Nigerian Football

Five Big Clubs Set for Ouster at AITEO Cup Round of 64

Published

7 years ago

August 15, 2017

BY KUNLE SOLAJA
As the round of 64 of the maiden AITEO Cup which is the 71st edition of Nigeria’s national cup competition gets underway this Wednesday, heavy casualty of big clubs is expected as no fewer than five of the 18 premier division club sides are destined for elimination.
There are five fixtures featuring head-to-head clashes of top division sides in a direct elimination contest.
They are the Lobi Stars versus Katsina United in Makurdi; Niger Tornadoes hosting El Kanemi Warriors in Abuja; Nasarawa United hosting MFM in Lafia; Wikki Tourists versus Plateau United in Bauchi and ABS hosting Enyimba in Ilorin.
The other eight teams from the top division side will be hoping against possible upsets which are characteristics of national cup competitions where midgets have brought the mighty.
This way, the fixtures of Sunshine Stars facing former greats, Mighty Jets come to focus. The game comes up in Jos, the home of Mighty Jets which decades ago was a major force in Nigerian football and indeed, the old Challenge Cup competition.
Another top division side facing a lowly rated club is Shooting Stars who host Edo State’s Dynamite FC in Ibadan. Shooting Stars last made impression in the national competition 22 years ago.
Also, Rivers United playing at home will host FC Atete of Delta. Will there be an upset?
In similar vein, both IfeanyiUbah and Akwa United will be playing away to upstarts, FC Yarma Light of Gombe and Halfa FC of Jigawa respectively. Other fixtures involving the top division sides and the lower ones involve Rangers International facing Kogi United in Lokoja; Kano Pillars travelling to Damaturu to face Yobe Desert Stars and Abia Warriors hosting Crown of Ogbomosho at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Clash of Premier Division Sides
• Lobi Stars (Benue) VS Katsina United (Katsina) – Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi (4pm)
• Niger Tornadoes (Niger) VS El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) – Area 3 Stadium, Abuja (4pm)
• Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) VS MFM FC (Lagos) – Lafia City Stadium (4pm)
• ABS FC (Kwara) VS Enyimba FC (Abia) – Kwara Sports Stadium (4pm)
• Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) VS Plateau United (Plateau) – Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi (4pm)

Premier Division Teams Facing Lower Teams
• Shooting Stars vs. FC Dynamite of Edo
• Mighty Jets FC (Plateau) VS Sunshine Stars (Ondo) – Rwang Pam Stadium (4pm).
• Rivers United (Rivers) VS FC Atete (Delta) – Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt (4pm)
• FC Yarma Light (Gombe) VS FC IfeanyiUbah (Anambra) – Patami Stadium, Gombe (4pm)
• Haifa FC (Jigawa) VS Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom) – Dutse Township Stadium (4pm)
• Kogi United (Kogi) VS Rangers International (Enugu) – Confluence Stadium, Lokoja (4pm)
• Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) VS Kano Pillars (Kano) – Damaturu Township Stadium (4pm)
• Abia Warriors FC (Abia) VS Crown FC (Oyo) – Umuahia Township Stadium (4pm)

Other Matches

• Ngwa FC (Ebonyi) VS FC Galadima (Kebbi) – Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu (4pm)

• Heartland FC (Imo) VS Insurance FC (Edo) – Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri (4pm)

• Katsina United Feeders (Katsina) VS Aklosendi FC (Nasarawa) – Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina (4pm)

• AITEL FC (Taraba) VS Unicem Rovers (Cross River) – Jalingo Township Stadium (4pm)

• Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) VS FC Zamfara (Zamfara) – Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt (4pm)

• Adamawa United Feeders (Adamawa) VS Cynosure FC (Rivers) – Fufure Township Stadium (4pm)

• Ede United (Osun) VS Sakaba United FC (Kebbi) – Oshogbo Township Stadium (2pm)

• FC IfeanyiUbah Feeders (Anambra) VS Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa) – FC IfeanyiUbah Stadium, Nnewi-Ozubulu (4pm)

• Samba Kurna (Kano) VS Wikki Tourists Feeders (Bauchi) – Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano (4pm)

