Red hot striker of Nasarawa United, Esosa Igbinoba has stated the desire of his team to secure a continental ticket at the end of the on going season. According to the Edo state born player, the players and management of the team want to play continental football next season and therefore, are working seriously to […]
via IGBINOBA TARGETS CONTINENTAL TICKET WITH NASARAWA UNITED By Akeem Busari — newfanzoneblog
The Nigeria Football Federation has now received information from the Senegalese Football Federation to the effect that the delegation of AS Academie Generation Foot to a CAF Confederation Cup match in Abuja will arrive on Friday morning.
Generation Foot, a lower division team in Senegal that upset the formbook to win the country’s FA Cup, clash with Nigeria’s CAF Confederation Cup flagbeares Nasarawa United at the National Stadium, Abuja in a first round, first leg match.
The Senegalese Football Federation also confirmed that Generation Foot have elected the option of taking care of themselves while in Nigeria, with the implication that the Solid Miners will also take care of their stay in Dakar in the return leg.
While Generation Foot are campaigning on the continent for the first time, Nasarawa United played in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2007 after crashing out of the more lucrative CAF Champions League.
On Thursday, Nasarawa United FC chairman, Barr. Isaac Danladi, told thenff.com that his boys are in great shape to earn a heartwarming win that will stand them in good stead in the return leg.
“We are not taking this campaign with levity. The Government of Nasarawa State is very keen on the team doing the nation proud, so nothing is being left to chance.
“Our commitment is to take it one match at a time. We will fight for a handsome result in Abuja on Sunday and then go and play our hearts out in Senegal.”
The winner of the fixture between Nasarawa United and Generation Foot will proceed to the second round, to battle it out with Club Sportif Constantinois of Algeria.
On Sunday, Nasarawa United coach Kabiru Suleiman Dogo will be able to call on some of the most impressive actors in Nigeria’s domestic football.
Esosa Igbinoba, who was among the top scorers of the penultimate season, is available alongside CHAN Eagles defender Samson Gbadebo, Abdulrahaman Bashir, Philip Azango, CHAN Eagles midfielder Yaro Bature, Thomas Zenke and Philip Auta.
On Friday, Nigerian champions Enyimba FC will take on Vipers of Uganda in Kampala in their CAF Champions League first round, first leg match, while Akwa United are away to Club Mokanda of Congo in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The other Nigerian team in the CAF Champions League contest, Warri Wolves, will host Praia Cruz from Sao Tome and Principe at the Warri Township Stadium on Sunday.
Players and officials of Nigeria’s flagbearers in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup, Nasarawa United, have arrived in Abuja with a determination not to take prisoners in Sunday’s first round, first leg clash against AS Academie Generation Foot of Senegal.
Although the opponents are yet to communicate their date of arrival to the Nigeria Football Federation, Nasarawa United FC chairman, Barr. Isaac Danladi told thenff.com on Tuesday that his players are focusing on Sunday’s game and not when the opposition will jet into town.
“Our preparations are geared towards achieving a handsome win, in order to make the second leg an easier session for us. As I told you some weeks ago, we have experienced continental football before when we played in the CAF Champions League some years ago. It is not an entirely strange territory.
“Playing at home first, or playing at the National Stadium, Abuja is no disadvantage. Rather, we see everything as an opportunity to confirm how much progress Nasarawa United has made over the years.”
The Solid Miners opted to play at the National Stadium, Abuja as their home ground in Lafia is presently undergoing renovation. They trained in Abuja on Tuesday and are staying at the Peace Haven Hotel, Wuye.
Ace forward Esosa Igbinoba, Thomas Zenke, Abdulrahman Bashir and the two Philips – Auta and Azango – are in the 22 –man delegation that stormed the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday.
Also this weekend, Nigeria’s other flagbearer in the CAF Confederation Cup, Super 4 champions Akwa United will travel to Congo to play Club Mokanda. In the CAF Champions League, Warri Wolves will host Praia Cruz from Sao Tome and Principe while two –time champions Enyimba FC fly to Uganda to play Vipers FC.
The League Bloggers Awards (LBA) has announced Festus Allen of Sharks and Esosa Igbinoba of Nasarawa United as winners of the Manager and Player awards respectively for September in the Glo Premier League.
Allen and Esosa played active roles in their team’s run in the month under review to edge other contenders for the awards.
Sharks manager, Allen saw his team begin the month of September deep in relegation and two places away from safety. They were also two points below the drop zone.
However, the Blue Angels under Allen succeeded in turning around their poor run by battling out of the drop zone with wins over champions Kano Pillars, FC Ifeanyiubah and fellow relegation-threatened rivals, Dolphins.
At the end of September, Allen ensured Sharks finished two points adrift the drop zone.
