Nigerian Football

HISTORY IS A RECURRING DECIMAL AS AKWA UNITED TARGETS AITEO CUP VICTORY

Published

7 years ago

October 14, 2017

BY MFON PATRICK.

Two factors are motivating AITEO Cup finalist, Akwa United as they arrived Lagos this weekend. The zeal to make history and the resort to reclaim a continental ticket the club agonizingly missed when the curtain fell on the Nigeria Professional Football League Season 2016/17.

As for the latter factor, Akwa United which had impressive run in the season and for most part of the league stayed firmly in to five bracket, it had a twist of fate losing their penultimate league match to Shooting Stars in Ibadan, a loss which led to the loss of their claim to third position on the final log.

Placing third would have enabled the flamboyant side go continental again like that of last year by featuring in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.

The hope is still alive, hence with pent-up annoyance, they dealt heavily on their albatross, Shooting Stars, when they met in the Round of 16 of the AITEO Cup, another route to going continental.

Also, it is the desire of the club to make history. A pursuit history of being the first club to win the AITEO Cup. Also, a history of being the first to win a Federation Cup and the AITEO Cup. It is more! The first club to win a national cup at the Agege Stadium.

The club on the verge of history defeated Sunshine Stars on the path to the final match. Before then, they had left other clubs crashing. These include Halfa FC, Yobe Stars and Katsina United Feeders.

Akwa United is possibly one of the most attack-oriented clubs in the competition having scored a mind blowing 23 goals and conceded paltry six in seven matches.

Niger Tornadoes return to Lagos on a third journey to claim a national cup. The first attempt in 1982 ended in a mitigated disaster, losing to a fire-up Stationery Stores of Lagos by 4-1. But Niger Tornadoes achieved success a second time around, profiting from a dying minute own goal by Enugu Rangers’ Akin Ademofe in the cup final of 2000.

Both Akwa United and Niger Tornadoes are meeting for the third time this year having met in the league.

Akwa United won 3-0 in the sumptuous Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo but lost the reversed fixture, 0-1 in Minna.

With a continental ticket and whopping Twenty-Five Million Naira prize money on offer, Coach Abdu Maikaba has revealed that his team will not leave any stone unturned in Sunday’s final.

He has a full strength squad to choose from for the match and he will be banking on the experience of Captain Otobong Effiong, Ariwachukwu Emmanuel, Godspower Igudia, Paterne Counou and Ubong Friday who were part of the team that lifted the trophy two years ago.

With experienced Super Eagles midfielders Ifeanyi Ifeanyi and Aremu Afeez pulling the strings in the middle of the park, Forwards Christian Pyagbara, Musa Newman, Cyril Olisema and Ubong Friday are sure to enjoy full supply of delectable passes as they gear to round off what has been a great season.

The competition’s top scorer Christian Pyagbara who has scored seven goals in seven matches has said that his focus will be to ensure that the team achieve its target in Sunday’s final. If Pyagbara scores on Sunday, he will be the competition’s highest goal scorer in the last three years.

Thousands of vocal supporters and fans from Akwa Ibom State are set to storm the Agege Stadium to cheer their team to victory.

The winner of the 2017 Aiteo Cup competition will join Enyimba to represent Nigeria at the CAF Confederation Cup next year.

Nigerian Football

Enugu Rangers hold on at the top of Nigeria Premier League

Published

17 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

3 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

6 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.