Nigerian Football

NFF/ZENITH BANK TOURNEY: THE FUTURE IS HERE SAYS AKINWUNMI

Published

6 years ago

December 20, 2017

NFF 1^st Vice President and Chairman of the NFF Youth Football Committee, Seyi Akinwunmi was full of elan and elocution on Tuesday, after another successful and highly inspiring conclusion to the NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles Championship.

This year’s event was concluded at the Agege Stadium. Five days of exciting youth football in Kano came to an exciting finale in Lagos with South East U15 boys emerging champions after a 5-2 spanking of their North West counterparts.

Midfield action in the final match of the NFF/Zenith U-15 Tournament

Yet, there were so many talents on display on both sides that Akinwunmi, who is also Chairman of the NFF Football Committee, was much delighted: “I am very happy at what I am seeing here. We can safely say the future is here. I had no doubt when we started this programme that we were on to a great thing.

“Indeed, in the next two years or thereabout, we would have no reason to go outside this competition to pick our U17 National Team.

“We are also emphasizing the importance of combining academics with football. Any player who is unable to do this will be dropped.

“You can never compare the ball sense and guile of a player who is combining education with football career with that of one who is unable to.”

Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer of this year’s competition, Divine Nwachukwu netted a hat –trick to steer the South Easterners to glory. His goals came in the 32^nd, 43^rd and 53^rd minutes.

Franklin Eneh had put South East ahead in the 21^st minute, with Oluebube Oguduba sealing victory for them in the 75^th minute. Ibrahim Saifulahi netted both goals for equally impressive North West in the 52^nd and 60^th minutes.

South West emerged champions of last year’s edition. “Football is about catching them young and this is what we are doing.

“Talented players abound everywhere in this country and you only need look for them to get enough. We will not relent but will even intensify the programme to bring the best from all the zones.

“My joy is that the sponsors (Zenith Bank) are also happy with this and have expressed immense joy at how this is turning out.

“With the raw talents that we have, all that is left is for us to find ways of exposing them, and we will work very hard at that. We will also ensure we bring the selected players to camp periodically to nurture their talent and add finesse to their game,” Akinwunmi added.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick, Executive Committee members Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, Babagana Kalli and Chidi Ofo Okenwa, NFF Youth Committee members Busari Ishola, Dotun Coker and Edema Fuludu, Emmanuel Iba (Chairman of Akwa Ibom FA), members of the Lagos State FA and an array of the nation’s top sports editors/managers were among dignitaries at the finale.

North Central had earlier emerged champions of the U13 competition after defeating South West 4-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Kano at the weekend.

The NFF U15 National Team had earlier wowed dignitaries and spectators with eye –catching performance in a 3-0 defeat of Pepsi Academy in an exhibition match that preceded the final match.

HONOURS

Best Coach award – Jude Agada (South East)

Best Goalkeeper – Anthony Okoronkwo (South East)

Golden Boot Award – Divine Nwachukwu (South East: 6 goals)

MVP – Divine Nwachukwu (South East)

ALL THE RESULTS

(U13 COMPETITION)

South South 3 North East 0 (W/O)

North Central 2 North West 1

North East 0 South West 3 (W/O)

North West 3 South East 0 (W/O)

South West 0 South South 0

South East 0 North Central 3 (W/O)

South West 2 North West 1

North Central 2 South South 1

FINAL

South West 0–0 North Central (2-4 after penalties)

(U15 COMPETITION)

North East 2 South South 3

South West 0 South East 2

South South 2 North West 4

South East 4 North Central 0

North West 1 North East 0

North Central 1 South West 3

North West 4 South West 3

South East 4 South South 1

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

2 days 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

5 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

6 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.