Federation Cup: FC IfeanyiUbah, Rivers Angels Bundled Out

Glo NPFL side, FC IfeanyiUbah has been thrown out of this year’s Federation Cup competition after a tough duel with Nasarawa United at the Kwara Sports Complex, Ilorin on Wednesday.

The Lafia kings reached the semi finals with a 1-0 win, and will now play fellow Glo NPFL side Akwa United in the semi finals.

Akwa United were stretched to the rubber by surprise packets Niger Tornadoes Feeders. Feeders had booted out top division club, Dolphins FC on penalties in the Round of 16 and again came close, before losing 3-4 on penalties after a battling 2-2 draw at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.

In Lokoja, Lobi Stars also shoved out another surprise package, BJ Foundation of Benin 2-1. A tantalizing semi final is on the cards as Lobi get set to battle Enugu Rangers.

In Abuja, Enugu Rangers’ march to a sixth title was sustained with a 3-0 thrashing of El-Kanemi Warriors.

In the women’s event, champions Rivers Angels were eliminated by Confluence Queens in an interesting contest. The Kogi Queens edged the game 2-1, and will now tackle Bayelsa Queens, 2-0 winners over Edo Queens in the semi finals.

Also through to the semi finals are Nasarawa Amazons, who whipped Osun Babes 3-1, and Sunshine Queens, who defeated FC Robo 2-0 in Oleh.

MEN’S SEMI FINALS

Lobi Stars Vs Enugu Rangers

Nasarawa United Vs Akwa United

Women’s Federations Cup 2014

WOMEN’S SEMI FINALS

Confluence Queens Vs Bayelsa Queens

Nasarawa Amazons Vs Sunshine Queens

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

Edoh, Maikaba clinch June League Bloggers Awards

Giwa FC striker, Ocheme Edoh and Wikki Tourists gaffer, Abdu Maikaba, have emerged winners of the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player and Manager for the month of June respectively.

Edoh and Maikaba were picked as the top performers in the Glo Premier League for the month under review among other top contenders nominated for the awards in the player and manager categories.

The Giwa FC forward beat the trio of Bright Ejike (Heartland) as well as goalkeepers Sani Haliru (Wikki Tourists) and Itodo Akor (Enugu Rangers) to claim the LBA Player for June.

The battle for the player’s award was whittled down to Edoh and Ejike though the two goalkeepers, Akor and Haliru, kept three clean sheets each to influence their teams’ superb form in June.

Edoh, however, edged Ejike for the award as he scored in every match he featured in for Giwa FC in June despite being tied on four goals apiece with the Heartland striker.

It was a tight race between Edoh and Ejike for the player’s gong as the number of away goals scored by the two strikers was taken into consideration, and the Giwa FC man did enough to best his Heartland counterpart. Edoh scored twice on the road at Dolphins and Kano Pillars while Ejike managed just one away goal at Sharks for the month under review.

In the manager’s category, Maikaba always looked favourite after the conclusion of the Glo Premier League matches for the month of June. The only challenge for Maikaba came from Enyimba head coach, Kadiri Ikhana and Enugu Rangers manager, Imama Amapakabo.

But Maikaba guided the Tourists to an unbeaten run in June and masterminded his two away successes at FC Taraba and FC Ifeanyiubah who had at the time held a 100 percent run at home. Wikki Tourists finished with 10 points – more than any team in June.

The teams of Amapakabo and Ikhana also enjoyed unbeaten runs in June but Rangers and Enyimba could only muster nine and eight points respectively.

Edoh and Maikaba will be presented their LBA Player and Manager for June in the coming days.

Abdu Maikaba

LBA winners this season

March 2015
Player: Ebere Odiche (Heartland)
Manager: Tony Ogharanduku (FC Taraba)

April 2015
Player: Ibrahim Shuaibu (Giwa FC)
Manager: Tony Bulus (Giwa FC)

May 2015
Player: Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars)
Manager: Kennedy Boboye (Sunshine Stars)

The Good Times Are Coming Back – Pinnick

NFF President Amaju Pinnick is confident the good old days are returning to the elite division of Nigeria football after savouring an incident-free Glo Premier League showdown between traditional rivals Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Enugu Rangers at the Lekan Salami Stadium on Sunday.

“It was just like the good old days, when people could go to any of the stadia with their families and enjoy a League match without any hassles. The officiating was spot-on, the players gave their all and both teams deserved the point they each got from the encounter.

“I just feel that the good times are returning. The efforts of the Nigeria Football Federation and the League Management Company are yielding positive dividends.”

Pinnick, once more, praised the NFF Referees Committee headed by Yusuf Ahmed Fresh and the Nigeria Referees Association led by Tade Azeez.

“These two organs are working very hard to restore the glory of the League. They are complementing very well the efforts of the NFF and the LMC. The capacity –building programmes for the referees, and the general re-orientation of officiating officials have not been in vain.”

Pinnick was excited after the 1-1 draw between the two powerhouse teams with mass following, and promised to watch more domestic League matches as his schedule permits. Referee Ahmed Rufai from Jigawa State was in charge.

“We are having proper and very good officiating these days. I congratulate the referees and the assistant referees, as well as our match commissioners and referee assessors. The NFF and the LMC will continue the thorough monitoring of the officials, and we insist that those who perform below expected standard will be visited with full sanctions.”

