Nigerian Football
Rivers Hope To Win Without Eguma
BY SAMMY WEJINYA.
This is the most trying period in the history of Rivers United FC. Technical manager, Stanley Eguma, is currently serving a one-match suspension while results on the pitch have been far from positive.
The ‘Pride of Rivers’ have yet to win in their last four games in all competitions and the alarm bells are well and truly ringing.
On Sunday, stars of the Port Harcourt club will attempt to hit positive notes when they file out against Gombe United at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) enters match day 17.
Draws away from home are usually celebrated in the NPFL but the boys from Port Harcourt know that a point on Sunday may not be enough to assuage the smitten emotions of the teeming faithful.
Head coach of Rivers United, Willy Udube, knows this well and acknowledges that while a win in Gombe would be extremely difficult, it is a possibility his charges will be looking to exploit.
“The technical manager (Eguma) was given a one-match suspension but we have been able to steady (the ship) by making the players understand that (such things) can always happen in football.
“It has happened and we have to move on. We want to get all three points (against Gombe United) but football is not mathematics.
“I strongly believe that we will go home with something to make our fans happy.
“As I am talking to you now, the spirit is very very high,” Udube told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Saying the right things before big games is almost a pre-requisite for trainers but beating Gombe United at the Pantami is easier said than done.
There are no star turns at Gombe United as experienced tactician, Manu Garba, the club’s technical supremo is known to prefer graft over the spectacular.
Alhassan Yusuf, Maurice Chigozie, Akeem Balogun, Isaac Giwa, Bilya Yarma, Idris Bakare, Mannir Ubale and Sadiq Shuaibu are not names that easily roll off the tongue but wily gaffer, Garba has integrated these unheralded talent into an almost impregnable and extremely-cohesive unit.
Garba’s assistant, Hassan Abubakar is ultra-confident in his side’s chances of securing maximum points against last season’s NPFL runners up.
“I know we will win on Sunday because we have prepared very well for this game against Rivers United.
“They may not be doing too well this season but they are a good team with very good players.
“We drew our last game away from home against ABS FC so confidence is very high amongst our players,” he said.
The newly-promoted Gombe United will be keen to avoid any slip ups to prevent the drama of a relegation dogfight in the coming days while Rivers United know that defeat is almost non-negotiable.
A compelling and intriguing contest awaits on Sunday.
Enugu Rangers on Sunday beat Plateau United 2-0 to hold on at the top of the Nigeria Premier League. They extended their point haul to 57, two points ahead of their Oriental brothers, Enyimba who also beat Katsina United 1-0 to keep the chase for the title very hot.
Initial second placed team, Remo Stars dropped to the third position but still in contention for either the title, but at worse a continental ticket for next season.
Following Shooting Stars 2-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars in a South West derby, the top four positions of the are now held by the South East and South West as the league gets into its closing stage.
While Rangers and Enyimba are first and second at the moment, Remo Stars, though with an outstanding home game are third while their fellow westerners, Shooting Stars are fourth.
The weekend’s results:
Rivers United 2-0 Katsina United
Remo Stars 3-0 Niger Tornadoes
Doma United 0-0 Kwara United
Bendel Insurance 1-0 Heartland
Enugu Rangers 2-0 Plateau United
Shooting Stars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Akwa United 3-0 Kano Pillars
Enyimba 1-0 Katsina United
Gombe United 3-2 Lobi Stars
Sporting Lagos 4-2 Abia Warriors
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 28th 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 75th minute.
Nigerian Football
Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers
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.
Further CAF Sanctions await USM Alger and Algerian Football Federation
What a twist of fate! Before now, Morocco and Algeria were allies
Mosquito-induced viral infection spreads in France ahead of Olympics
SUPER EAGLES TO FACE ENGLAND IN PRE-WORLD CUP FRIENDLY
Apart from Okwaraji, Nigeria’s Other Field-Related Obituaries
Grudgingly, Eto’o accepts new Cameroon coach Brys, but fails to attend ceremony
-
CAF Confederation Cup5 days agoNigeria’s Samson Adamu signs Algeria’s USM match forfeiture
-
CAF Confederation Cup5 days agoBREAKING! CAF awards abandoned Confederation Cup semi-finals to Morocco’s RS Berkane
-
African Games5 days agoBREAKING! Accra 2023 African Games Chieftain is dead
-
Premier League5 days agoFive-Star Arsenal hammer Chelsea to move three points clear at the top
-
FEDERATION CUP1 week agoBREAKING! Federation Cup acquires presidential nomenclature…7th name since inception
-
Nigerian Football3 days agoRemo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title
-
CAF Confederation Cup1 week agoConfederation Cup runs into crisis as Moroccan players of RS Berkane are stranded at Algerian airport following seizure of jerseys and equipment
-
Premier League6 days agoArsenal serve ‘5 Alive’ to Chelsea