• Ekiti United (Ekiti) VS Dolphins FC (Kaduna) – Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti (4pm)

• Delta Warriors (Delta) VS Ayade Babes (Cross River) – Warri City Stadium (4pm)

• Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger) VS FC Abuja (FCT) – FIFA Goal Project, Abuja (4pm)

• Doma United (Gombe) VS Adamawa United (Adamawa) – Patami Stadium, Gombe (2pm)

• Osun United (Osun) VS Coal City Youths (Enugu) – Oshogbo Township Stadium (4pm)

• FC Lokoja (Kogi) VS El-Kanemi Babes (Borno) – Confluence Stadium, Lokoja (2pm)

• Kwara United (Kwara) VS Sokoto United (Sokoto) – Kwara Sports Stadium (2pm)

• FRSC FC (FCT) VS Potiskum Academy (Yobe) – Area 3 Stadium, Abuja (2pm)

• Almar (Ogun) VS Spartan FC (Lagos) – Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode (4pm)

• Moyero FC (Ondo) VS Akwa Starlets (Akwa Ibom) – Akure Township Stadium (4pm)

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars win Star War against Sunshine Stars to take temporary NPFL lead

Published

21 hours ago

September 14, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Remo Stars on Saturday made it two straight wins in the Nigeria Premier League after labouring to a 1-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars of Akure to follow-up their last weekend 2-0 away win over Abia Warriors.

On Saturday, under eight minutes they shot ahead through Shuaibu Ibrahim. That was where the story ended as Sunshine Stars came up strongly and almost stalemated scores.

The win, though narrow, is enough to temporarily take Remo Stars to the top of the log after two games.

They are followed by Rivers United who beat Heartland 3-1. It is the second consecutive 3-1 loss that Heartland are getting in the two-week old season.

The situation could change on Sunday when other matches are played.

On the card are: Akwa United hosting Abia Warriors while Kano Pillars will be away to Bayelsa United.

Katsina United host Bendel Insurance and Niger Tornadoes will be home to Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars will host Plateau United.

Nigerian Football

Westerhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job

Published

4 days ago

September 11, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Clemens Westerhof and Samson Siasia in London

BY KUNLE SOLAJA, who was in Arnhem, Netherlands.

Former Nigeria manager, Clemens Westerhof has recommended one of his former players, Samson Siasia as the substantial coach for the Super Eagles.

Siasia was one of his players of the famed golden generation of the Super Eagles.

“I called him last month to greet him for his birthday and also to celebrate with him for the end of his five-year ban”, Westerhof told Sports Village Square at his house in Arnhem in the Netherlands.

According to him, Siasia is just like Keshi and that he has the capacity to turn the Super Eagles around for the better. Westerhof, the author of the famed ‘Golden Generation’ of the Super Eagles made his suggestion shortly after Germany’s Bruce Labbadia turned down the Nigerian job offer.

Westerhof remarked that he was surprised about the choice of Labbadia in the first instance and that the now Mali coach, Tom Saintfiet who is his friend could have been a better choice.

Saintfiet, a Belgian, was speculated among the coaches initially short-listed for the Super Eagles’ job. But Westerhof, before the naming of Austin Eguavoen, another member of his famous 1994 squad, strongly back Siasia for the job.

He remarked that he was in touch with the former striker as well as Austin Okocha whom he met with in London recently.

To Westerhof, Siasia has the same quality like Stephen Keshi to handle the Super Eagles. “He has done it before and I think he can still do it.”

Nigerian Football

Plateau United’s Doyeni is first scorer of Season 2024/25

Published

7 days ago

September 8, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Olawale Doyeni braces up for the NPFL's first goal of the season via penalty kick

The balls hit the nets 17 times this Sunday as the Nigeria Premier League Season 2024/25 burst into life this Sunday.

The first of the goals was from Plateau United’s Olawale Doyeni who converted a 24th minute penalty kick against Katsina United in an eventual 1-0 home win.

Another star-man of the the day is Enyimba’s Clinton Jephta who has become the season’s first hat-trickster. His three goals in the 65^th , 70^th and 73^rd minutes sank heartland 3-1 in their home match.