Federation Cup: Osaghale, Clement Chase Obong

The races for the top scorer in both men’s and women’s competitions of the 2015 men’s Federation Cup competition hot up on Wednesday when the quarter final games hold in eight centres.

In the men’s event, Friday Obong of Akwa United FC of Uyo leads with five goals. He scored three of those goals in the Round of 64 against Dallatu FC, and two more in the Round of 32 match against Peacemakers FC.

Three other players have scored three goals each. Bobby Clement of Enugu Rangers, Junior Osaghale of BJ Foundation and Chinedu Iheanacho of FC Taraba. However, FC Taraba has been eliminated.

Osaghale scored one each against Kurmi Market (Round of 64), Sportlight FC (Round of 32) and Heartland FC (Round of 16). Clement netted two in Rangers’ clash with Kukuruku Dragons in the Round of 32 and another one against Kwara United in the Round of 16.

Iheanacho bagged a brace for FC Taraba against Akpamkpa (Round of 64) and one against Papilo in the Round of 32.

All of Obong, Clement and Osaghale have opportunity to increase their tally when the quarter -final games are played on Wednesday. Obong’s Akwa United clash with Niger Tornadoes Feeders in Makurdi, while Osaghale’s BJ Foundation tackle Lobi Stars at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja. Clement’s Rangers will battle El-Kanemi Warriors at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja.

In the women’s event, Tina Oyeleme of Sunshine Queens has three goals, while Ijeoma Emenike (Rivers Angels) and Rafiyat Sule (Bayelsa Queens) have two each.

QUARTER FINAL FIXTURES (MEN)

Lobi Stars Vs BJ Foundation (Lokoja) – 3pm

El-Kanemi Warriors Vs Enugu Rangers (Abuja) – 3pm

Nasarawa United Vs FC IfeanyiUbah (Ilorin) – 3pm

Akwa United Vs Tornadoes Feeders (Makurdi) – 3pm

Women’s Federations Cup

QUARTER FINAL FIXTURES (WOMEN)

Rivers Angels Vs Confluence Queens (Enugu) – 3pm

Edo Queens Vs Bayelsa Queens (Neros) – 3pm

Osun Queens Vs Nasarawa Amazons (Benin) – 3pm

FC Robo Vs Sunshine Queens (Oleh) – 3pm

* All matches on Wednesday, 12 August

NWPL Week 2: ANGELS WALK-OVER PELICAN STARS

Reigning Women League champions Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt got their first away win without kicking a ball after they walked-over Pelican Stars on Sunday in Calabar.

The NWPL week 2 game between Rivers Angels and Pelican Stars failed to hold due to the inability of the Cross River State management to release funds for the team to host the game.

According to team manager of the Rivers Angels, Matilda Otuene, they had requested that their games be postponed till after the world Cup since they have more than four players in the national team but the NWL board insisted all league games must go on.

Little did they know that Pelican Stars were also not prepared financially for the game and demanded the game be postponed and Rivers Angels should be stopped from honouring the game but the league board also turned down their request.

“A number of my players are not in town because I have nine girls in Super Falcons while the other two foreign players are playing the Olympic qualifiers for Cameroon and Ghana and I lost five others to foreign clubs the likes of Asisat Oshoala, Evelyn Nwabuokwu, Ebere Orji, Fransica Ordega and Uchechi Sunday.” began Otuene.

Rivers Angels

“I made the complaint to the Nigeria Women League Board but they insisted the league games must go on and they don’t want any postponement of any games but the rules says if you have more than four players in the national team you can put your match on hold and I have nine girls in the national team.” she added

However, the double champions went ahead with the hope things would turn around for the hosts but arrived in Calabar on Saturday to find out it is status quo.

On the part of Pelicans, funds were not released for the game. They could not take care of the match officials’ bills, their players were not ready for the game and all other logistics needed for the success of the game was not in place.

Consequently, Rivers Angels were awarded 3 points and 3 goals while they await official ratification from the Nigeria Women League board.

Otuene added that Rivers Angels should not be made to suffer for having talented players in the national team and the rules must be strictly followed.

“The rules should come first.” she opined.

“It is not our making that the league started late but it is like we are paying for having nine players in the national team. Did we do any wrong in bringing up these players?” she asked rhetorically.

“Many people have asked why Edwin Okon who doubles as the national team coach and Rivers Angels coach did not search for players in other teams and why just Rivers Angels. People forget that these talented players move to where they would be well paid and where they would have better welfare packages.”

Otuene advised Women football followers to come to terms with Angels’ era of domination.

“Some years it was Jegede Babes, later Bayelsa Queens, another it was Pelican Stars and now it is Rivers Angels.” she said.

