Nigerian Football

‘UNITED’ CHALLENGE AS RIVERS FLOW INTO PLATEAU

Published

6 years ago

January 16, 2018

SAMMY WEJINYA.

Plateau United and Rivers United will re-enact what’s turning out to be one of the Nigeria Professional Football League’s (NPFL) most compelling rivalries on Wednesday as this season’s competition enters match day two.

Both sides are riding the crest of a wave following successes on the opening day of the season.

The champions, Plateau United claimed a stunning 1-0 win over Nasarawa United in Lafia while Rivers United also won by a solitary goal at home to El-Kanemi Warriors.

Plateau United will however start as overwhelming favourites on Wednesday with the Rivers United technical manager, Stanley Eguma admitting that he will be not be unhappy if his charges claim a point from the encounter.

“Plateau United have started well and they also did well last season,” Eguma told Rivers United official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

“They have made good recruitments but we are already on track (with Sunday’s victory over El Kanemi Warriors).

“My players are happy and I know they will also want to be happy on the trip back to Port Harcourt from Jos.

“Everyone here is determined to go to Jos to get the points. I will not be on the boastful side because I know that the league is just beginning.

“I am assuring the fans that we will not let them down as we will be going there to get the victory but if we (can only) get a draw, then it is also acceptable,” he said.

Coach Eguma has an almost full squad to work with on Wednesday.

Attacker, Samuel Akinbinu suffered some discomfort on his right shoulder which club doctor, Chukwuemeka Agi has since described as ‘not too serious’ and it is still not clear if the burly forward will start against the champions on Wednesday.

Another player, Prince Aggrey impressed on Sunday against El Kanemi and will be favoured to start his second game in as many matches.

Ochowechi Salefu debuted on Sunday and has been included yet again in the United match day squad.

Eguma must decide if young goalkeeper, Robert Cole gets another run out ahead of Sunday Rotimi who has also made the trip to Jos.

On the other side, Plateau United look stronger this campaign with reinforcements arriving ahead an expedition into CAF’s premier club competition, the CAF Champions League.

Okiemute Odah, on his day, can produce reflexes and saves to rival any goalkeeper in the land and he was outstanding in the win over Nasarawa United in Lafia on Sunday.

Raphael Ayagwa scored the winner in Lafia on Sunday and will be aspiring to impress against the ‘pride of Rivers’ yet again in midweek.

Head coach of the Jos club, Kennedy Boboye is in bullish mood ahead of Wednesday’s clash but readily admits he knows little or nothing about the opposition from Port Harcourt.

“I have not seen Rivers United play this season so I don’t even know what they have but when they come (to Jos) we will push hard to see that we (claim) victory,” Boboye began.

“My biggest target is to (defeat) them (on Wednesday) as we drew twice (in the league) last season in Port Harcourt and Jos.

“I don’t think it will be the same this season and by God’s grace, we will think of beating them in Jos,” he concluded.

The smart money will be on Plateau United claiming maximum points on Wednesday but surprises do prop up in football.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

1 day 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

4 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.