BOSSO EULOGIZES NDIFREKE: SAYS STRIKER IS AN ASSET TO NIGERIA

ABIA WARRIORS FC

Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia Technical Adviser, Isa Ladan Bosso has described his new found striker, Ndifreke Effiong as an indispensable player which every well-groomed coach would pray to have on his side because of his versatility.

Speaking to Newsmen at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba after the Warriors’ 3-1 victory over visiting FC Taraba from Jalingo, Bosso commended Ndifreke for netting a brace in the game and for his overall performance in recent matches which has since him score five goals in his last four.

“Ndifreke to be sincere to ourselves is an asset to this team (Abia Warriors), an asset to Abia State and an asset to this country because he is a player that every determined and serious coach will like to have in his team. He is a player that can play from the defence, from the midfield and from the attack, and even from the goalpost because in one training session, I used him as a goalkeeper and he did very well”, Bosso said.

Ladan Bosso, photo credit ladanbosso.blogspot.com

The Akwa Ibom State born utility player, scored twice in the second half last Sunday after scores stood at 1-1 as the players went into the tunnel. Valentine Nwabili scored in the 19th minute, his first league goal of the season while Sanusi Ibrahim restored parity for the Jalingo side 26 minutes later before Ndifreke took over nodding in an Osita Egbo perfect cross in the 52nd minute and converted a free-kick in the 58th minute to make the scoreline more emphatic.

Bosso said the substitutions he effected in the game worked out for him and promised that his target of at least clinching 36 points in the first phase of the league was still on course.

In his reaction, Tony Oharaduku the Chief Coach of FC Taraba, said the final scoreline was not a true reflection of the efforts his boys put up.

According to him, FC Taraba had the opportunity to seal the match in the first half but lamented that his boys were wasteful in front of goal, thereby allowing the home team to recover.

Oharaduku lamented that the team was owed a backlog of salaries and allowances which has affected them psychologically and hoped something positive would happen so that the team could regain its lost glory.

Dolphins’ Zikiye Explains Wonder Goal Against FC Taraba

Dolphins’ full back, Jonathan Zikiye has explained his 35 yard strike in Jalingo against FC Taraba last Wednesday.

Zikiye got the ball in his own half, took a step forward and shot the ball from distance to beat Chinedu Kawawa in goal for FC Taraba.

“I wasn’t really expecting to score but when the ball came, I gave it a try and then saw it in the net.

“Actually, I called for the ball and when it came, I touched it once and looked up to see the keeper off his line and I gave it a try,” Zikiye said.

Zikiye expressed his joy at the goal in a league that he calls “a difficult one.”

“I’m happy and excited because it is not easy for a defender to score in a difficult league and that was my second goal of the season.”

Not yet goal of the season

Dolphins left full back, Jonathan Zikiye

Zikiye adds that he cannot join those who say his goal can be the best this season.

“I have not yet watched the clips of the goal so I cannot judge now if it can be in the running for goal of the season.

“Those that are in charge will be in the best position to say where my goal ranks,” he said.

And as regards the position of his club, Dolphins on the table, Zikiye said this

“We hope to get back on track after the break. You all know we started poorly this season but everything is still in place and we believe we can give the fans something to smile about by the time the season ends.”

Taraba, Dolphins Share Spoils

Home side, FC Taraba forced Dolphins to a draw, 1-1 in Jalingo on Wednesday in match day 9 of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Dolphins went ahead in the 31st minute when a fortuitous effort from about 35 yards by left full back, Jonathan Zikiye beat an unprepared goalkeeper, Chinedu Kawawa in goal for Taraba.

Zikiye just shot the ball ahead of him during an overlapping run and it found its way into the post.

But that was after Dolphins suffered a casualty as early as the 5th when Igwe Nwosu, a product of the feeder team in his first ever game for the club tore a calf muscle.

Lute Iorhe had a chance to draw level for the home side with 4 minutes left in the half but his shot went wide of the Dolphins post, though it seemed like goalkeeper, Anyalogu had covered well.

Midway into the second half, substitute, Aliru Ahmed beat the Dolphins offside trap but Anyalogu saved a certain goal from close range.

The home side did all they could to get the equalizer but Anyalogu stood his grounds all game long until four minute left to play when another substitute, Ibrahim Sanusi found space in the crowded Dolphins defence to score as they failed to clear the ball after a long thrown in.

Dolphins coach, John Apollo said after the game that he was happy with the draw.

“It’s a game we should have won, but we eventually drew and one point is better than nothing, especially after losing at home to Enyimba last weelend,” Apollo said.

A distraught FC Taraba coach, Tony Ogharandukwu blamed luck for the draw.

“One side played all the football and the other side just defended. The only time they attacked was that goal they scored from distance but we played all 90 minutes in their box,” Ogharandukwu said.

The league now goes on a three week break and resumes on June 14.

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.

ABIA WARRIORS SUSPECT GANG-UP AGAINST TEAM

Technical Adviser of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Issah Ladan Bosso has described the current not too good performance of the team in recent times as a temporary setback which will soon be overcome.

Speaking to newsmen at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo after his boys engaged FC Taraba in a Glo Premier League encounter; the highly experienced tactician said there was no cause for alarm yet as Abia Warriors will overcome its present challenges.

He, however, expressed worry at the type of officiating his team has received in some of their games particularly in the encounter with FC Taraba and called on the League Management Company, which he said is doing everything to sanities the league, to call such referees to order in order not to drag the league into disrepute.

The former flying Eagles coach pointed accusing fingers at one particular referee who he said handled Abia Warriors match at Umuahia with Kano Pillars who also handled their game with FC Taraba, less than one month in between and posited that the man in black is probably on a mission to destroy Abia Warriors.

According to him, the referee’s questionable officiating against the warriors during the game culminated in allowing a goal which he said was scored from an obvious off-side position and wondered what has been his mission.

The former Kano Pillars, Niger Tornadoes, Wikki Tourists and Bayelsa United Sweat Merchant, said there seems to be a gang-up against Abia Warriors but assured their fans that the club will soon rediscover their killer instinct and regain their pride in the elite league.

GLO NPL – El-Kanemi gets new date with Abia Warriors

A new date of Wednesday, March 26 has been announced for the postponed Match Day 2 fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and Abia Warriors.

The League Management Company (LMC) announced that the match will be played at the Kano Pillars Stadium in Kano which will now host home fixtures of the Maiduguri-based side until further notice.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer of LMC disclosed this and said “in the light of developments in Maiduguri and adjoining cities, we had to suspend all fixtures in the town and have moved their home fixtures for now to Kano”.

The match will kick-off at 4.15pm local time. Meanwhile, in Match Day 2 fixtures, Heartland will host Sharks in Owerri in a Friday Star Match while the following day, Crown FC will play home to Dolphins FC, FC Taraba will receive El-Kanemi Warriors in Jalingo and Rangers International are hosts to Kano Pillars.

In Uyo, Akwa United will clash with Kaduna United and in Katsina Ala, it is Lobi Stars versus Gombe United. Also on Wednesday, March 26, Warri Wolves are home to Enyimba International while Bayelsa United are home to Nasarawa United.

In a related development, host broadcasters of the Glo Premier League, SuperSport has said the repeat broadcast of the match between Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars will start airing from 00.50 am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

It will also be aired on Tuesday at 2pm and 1am on SuperSport 9 while on Wednesday, it will be broadcast at 8am and 00.45am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

The broadcast schedule will continue on Thursday, March 20 on SuperSport 9 at 4.50pm and 00.50am while on Friday, the final repeat broadcast will be at 11.00am and 00.50am on SuperSport 9.