Nigerian Football
FORMER SHOOTING STARS’ LORDS, PLAYERS LAMENT 20 YEARS OF UNFULFILLED PROMISES
Elder Bode Oyewole, the chairman of Shooting Stars when the club last won a national competition 20 years ago has cried out over unfulfilled promises made by the Oyo State Government to the team.
Oyewole made the disclosure on the 20th anniversary of Shooting Stars victory in the Nigerian professional league. Incidentally, the club has not won any competition since the defeat of Udoji United to win the league.
Shooting Stars got relegated the following season to become the first Nigerian defending champion to be relegated.
According to the former chairman of the club, the then administrator, Commissioner of Police Amen Edore Oyakhire announced monetary rewards as well as allocation of lands to the 18 players, five technical crew members as well as eight board members and nine administrative staff members.
According to him, the promises were not fulfilled 20 years later. Some of those to benefit have since died. They include Pius Daniel and Coach Rafiu Salami.
Among others, the state government was to give a million naira cash rewards to each of the 18 players and two million naira and a plot of land to each if the coaching crew and board members.
According to Oyewole, “Certificates ofOccupancy (C of O) were issued in respect of the land at what is now Kolapo Ishola Estate, Akobo in Ibadan but were withdrawn by Governor Lamidi Adesina when assumed office in 1999.”
Oyewole remarked that no reasons were given for the withdrawal of the C of O.
That has left the players and officials with having to cope with the unfulfilled promises.
Nigerian Football
Ikenne’s Beyond Limit Football Academy top goal chart as NNL releases vital statistics
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
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.
Nigerian Football
Remo Stars add fuel to the fire as title chase turns East – West battle
Added time-goal specialists, Remo Stars pulled off one of their now familiar traits, chalking up a valuable point as Skipper Nduka Junior scored in the 90+4 minute to scuttle an impending victory by Doma United on Wednesday evening.
When all-hope seemed over, Remo Stars had scored hope-reviving goals as they did against Lobi Stars, Insurance and a host of others in the Nigeria Premier League.
Getting a valuable point take them from fifth position to fourth their haul to 50, just a point below that of second and third placed Enyimba and Lobi Stars respectively.
The 1-1 scoreline also changed the complexion of the league table as their South West rivals were pushed down from their initial fourth position.
As it is, the struggle for the title is taking regional colouration as the top two- Enugu Rangers and Enyimba are from the South East while fourth and fifth – Remo Stars and Shooting Stars are from the South West.
Lobi Stars from the middle belt, stand in-between the South East and South West in the power struggle.
Remo Stars at the fourth position however still have an outstanding home game against Rivers United and that could still change the positions of the top six teams when the match is played.
Attention will now shift to match-day 31 as the league embarks on its home stretch.
On Friday, relegation-bound Heartland will be hosting rejuvenated Shooting Stars who have suddenly discovered they could return to continental competition next seasons after 25 years.
They have lately been having unbeaten runs. On Saturday, Kwara United will host desperate Akwa United who are struggling to avoid dropping into the lower league.
On the same day, Abia Warriors will be at home against Bayelsa United.
On Sunday seven matches are on the card. They are:
Kano Pillars v. Gombe United
Katsina United v. Sporting Lagos
Lobi Stars v. Bendel Insurance
Niger Tornadoes v Doma United
Plateau United v. Remo Stars
Rivers United v. Enugu Rangers
Sunshine Stars v. Enyimba
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