Rivers Angels will next play Capital City Dove of Abuja on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 in a rescheduled Week 1 game before playing host to Nasarawa Amazons on Saturday May 16, 2015.

Other Result

Group A

Bayelsa Queens 2-0 Adamawa Queens

Confluence Queens 3-0 Fc Robo

Martins White 1-1 Osun Babes

Ibom Angels 1-0 Delta Queens

Group B

Pelican Stars 0-3 Rivers Angels(W/O)

Capital City Dove 1-2 Sunshine Queens

C.O.D Ladies 1-1 Edo Queens

Nasarawa Amazons 3-0 Taraba Queens(W/O)

2014/15 Nigerian Women Premier League Season Kicks-Off

The wait is over for lovers of Women Football in Nigeria as the 2014/15 Nigerian Women Premier League season begins this weekend with some mouth-watering fixtures.

Sixteen (16) participating teams would slug it out this season as against 11 teams last season in what will be an abridged format.

Adamawa Queens who were granted a waiver last campaign, following insurgency claims cited by other clubs as reason for not honouring their games in the Adamawa state capital, will battle it out with Bayelsa Queens, Confluence Queens, Delta Queens, Pro League winners Fc Robo, Ibom Angels , newly promoted Martins Whyte Dove and Osun Babes in Group A.

Group B, has got Champions Rivers Angels, Pelican Stars , Edo Queens, Taraba Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, last season Federation Cup finalist Sunshine Queens, and two undecided teams that would have to wait for the approval from the NFF Executive Committee.

Rivers Angels Starting lineup

Rivers Angels won the league last season with a 100% home record as they won all their home games, picking a total of 30 points from their respective home matches and recorded 2 away wins out of the 8 away wins recorded by other NWPL teams.

With the departure of key players in the team like Asisat Oshoala, Evelyn Nwabuokwu, Uchechi Sunday, and Ebere Orji it is yet to be seen if the Port Harcourt side can successfully defend their title this season.

Top scorer for last season, Amarachi Orjinma whose 17goals helped Pelican Stars finish second place in the league, is one player to watch but she has shifted her services to the League Champions, Rivers Angels. All attention will be on her if she can replicate her goal scoring form with the Port Harcourt club.

Opening Day Fixtures
On Saturday, Delta Queens will be at home against Confluence Queens in Oleh. The confident Kogi side will hope to avoid a repeat of a 4-0 defeat handed out to them last season in Oleh.

Osun Babes will also play host to Ibom Angels in a repeat of last season league opener which ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts.

Bayelsa Queens will hope to better last season’s poor performance when they travel to face Pro League winners, FC Robo in Lagos. Another debutants, Martins White Doves of Benin will be on the road to face Adamawa Queens in Yola.

Sunshine Queens of Akure

In Group B, only two matches will be played this weekend as champions Rivers Angles and Federation Cup finalist Sunshine Queens of Akure will have to wait for the approval of NFF Executive Committee to know their opponents.
In the meantime, Edo Queens will be at home against Nasarawa Amazons, while FC Taraba will play host to Pelican stars in Jalingo. The corresponding fixture last season ended in a stalemate.

The wait is over and despite the lack of sponsorship and seeming relegation to the background in Nigerian Football, the women are back to display their footballing talents, express their passion into actions and prove once again that we are never short of the talents to replace those exiting the league.

NIGERIA WOMEN PREMIER LEAGUE RESUMES WITH ABRIDGED LEAGUE

The Nigeria Women Premier League 2014/2015 season will commence on May 2, 2015 .This was disclosed during the Annual Clubs Congress of the Nigeria Women Football League which took place in Abuja on Tuesday.

As compared to what was played last season which was a straight league, the upcoming season will be an abridged league. This is to cope with the serial breaks that would arise as a result of the busy schedule that would involve players called up to the national team.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Chairperson of the Nigeria Women League board, Dilichukwu Onyedinma confirmed that the upcoming season would be an abridged league to avoid mistakes of last season.

“This season will be an abridged league. We have to consider the elections that are taking place and the competitions coming up in the year. We have taken note of most of the mistakes made last season and looking forward to a much better league this year, Onyedinma confirmed.

Rivers Angels Starting lineup

The Super Falcons will be involved in the Fifa Women’s World Cup in June; All Africa Games billed for Congo and the qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are the reasons behind the decision agreed at the congress.

The climax of the congress was the award of league trophy to Rivers Angels being the winners of the 2013/2014 NWPL ahead of Pelican Stars and Sunshine Queens who came 2nd an 3rd respectively.

The Port Harcourt side was awarded their trophy after an exhibition game against Confluence Queens at the FIFA Goal Project Technical Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.

The double champions were 1-0 winners over the Kogi side courtesy of Angels Left full back, Ngozi Ebere from the penalty spot when newly signed forward Ijeoma Emenike was brought down in the box.

