RIVERS ANGELS PUT TWO PASS SUNSHINE QUEENS

Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt recorded a 2-0 victory over Sunshine Queens in a rescheduled week 6 game of the Nigeria Women Football League today.

Ngozi Ebere scored from the spot in the 30th minute after Amarachi Ojinma was brought down inside the box before Ayila Loveth made it 2-0 in the 65th when she curled in a cross from the right angle which tossed pass goalkeeper Funke Okewole

The 2014 NWFL Champions still top Group B with 28 points with two more games to go before the season wraps up

After the game, Angels coach, Edwin Okon had this to say

Rivers Angels Coach Edwin Okon

“I thank God for the result, I needed the three points just for Rivers Angels to remain on top and I am happy”

“If I can get this kind of officiating, I learnt that people say that I and Stanley complain so much, we complain because we travel and we see a lot of things, am thanking goodness the media that is attached to this team, is one of the best thing that has happened to this team, Rivers Angels, if I’ve been complaining, at least the media can as well tell the truth, so I think if I can get this officiating just like what we saw here over there, I think we will still remain top of the table” Edwin Okon said.

Sunshine Queens’ coach, kayode Olujuyigbe

Coach of Sunshine Queens, Kayode Olujohungbe on his part, faulted the penalty awarded to Rivers Angels

“Very fine game, both sides did well but the first goal you know wasn’t a fair penalty, in a million years that’s not a penalty but the second goal was okay, my goalkeeper was very careless, the second goal was fair, that was a good goal but the first goal, that was no penalty, so we lost concentration a bit, we would have equalized if we had concentrated more, so that dubious goal really destabilized us a bit but am not giving excuses” said the gaffer.

Rivers Angels next game will be against Taraba Queens on Saturday in Port Harcourt

Dolphins Lose GLO NPFL Week 27 Match In Makurdi

After going three games unbeaten, Dolphins fell to an 11th minute Tony Okpotu goal against Lobi Stars in Makurdi.

Jonathan Zikiye saw red with five minutes left to play and Ghanaian born Wilson Andoh got his debut, but the Port Harcourt side left empty handed.

After the game, coach of Lobi Stars simply said it was God that won the game for him and not anything he did from the bench.

“If I say I did anything today I will be telling lies. God did it. I do not want to take any glory,” coach of Lobi Stars, Justin Tenger said.

Captain of Dolphins, Isiaka Olawale said his side lost a bit of concentration in the first half.

“The early goal unsettled us. We tried to talk to ourselves on the pitch but it’s a game of football. These things happen. We played better in the second half.

“We lost but we played well,” Olawale said.

Dolphins will now return to Port Harcourt to play against Bayelsa United on Monday

PARA-ROWING FINALS SET AT 2015 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Para-Rowing Finals are now set for the 2015 World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette, France. This event started off with the largest para-rowing entry ever seen at a World Rowing Championships indicating the growth of the sport and also that this regatta doubles as the main qualification regatta for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

The team from Great Britain has put themselves in a strong position with boats in all four finals. This is led by the rowers in their para mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+) who are the World and Paralympic Champions, and have not lost a race since 2012. The British crew will meet, for the first time in the final, the crew from the United States who recorded a very fast time in their semi-final. They will also be up against last year’s silver medallists Italy.

Looking very impressive in the para women’s single sculls (ASW1x) is Moran Samuel of Israel. Samuel dominated her semi-final and will go on to meet the reigning World Champion Birgit Skarstein of Norway in the final as well as the ever-improving Rachel Morris of Great Britain. Morris started competing in para-rowing last year with a fifth-place finish in 2014 and this year she has been improving with every race.

The para men’s single sculls (ASM1x) attracted the biggest field with 24 countries entered. This has been narrowed down to the final six with two-time World Champion Erik Horrie of Australia, the favourite to retain his position. Horrie’s regular rival Alexey Chuvashev of Russia will be aiming to dethrone the Australian hoping to win a World Championships title.

The para mixed double sculls (TAMix2x) sees the return of 2014 World Champions Gavin Ellis and Kathryn Ross of Australia. They are likely to find their strongest competition coming from Brazil’s Josiane Lima and Michel Gomes Pessanha.