The Sharks gaffer edged Kabiru Dogo of Nasarawa United, Abdu Maikaba of Wikki Tourists and Gbenga Ogunbote of 3SC to the manager’s award though the like of Kadiri Ikhana of Enyimba and Imama Amapakabo of Enugu Rangers also came close in the race.
Igbinoba clearly made himself a visible figure in the scheme of things for Nasarawa United in the month of September from his midfield position. The attacking midfielder scored four times including twice at title contenders, Sunshine Stars, to inflict a 3-2 defeat on the Akure club. The Nasarawa United man’s other goals came against Rangers and Warri Wolves.
The trio of Bayelsa United striker Bernard Ovoke, Tope Orelope of 3SC and Sharks defender Gabriel Olalekan were pipped to the player’s award by Igbinoba.
Allen and Igbinoba will receive their awards for manager and player respectively later this month.
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)
June 2015
Player: Ocheme Edoh (Giwa FC)
Manager: Abdu Maikaba (Wikki Tourists)
July 2015
Player: Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors)
Manager: Paul Aigbogun (Warri Wolves)
August 2015
Player: Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars)
Manager: Kabiru Dogo (Nasarawa United)
Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia lethal striker, Chisom Chikatara, who scored a hat-trick last weekend in Umuahia against visiting Enugu Rangers International in a week 32 Glo Premier League encounter, said he would have preferred all the three points for his team rather than the individual glory of scoring a hat-trick in a 3-3 home draw.
Chikatara, who looked forlorn after the game despite his heroics, said Abia Warriors needed all the three points at stake to improve their standing on the league table and boost their chances of picking a continental ticket at the end of the season.
“I thank God for giving me three goals today but I would have loved it more if we won the match. For me at this time, three points is better than scoring three goals and sharing the points”, the Ibeku-Umuahia-born striker told Abia Warriors website.
The 20-year-old who has now netted 13 league goals this season and is just two goals shy of the 15 so far scored by Nasarawa United’s Esosa Igbinoba who leads the pack, noted that his team worked hard enough to grab all the three points at stake, but lamented that fate played a fast one on them as Rangers equalized to make it 3-3 during the second minute of the added three minutes in the 92nd minute.
Chikatara said Abia Warriors will not relent as they are looking forward for better outings in their future encounters, pointing out with six matches to end the season, they are still very optimistic that a continental ticket was still realizable.
The League Bloggers Awards (LBA) has named eight actors in the Glo Premier League as the men in contention for the Player and Manager gongs for the month of September.
Four managers, Abdu Maikaba of Wikki, Gbenga Ogunbote of 3SC, Festus Allen of Sharks and Kabiru Dogo of Nasarawa United have been nominated.
Esosa Igbinoba of Nasarawa, Bayelsa United striker Bernard Ovoke, 3SC’s Tope Orelope and Sharks defender Gabriel Orelope are in the running for the player’s award.
The eight men have been picked after due consideration and sifting of all 80 matches played in the month under review in the Nigerian top flight.
The quartet of Allen, Dogo, Maikaba and Ogunbote were the top performing coaches having taken charge of four matches apiece – all losing one each.
In the players’ category, Ovoke made a stake with a hat-trick performance while Igbinoba’s goalscoring form ensured he got in the mix of the nominees for September.
Surprise nominees are the duo of Orelope and Olalekan. Orelope’s drive and guile in midfield was one of the major reasons for 3SC’s strong show in September.
Olalekan played in all of Sharks’ four matches and put in a massive shift in defence which saw them finish the month of September as the best defensive side.
Winners for the September award will be announced on Monday.
LBA September Nominees
Managers
Abdu Maikaba
Gbenga Ogunbote
Festus Allen
Kabiru Dogo
Players
Bernard Ovoke
Esosa Igbinoba
Gabriel Olalekan
Tope Orelope
Dolphins failed to build on their 1-0 win over Shooting Stars on Wednesday as they fell in Makurdi to Nasarawa United.
Dolphins started well, missing a flurry of chances through Chiwendu Ali, who shot wide from outside the box, Omoh Johnson, whose tame effort was save by the goalkeeper and Godbless Asamoah.
The home side also got into the groove midway in the first half as the trio of Esosa Igbinoba, Leonard Ugochukwu and Philip Auta put the Dolphins defence on their toes.
With the first half ending goaless, Nasarawa United started the second on a high with forays into the Dolphins box.
Their efforts paid off in the 54th minute when Esosa Igbinoba went past Dolphins captain, Festus Austin and his cross was tapped in by Leonard Ugochukwu for the first and only goal of the game.
Stanley Eguma threw in Ifeanyi Egwim for Omoh Johnson and Daniel Victor for Chiwendu Ali but the fortunes of Dolphins did not change.
Dolphins next travel to Ado Ekiti for a mid-week encounter against Niger Tornadoes Feeders in the Federation Cup Round of 16.
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