The exhibition game should have been between Champions Rivers Angels and second place finish, Pelican Stars but the Calabar based side pulled out of the game.

The draws for the new season are yet to be made.

RIVERS ANGELS BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Rivers Angels retained their spot on top of the Nigeria Women Premier League Table with a 3-2 win against Ibom Angels on Saturday at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.

It was a hard fight between the two South-South clubs as both teams tried to prove supremacy in the first half of the game with most of the battle taking place in the midfield with no clear cut chances created.

Stella Mbachu, the veteran striker, gave Rivers Angels the lead 10 minutes to the first half interval with an assist from Mercy Amanze.

Ibom Angels were the better team in the second half dominating the game and capitalizing on a sloppy Rivers Angels’ defense with two goals from Ijeoma Emenike and Grace Henry in the 60th and 81st minute respectively.

But In the 73rd minute, Stella Mbachu leveled a well connected cross to Lola Phillips who parried the ball pass the fantastic Falcons goal keeper, Precious Dede.

The Port Harcourt side wrapped up the game with a win courtesy of a direct shot taken by Ngozi Ebere 7 minutes to regulation time which countered Grace Henry’s goal depriving the away team a point on the road.

Team manager of Rivers Angels, Matilda Otuene was excited with the victory.

“I am very happy with the result. It was not an easy match for the girls but this shows the spirit of champions that they can curtail pressure from every team they meet, said Otuene”.

“The two goals they conceded was due to lack of concentration but all the same it was a good game, she said”.

Ime Otoene, Ibom Angels coach, blamed his team’s loss on unfair officiating.
“The home team usually wins because they always get support from the match officials. We have not had fair officiating in our away games since the beginning of the second stanza of the season but today’s game was better compared to our previous matches, said Otoene”.

The win ensured Rivers Angels remain on top of the Nigeria Women Premier League table.

There was a shocking result in Calabar in the game between Pelican Stars and Confluence Queens.

Pelican Stars suffered their first home defeat of the season which ended 1-0 in favour of Confluence Queens. While Delta Queens were beaten by Sunshine Queens by 1-0.

NWPL, ANGELS FLY TO THE SUMMIT AFTER ROAD WIN !

Rivers Angels on Sunday fought back from a goal down to secure an impressive 2-1 win over their host Confluence Queens at the newly constructed Confluence Stadium in Lokoja .

It did not look quite easy at the start as the host drew the first blood in the 17th minute courtesy of a controversial penalty. The centre referee pointed to the spot after he adjudged an Angels” defender to have handled inside the box when Angels’ goal keeper, Charity John punched a cross clear.

In the 37th minute, a through pass from Loveth Ayila from outside the 18 yard box to Cecilia Nku got the away team the equalizer.

Rivers Angels doubled their advantage with 10 minutes left to play from a well-connected cross from veteran striker, Stella Mbachu spotting the Ghana born striker Elizabeth Addo to allow her tap the ball into the net.

This is the first away victory for Rivers Angels and it takes them to the top of the League table with 11 points from 5 games.

Assistant coach of Rivers Angels, White Abunda expressed happiness over the result.

”Rivers Angels have taken their rightful position on the league table and from now we would retain it till the end of the season and no turning back, said Abunda”.

“We scored five goals and the referee disallowed three goals. I am happy the girls fought hard to win the game despite the controversial penalty awarded against them, he concluded”.

Rivers Angels will slug it out with Osun Babes in their next game this weekend at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.

NWFL 2013/2014 Nigeria Womens Premier League kicks off on the

Draws were held at Lokoja in Kogi state Nigeria to herald the Kick-off of the National Women’s Football League ( NWFL ) on Thursday the 6th of February 2014. Week one of the fixtures will see Sunshine Queens of Akure’s host Nasarawa Amazons, while Bayelsa Queens Fc will square-of against the girls from Kogi state Confluence Queens Fc, Pelican Stars will travel to Adamawa wher they will be hosted by Adamawa Queens. The release of fixtures for the NWFL, is a clear-cut indication that this season of NWFL will be better than the previous seasons . Please find below the full fixtures for Week 1 of the NWFL

Week 1 Fixtures: March 1st/2nd,2014

Sunshine Queens Fc vs Nasarawa Amazons Fc

Adamawa Queens Fc vs Pelican Stars Fc

Bayelsa Queens Fc vs Confluence Queens Fc

Delta Queens Fc vs Rivers Angels Fc{Star Match:-live on NTA}

Police Machine Fc vs Fc Robo

Osun Babes Fc vs Ibom Angels Fc

Draws of the Nigeria Women Premier League were held at Miami Hotel here in Lokoja with club chairmen NFF officials and other stakeholders in attendance

ABIDOYE BABATUNDE