2015 World Rowing Championships, Aiguebelette, France ©FISA Igor Meijer

The top eight boats in each para-rowing boat class will qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, thus all six finalists have already guaranteed their boat for their respective country. Horrie commented after today’s race, “Qualification is stage one of this championships and it is excellent to qualify the boat for Australia.” Skarstein added, “It feels incredible to be qualified for Rio. It has been a goal since the London Olympics and I am really excited that it will be my first Paralympics.”

The para-rowing finals begin at 16:40 CET and will be live streamed on http://www.worldrowing.com. The B-finals will also be live streamed beginning at 16:08 CET.

FC Barcelona Throws Open Its Doors To Equestrian Sport

World football giants FC Barcelona today welcomed equestrian sport to its iconic Camp Nou home in a ground-breaking venture.

The legendary Catalan club, winners of five European Cup and Champions League crowns, plus 50 domestic league and cup titles, achieved another first in its illustrious 116-year history when top Jumping riders Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) and Jessica Mendoza (GBR) helped mark three weeks to go to this year’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona.

The Final, which takes place at the neighbouring Real Club De Polo de Barcelona (24-27 September), is the highlight of the world’s oldest team Jumping series, bringing together the best Jumping athletes from 19 nations that have qualified from all over the globe.

And for Spaniard Sergio Alvarez Moya, especially, the chance to walk down a players’ tunnel that has been graced by superstars like Barcelona heroes Lionel Messi, Neymar and Andres Iniesta and be pitchside where some of football’s most memorable action has unfolded, proved an awe-inspiring occasion.

“It’s an amazing feeling being here at FC Barcelona, even though my team is Real Madrid!” he said. “It won’t be long now before Barcelona and Catalonia welcome the world’s best Jumping athletes and thousands of equestrian fans to the Polo Club right next door.”

This could get messy! Sydney 2000 Olympic Jumping gold medallist and current World European champion Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), right, and Sergio Álvarez Moya (ESP) wrestle with the Furusiyya trophy at FC Barcelona’s iconic Camp Nou stadium in the countdown to the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final at the neighbouring Real Club De Polo de Barcelona (24-27 September).
(FEI/Dan Rowley)

“The Barça player’s tunnel is really amazing with all the messages of support from fans,” said Jeroen Dubbeldam, who 10 days ago added the European title to his Sydney 2000 Olympic and 2014 world crowns. “Our sport is just as passionate and exciting as football, and we’ll all feel that competition fever again very soon in Barcelona when the Furusiyya Final gets underway, and the Dutch will be aiming to win it again this year!”

The three Jumping stars made their way pitchside to get a full view of the famous Nou Camp stadium, with its “More Than a Club” (Més Que un Club”) slogan.

“The ’More than a Club’ idea really makes my heart beat faster”, said British teen sensation Jess Mendoza who, at 19, was the youngest British team member for nearly 40 years when she competed at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2015 in Aachen (GER) 10 days ago, helping Great Britain secure its place on the Rio 2016 Olympic startlist. “In our sport, you can’t do it alone, it’s all about team work. We’re like a big club, with a network of amazing grooms, vets, trainers, family and friends, whose only focus is to make sure you and your horse are ready to go out and win. The equestrian community is one big family and we’re all really close.”

This could get messy! Sydney 2000 Olympic show jumping gold medallist and current World and European champion Jeroen Dubbeldam of the Netherlands, and Spain’s best known and most successful show jumping rider, Sergio Alvarez Moya get into the zone as they lead their teams through the Camp Nou stadium players’ tunnel at FC Barcelona in the countdown to the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final at the neighbouring Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (24-27 September). FEI/Dan Rowley

“We are very happy to receive the elite of the show jumping world in our stadium”, Carles Vilarrubí, 2nd Vice-President of FC Barcelona said. “FC Barcelona is the reference point in world football and we welcome the best global events in other sports, and that’s exactly what the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final at the CSIO Barcelona is, and that contributes to our city being on top of the sports world.”

New British talent at FC Barcelona: Jess Mendoza pictured at FC Barcelona’s iconic Camp Nou stadium in the countdown to the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final at Real Club De Polo de Barcelona later this month. (FEI/Dan Rowley)

Rabiu Ali Inspires Kano Pillars To Home Victory Against Kwara United

Today’s GLO NPFL Week 27 encounter between Kano pillars and FC Kwara United ended with a lone goal in favour of the home side at Sani Abacha stadium, Kano.

