Nigerian Football
All WELL THAT ENDS WELL; NFF THANKS ALL
The bottles of champagne are still being popped as Nigeria celebrates the sixth qualification for the World Cup. President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick on Monday expressed the gratitude of the body and that of the Nigerian football family to the Presidency and various other individuals and groups who contributed to the Super Eagles’ qualification for Russia 2018 World Cup finals.
The Super Eagles beat hard –fighting Zambia 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Saturday to become the first African team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. But Pinnick noted the Eagles would not have been able to make light work of the so –called Group of Death without the support of so many people and institutions.
Pinnick praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his keen love and support for the team, while also commending Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Sports Minister Solomon Dalung and the sports committees of the National Assembly.
“Mr. President was always there for the team and for the NFF; he supported us not only by providing whatever we asked for but also by keenly following the progress of the team. We remain eternally grateful to him.
“The Vice President came to see the team at training session during one of the qualifying matches and showed immense interest in the team’s welfare. The Senate President personally attended the matches against Algeria and Zambia and sent representatives to the other qualifying matches.
“The Sports Minister? He was a pillar for the team and the NFF during the qualifying series. Apart from always taking up the case of NFF and the team at the Presidency whenever we needed funds for the assignment, he was personally present at all the qualifying matches we played in the group phase.”
The Eagles played all their home matches in the group phase in Uyo, and the NFF supremo spared no encomium for Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Government and good people of Akwa Ibom State.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel did tremendously well. He never wavered in his belief that the Eagles would make it. The Government and good people of Akwa Ibom State showed warmth and commendable hospitality throughout.
“We also commend the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Sports Committee and the House Sports Committee for their support and encouragement.”
The NFF President equally lauded the hard work that the Members of NFF Executive Committee and the NFF Management and Staff did to ensure a smooth run of the campaign.
“The Members of the NFF Executive Committee, my colleagues, were marvellous. I doff my hat for them, for their energy and enthusiasm. The NFF Management and Staff led by Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (General Secretary) also did a wonderful job. Everyone put themselves at the disposal of the Federation for any duty assigned to them, and they did their work well.
“We cannot probably mention the names of all those who helped, but we give kudos to our partners and sponsors, and all stakeholders of Nigerian Football, indeed every Nigerian who played a role in this success.”
The Nigeria U17 women’s team has been given incentives to make it to the Women’s World Cup for the eighth time.
The team, Flamingos, who arrived in Algiers in the early hours of Wednesday aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul, are highly inspired by the imminence of another FIFA World Cup ticket as well as further financial windfall from the Nigeria Football Federation and billionaire business mogul Kunle Soname.
Soname gifted the young players and their officials the sum of N4 million (one million naira for every goal) following their commanding win over the North Africans at the Remo Stars Stadium on Saturday, while the NFF gave out the sum of N2 million (five hundred thousand naira for every goal).
President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau and Soname have both confirmed that the same financial incentives are in place for the second leg in Blida on Friday.
“Our objective is clear – to win the FIFA World Cup ticket. That is the big motivation.
“Yet, we have been further incentivised by the monetary rewards. My girls will go all out on Friday night,” Head Coach Bankole Olowookere said.
Olowookere, who led the Flamingos to their last two World Cup ventures, will most likely rely on first-leg two-goal heroine Queen Joseph, lone-goal scorer Zainab Raji and Kaosarat Olanrewaju to start at the fore, with Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi and Philomena Isaiah supplying the passes from the midfield.
Goalkeeper and captain Christiana Uzoma and defenders Azeezat Oduntan, Hannah Ibrahim, Christiana Sunday and Jumai Adebayo are also likely to start.
The Confederation of African Football has selected Cameroonian official Marie Noelle Etong to be the referee, with her compatriots Marcelle Teikeu and Innocentia Ntangti as assistant referee 1 and fourth official, respectively, while Chadian Ngarassoum Victorine will be assistant referee 2.
Oumou Souleymane Kane from Mauritania will be the commissioner, and Sabelo Maphosa-Sibindi from Zimbabwe will be in the role of referee assessor.
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Former president of the initially 15-member West African Football Union (WAFU), Chief Jonathan Boytie Ogufere, has expressed his heartfelt condolences over the recent death of former national team captain and coach, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu.
He remarked that the erstwhile Enugu Rangers’ defence stalwart will ‘be dearly missed’. In a personally signed letter of condolence, Ogufere described Chukwu, who died on Saturday, April 12, in Enugu after a brief illness at 74, as a ‘hero of our time and a friend’.
The nonagenarian recalled with nostalgia how he nearly recruited the young Chukwu for his P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu, adding he was impressed with how the ‘Field Marshal Christian Chukwuemeka ‘Chairman ‘ Chukwu (MFR), conducted himself throughout his career as he led both the national team, the then Green Eagles and his beloved Enugu Rangers to many conquests.
“I join numerous others to mourn the transition of the legendary Christian Chukwu, a hero of our time and friend,” the Ugbugba of Okpe Kingdom wrote.
“As one of the young academicals discovered after the end of the Civil War in 1970, I tried to enlist into my club, the P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu but he was fair and frank in informing me that he had already joined Enugu Ranges Football Club, and I respected that attitude. From the rivalries between the two clubs, his exploits as a central defender were very visible.”
He continued: “Christian Chukwu emerged at the national level as a trustworthy and formidable captain of the national team who led by example.
“He was one of the heroes during the Golden age of Nigerian football when I was one of the Board Members of the Nigeria Football Association under the chairmanship of Chief Sunday Dankaro as Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 for the first time where Christian Chukwu as captain of the Green Eagles was declared the best player of the tournament. He led the national team in several battles, which endeared him to millions of football lovers.
“After his playing days, he showed his talents through coaching in Nigeria and abroad.
“I express my sincere condolences to the family he left behind, the football family and the country in general. He will be dearly missed.
“May the good Lord grant his noble soul eternal rest,” he noted.
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Remo Stars are coasting to what will be their greatest moment ever, a win of the Nigeria Premier Football League title, as they recorded a 1-0 win over Shooting Stars in Ibadan in a match played behind closed doors.
In doing so, they achieved their sixth double of the season, having earlier beaten Shooting Stars in the first stanza of the league.
They maintained the seven-point lead over second-placed Rivers United, who also beat Sunshine Stars 1-0 in Port Harcourt.
After a ding-dong affair, Alex Oyowah scored the vital goal for Remo Stars from a right-wing cross from Ismail Sodiq.
In another match, Ikorodu City continued to work tenaciously to obtain a continental ticket as they held El Kanemi to a 1-1 draw.
SUNDAY RESULTS
- El Kanemi 1-1 Ikorodu City
- Niger Tornados 1-1 Bayelsa United
- Heartland 0-0 Kwara United
- Plateau United 1-0 Akwa United
- Rivers United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
- Shooting Stars 0-1 Remo Stars
- Bendel United 1-1 Nasarawa United
SATURDAY
- Katsina United 0-0 Abia Warriors
- Enyimba 2-1 Kano Pillars
- Lobi Stars 2-4 Enugu Rangers
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