Nigerian Football

Federation Cup: For non-application of seeding, Rivers United battle Enyimba in star match of Round of 64

Published

1 year ago

April 19, 2023

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi (right) picks the first drawn team from the pot on Wednesday.

Two of the 16 Nigeria’ s Premier League clubs in the Round of 64 will be eliminated by the time the Federation Cup gets to the next round.

This is owing to the none application of seeding which would have seen the top flight clubs moving to the next sage which would also sustain interests.

Virtually all top flight football competitions and even other sports employ seeding to sustain great interests.

By the draw for what is the premier national clubs competition in Nigeria, reigning league champions and Nigeria’s only remaining flag-bearers in African club competitions this year, Rivers United FC will be up against two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC of Aba in what is indisputably the star match of Round of 64 of this year’s Federation Cup competition.

Thus by Round of 32, one of the big names in Nigeria will have to be eliminated. Similarly, the 2020/21 Nigerian champions, Akwa United are pitched against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in another match-up that will see the depletion of premier league sides in the Federation Cup.

That is the highlight of the draw held inside the NFF Secretariat on Wednesday. For years, the oldest national competition in the country has lost glamour as big teams have had to clash at the early round of the competition while the lower rated teams revelled and often navigate to the finals and often pick tickets to represent the country at the second-tier continental clubs’ competition – the CAF Confederation Cup.

The women’s Round of 32 fixtures were also drawn on Wednesday, with Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt up against Golden Sun of Bayelsa State and Naija Ratels of FCT to play Adamawa Queens

All Round of 64 matches in the men’s competition and Round of 32 matches in the women’s competition will hold on Wednesday, 26 April.

The Round of 32 matches in the men’s competition have been scheduled for Wednesday, 3 May, with the Round of 16 on Wednesday, 10 May. Quarter final matches are to take place on Wednesday, 17 May.

The semi-finals of both competitions will come up on Wednesday, 24 May with the men’s and women’s grand finale on Saturday, 27 May.

ALL THE ROUND OF 64 FIXTURES (MEN)

Heartland FC (Imo) vs Jedo FC (Sokoto)
Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Vs Essien Ayi FC (Cross River)
Ahudiya FC (Abia) Vs Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa)
ABS FC (Kwara) Vs Bendel Insurance FC (Edo)
Standard FC (Kaduna) Vs Ekiti United (Ekiti)
FC Basira (Nasarawa) Vs Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
EFCC FC (FCT) Vs Katukan Tsafe FC (Zamfara)
Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) Vs Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom)
Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Beyond Limit FC (Ogun)
3SC (Oyo) Vs Adamimogo FC (Ondo)
Mighty Jets (Plateau) Vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
Malumfashi FC (Katsina) Vs Gombe United (Gombe)
Osun United (Osun) Vs Katsina United (Katsina)
Bendel Insurance Feeders (Edo) Vs Maikunkele FC (Niger)
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) Vs Kano Pillars Jnr (Kano)
Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom)
Jama United (Zamfara) Vs Plateau United (Plateau)
Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Enyimba FC (Abia)
Ingas FC (Enugu) Vs Novia FC (Adamawa)
El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs De Cardinal FC (Rivers)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Kebbi United (Kebbi)
DMD FC (Borno) Vs ABJ FC (Bauchi)
Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Crusader FC (Bayelsa)
Gateway United (Ogun) Vs Kwara United (Kwara)
FC Ebedei (Ekiti) Vs Hope of Glory FC (Cross River)
Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) Vs Igbajo FC (Osun)
Adamawa United (Adamawa) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
Ilaji FC (Oyo) Vs Kano Pillars (Kano)
Green Berets FC (Kaduna) Vs FR Ebunuja (Imo)
Ozalla FC (Anambra) Vs Doma United (Gombe)
Kogi United Feeders (Kogi) Vs Edel FC (Anambra)
Mailantarki FC (FCT) Vs kogi United (Kogi)

ALL THE ROUND OF 32 FIXTURES (WOMEN)

Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) Vs Maureen Mmadu KFC (Anambra)
Akwa Angels (Akwa Ibom) Vs Dannaz Ladies (Lagos)
Owo Itan FC (Akwa Ibom) Vs Fortress FC (Edo)
Honey Badgers (Benue) Vs Kada FC (Kaduna)
Heartland Queens (Imo) Vs Confluence Queens (Kogi)
Lakeside FC (Ogun) Vs Kwara Ladies (Kwara)
Sunshine Queens (Ondo) Vs Edo Queens (Edo)
Maureen Mmadu KFC (Abia) Vs Green Foot (Enugu)
FC Robo (Lagos) Vs Immaculate Queens (Enugu)
First Mah FC (Imo) Vs Royal Queens (Delta)
Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) Vs Gallant FC (Kaduna)
Naija Ratels (FCT) Vs Adamawa Queens (Adamawa)
Rivers Angels (Rivers) Vs Golden Sun FC (Bayelsa)
Osun Babes (Osun) Vs Awka Angels (Anambra)
Ekiti Queens (Ekiti) Vs Moje Queens (Kwara)
Paul E. FC (FCT) Vs Delta Queens (Delta)

Nigerian Football

Westerhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job

Published

11 hours 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

3 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.

Nigerian Football

Three away wins mark the opening phase of Nigeria’s Season 2024/25

Published

3 days ago

September 8, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The Nigerian Premier Football League burst into life this Sunday with eight matches on the card and contrasting results. Three of the eight matches resulted in away wins signalling level playing field of the league.

It is a sharp departure from the past seasons when it is almost predictable that home teams would win. Remo Stars, Enyimba and Niger Tornadoes have away wins and with scoring multiple goals.

Remo Stars won against Abia Warriors by 2-0. Enyimba came from a goal down to win 3-1 against Heartland while Niger Tornadoes beat Kwara United 2-1 away from home.