The Inspirational Rabiu Ali A.K.A Pele got the goal via a seventh minute freekick from outside the 18 yard box. Ali’s all-round display saw him also receive the man of the match award as adjudged by majority of the Journalist who were on ground to cover the game.

Techical Adviser of the Kano Based Team Babaganaru Muhammad Described the Victory as an important stepping stone towards restoring confidence in his squad after Pillars’s 12 year Unbeaten home record was shattered by Nasarawa United.

Babaganaru also seized the opportunity to thank the fans Of “Sai Masu Gida” for their unflinching support while promising that he and his team would not disappoint them.

kano pillars fc, photo credit kanopillars.com

Results Of Glo NPFL Week 27 Matches

Warri Wolves 4-0 Shooting Stars

Enyimba 4-0 FC Ifeanyi Ubah

Abia Warriors 1-0 Nasarawa United

Kano Pillars 1-0 Kwara united

Rangers 2-0 Wikki Tourist

Akwa united 1-1 El-Kanemi Warriors

Lobi Stars 1-0 Dolphins

Bayelsa united 1-1 Giwa FC

Taraba 2-0 Sharks

Sunshine stars 0-0 Heartland

Wenger – There is a Dearth Of Talent In The Transfer Market

Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger believes Man United’s Signing of literarily unknown French Forward Anthony Martial is Proof that there is a lack of talent in the transfer market.

The frenchman Who only signed Petr Cech from Chelsea in the summer transfer window believes that there is a dearth talent in the transfer market and this must have informed his decision to sign only Cech.

Anthony Martial has joined Man Utd for a record fee of 36 million pounds (highest for a teenager in the BPL)

This decision definitely didn’t go down well with so many Arsenal Fans who had be hopping that the Transfer deadline day would see the FA Cup Holders bring in on or two more players.

Wenger Believes that Spending 36 million pounds on a teenager is an Absolutely huge investment and proof that finding the kind of players that guarantee success is becoming harder by the day.

This Probably informs his decision not to buy another player apart from Petr Cech, meanwhile Arsenal Fans have wondered why 19 player went out the door during the summer transfer window and only one (Cech) came in.

Arsène Wenger
photo credit: Ronnie Macdonald
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

WBSC ANNOUNCES ‘SUPER ROUND’ SCHEDULE AS SIX NATIONS ADVANCE IN WBSC U-18 BASEBALL WORLD CUP IN OSAKA

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today revealed the Super Round schedule for the XXVII WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2015, which opened last Friday (28 August), in Osaka, Japan.

Following an exciting five-day group stage, half of the twelve National Teams competing in the U-18 international flagship event have been eliminated, while world No. 1 Japan and world No. 8 South Korea have emerged as winners of their respective groups.

Group A
W L Group B W L
1. JPN 5 0 1. KOR 5 0
2. USA 4 1 2. CUB 4 1
3. AUS 3 2 3. CAN 3 2
4. BRA 2 3 4. TPE 2 3
5. MEX 1 4 5. ITA 1 4
6. CZE 0 5 6. RSA 0 5

With the top 3 nations from each group qualifying for the Super Round, world No. 2 United States and world No. 14 Australia will be advancing along with Japan to the Super Round out of Group A.

From Group B, South Korea will move forward along with world No. 3 Cuba and world No. 7 Canada.

In the Super Round, the top 3 nations from Group A will compete against the top 3 nations from Group B.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY

Thursday, 3 September
12:00: South Korea vs. United States at Maishima Stadium
15:30: Cuba vs. Australia at Nanko Chuo Stadium
18:30: Japan vs. Canada Maishima Stadium

Friday, 4 September
12:00: Australia vs. Canada at Maishima Stadium
13:00: United States vs. Cuba at Historic Koshien Stadium
18:00: Japan vs. South Korea at Historic Koshien Stadium

Saturday, 5 September
12:00: South Korea vs. Australia at Maishima Stadium
13:00: Japan vs. Cuba at Historic Koshien Stadium
18:00: United States vs. Canada at Historic Koshien Stadium

Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), a WBSC Member, has adjusted the Hanshin Tigers’ home schedule at the legendary Koshien Stadium in order to host Super Round games and the grand finale of the the 2015 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

LIVE WEBCAST

Continued coverage of the 2015 U-18 Baseball World Cup will be made available via the WBSC’s two official Ustream channels: WBSC Channel 1 and WBSC Channel 2.

