this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The two sides are in dire straits and in desperate need of points given their precarious positions on the log.

ABS is currently in the drop zone while United hovers just above the relegation places and a defeat on Sunday could see them dragged back into the dog fight.

The reverse fixture ended 2-0 in favour of Rivers United but almost four months have passed since that confrontation with circumstances anything but happier in both camps.

ABS’ head coach, Henry Makinwa has since been handed a three-match ultimatum following his side’s 2-4 reverse to Sunshine at home last Sunday.

The youthful trainer is however unruffled by the latest turn of events as he insists that he remains focused on steering his young side away from troubled waters.

“I know my worth and I accept the ultimatum in good faith because I work with young boys (footballers),” Makinwa told our official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

“We have proved our worth in the first half of the season, but the second half has been a bit rough for us.

“The three-match ultimatum does not disturb me. “We will come out on Sunday to play good football.

“I am not going to set up my team to play defensive football. We know the risk involved but on Sunday good football will be guaranteed,” he said.

From the United camp, the noises are predictably bullish. Right back, Markson Ojobo believes the ‘Pride of Rivers’ could finally strike gold on the road for the first time in all competitions this term.

The former Enyimba man believes a victory could be on the cards in Ilorin.

“We want our fans in Ilorin to come and cheer us up on Sunday because we hope to bring all three points back to Port Harcourt,” Ojobo said.

Sunday’s game promises to be a compelling affair and certainly not one for the faint-hearted.

Nigerian Football

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

Published

20 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.