TIMOTHY SIMON OF NASARAWA (1) photo credit LMC Media

In other Week 9 matches played on Sunday, Abia Warriors lost 0-1 at home to champions Kano Pillars, while Enyimba FC won 2-1 away to Dolphins in Port Harcourt. These results took the number of away wins this season to 10, with so many credible drawn games to add to the list.

On Sunday, Nasarawa United also drew 1-1 at home to Sunshine Stars, while FC Taraba secured a point in Jos after drawing 0-0 with Giwa FC.

GLO PREMIER LEAGUE WEEK 9 RESULTS

Gabros International 1 Sharks FC 0

Giwa FC 0 FC Taraba 0

Dolphins FC 1 Enyimba FC 2

El-Kanemi Warriors 1 Bayelsa United 0

Wikki Tourists 1 Lobi Stars 0

Heartland FC 2 Akwa United 0

Shooting Stars 1 Enugu Rangers 1

Nasarawa United 1 Sunshine Stars 1

Abia Warriors 0 Kano Pillars 1

Kwara United Vs Warri Wolves (PP)

GLO NPFL 2014/2015: Enyimba Confronts Akwa United As Dolphins Host Kwara United

First round fixtures of the 2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League season shows that People’s Elephant, Enyimba FC will trade tackles with Akwa United of Uyo at the Enyimba International Stadium on March 7.

Champions Kano Pillars are away to Heartland FC in Owerri while El-Kanemi Warriors, who will still play their home matches in Kano as they did last season, host Nasarawa United FC.

Top cadre returnees Shooting Stars of Ibadan are away to fellow returnees Wikki Tourists in Bauchi while Sunshine Stars visit Sharks FC in Port Harcourt and Giwa FC are at home to Abia Warriors in Jos.

3SC

GLO NPFL WEEK 1 FIXTURES

ENYIMBA VS AKWA UNITED

WIKKI TOURISTS VS 3SC

EL-KANEMI WARRIORS VS NASARAWA UNITED

SHARKS FC VS SUNSHINE STARS

DOLPHINS FC VS KWARA UNITED

GIWA FC VS ABIA WARRIORS

HEARTLAND FC VS KANO PILLARS

BAYELSA UNITED VS LOBI STARS

GABROS FC VS WARRI WOLVES

FC TARABA VS ENUGU RANGERS

Dolphins Fc

Sparkling Nwobodo Rewarded With Second Start For Flying Eagles

After a sparkling performance against Dolphins, Enugu Rangers midfielder Obinna Nwobodo has been rewarded with a second straight start for the Flying Eagles in Sunday’s final game in the Super 4.

Nwobodo has been on the fringes of the main team but shone in the Flying Eagles 4-1 win over Dolphins on Friday by delivering three assists to keep his place in the starting XI.

He also provided the assist for Musa Yahaya’s late goal against Enyimba on the opening day of the competition.

He starts ahead of Ifeanyi Matthew and Abdullahi Alfa.

Exciting winger Bernard Bulbwa was also on target against Dolphins and will thus also start against the country’s Olympic team.

Flying Eagles

Prince Aggreh from Sunshine Stars, who was sent off in the opening game against Enyimba and has since served out his one-match ban, will play alongside the team’s main striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

The Flying Eagles have already won this six-team tournament with an unassailable 12 points from four matches and so today’s final clash against the U23s is a mere formality.

Flying Eagles start list vs National Under 23 Team:

Joshua Enaholo – Mustapha Abdullahi, Zaharadeen Bello, Abdul Ganiyu Saed, Musa Muhammed (Captain) – Akinjide Idowu, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Obinna Nwobodo, Bernard Bulbwa- Prince Aggreh, Taiwo Awoniyi

Subs: OlorunLeke Ojo, Roland Silas, Adebayo Ademulua, Ifeanyi Mathew, Musa Yahaya, Chidera Eze, Usman Hassan, Tunde Adeniji, Wasiu Jimoh, Abdullahi Alfa

Obuh, Eduok Are LBA Winners For September

Enugu Rangers coach, John Obuh and Dolphins attacking midfielder, Emem Eduok, have been named the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Manager and Player for the month of September.

The duo excelled in the month under review in the Glo Premier League and helped their teams record impressive results.

Obuh bagged the LBA Manager of the Month after leading the “Flying Antelopes” to remain unbeaten in four matches and earned 10 points.

A precious point at Abia Warriors also boosted Obuh’s statistics in September.

John Obuh, photo credit fifa.com

Obuh deservedly picks the Manager’s Award ahead of Paul Aigbogun (Warri Wolves), Okey Emordi (Kano Pillars), Patrick Udoh (Akwa United), Kelechi Emeteole (Heartland) and Gbenga Ogunbote (Sharks).

It’s double celebration for Eduok whose fabulous performance also earned him an invitation to the Super Eagles nest for the Morocco 2015 Afcon double header against Sudan.

Emem Eduok – Dolphins FC

Eduok scored four goals including a brace against Nasarawa United and one goal during the road trip defeat at Warri Wolves, as he edged out Frank Egharevba of Bayelsa United and NIgerian International, Gbolahan Salami of Warri Wolves, who equally scored four goals each.

The efforts of Rangers goalkeeper, Itodo Akor, who recorded clean sheets in three matches and a hat-trick from Siman Yusuf of Kaduna United were not enough to upstage Eduok.

Obuh and Eduok will be presented with their awards by the LBA later this month.