SUPER ROUND FORMAT

Head-to-head results between the top three finishers in the first round will carry over to the Super Round and the two nations with the best records at the conclusion of the Super Round on Saturday will compete for the U-18 world championship and gold medal on Sunday, 6 September. The nations finishing third and fourth in the Super Round standing will compete at Historic Koshien Stadium for the bronze medal on Sunday.

In Group A, Japan defeated two-time defending U-18 world champions United States and Australia, and will take a 2-0 record into the Super Round. The United States lost to Japan but defeated Australia, and will possess a 1-1 record. Having fallen to both Japan and the U.S., Australia will start the Super Round with a record of 0-2.

In Group B, South Korea went undefeated and will start the Super Round with a 2-0 record. Cuba will enter the Super Round with a 1-1 record, having defeated Canada but losing to South Korea by a score of 4-3 in extra innings. Canada registered losses against South Korea and Cuba and, like Australia, will have to play perfect baseball in the Super Round in order to keep their world title hopes alive.

SUPER ROUND STANDINGS

Nation W L
1. JPN 2 0
1. KOR 2 0
3. USA 1 1
3. CUB 1 1
5. AUS 0 2
5. CAN 0 2

Canada, Cuba, South Korea and the United States have all captured past U-18 world titles since the launch of the junior flagship event in 1981. The highest finish for Australia was second in the world in 2010, while Japan took silver in 2004, when current superstar pitcher and 2008 Olympian Yu Darvish represented Japan’s U-18 National Team.

A consolation round will be running alongside the Super Round to determine Nos. 7-12 in the final standings. In total, 50 games are being staged for the 2015 U-18 Baseball World Cup.

Lobi Stars v Dolphins Preview

Lobi Stars v Dolphins

Kick Off: 4 pm, Nigerian Time

Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Nigeria Professional Football League

Venue: Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi

Dolphins Fc

Team News

Ghanaian import, Wilson Andoh may get his first start for Dolphins in Makurdi against Lobi Stars on Wednesday.

Andoh, who is an attacker, formerly played for Blessing Soccer Academy in Ghana and was among thirteen players signed in mid-season to beef up the team.

Ifeanyi Egwim lost his fitness battle once again after coming on as a second half substitute in the last game against Akwa United. He is out of this one.

However, Chiwendu Ali who last featured for Dolphins on Match Day 15 against El Kanemi in Katsina has returned.

He had been out with an ankle injury ever since and only returned to training two weeks ago.

Match Facts

When both sides met in Port Harcourt, Dolphins won 2-0 with goals from Sochuma Elum and Jonathan Zikiye.

Dolphins are yet to win any game on the road this season but have drawn four times, 2-2 against Bayelsa United in Oghara, 1-1 against FC Taraba in Jalingo, 2-2 against Kano Pillars in Kano and 1-1 against Enugu Rangers in Enugu.

In their last four meetings at Lobi, Dolphins have only been able to score one goal; in the 2-1 loss in 2011.

Head to head

NPFL 5/3/2015 Dolphins FC PH 2-0 Lobi Stars

NPFL 11/16/2014 Lobi Stars 1-0 Dolphins FC PH

NPFL 5/31/2014 Dolphins FC PH 3-1 Lobi Stars

NPFL 10/12/2013 Dolphins FC PH 1-0 Lobi Stars

NPFL 6/5/2013 Lobi Stars 1-0 Dolphins FC PH

NPFL 8/1/2012 Dolphins FC PH 0-2 Lobi Stars

NPFL 3/18/2012 Lobi Stars 2-0 Dolphins FC PH

NPFL 7/10/2011 Lobi Stars 2-1 Dolphins FC PH

NPFL 1/15/2011 Dolphins FC PH 1-0 Lobi Stars

NPFL 2/20/2010 Dolphins FC PH 1-0 Lobi Stars

Dolphins Match Day squad

Dolphins fc

Chidiebere Okolie

Wilson Andoh

Godwin Ayalogu

Chigozie Ihunda

Jonathan Zikiye

Godwin Obinze

Festus Austin

Isiaka Olawale

Oghogho Oduokpe

Christian Weli

Ebitimi Agogu

Sunday Rotimi

Onyekachi Akakem

Ebuka Nnaebue

Ayobami Asekunowo

Joseph Douhadji

Chiwendu Ali

Omoh Johnson