RIVERS ANGELS UNBEATEN RUN HALTED

A late penalty from former Rivers Angels player, Amenze Aighewi was all it took to end the 2014 Nigeria Women Football League champions seven matches unbeaten run in the NWFL as they lost 0-1 to Edo Queens in a rescheduled match day 5 clash.

The 2014 NWFL champions who came from a defeat to Confluence Queens in the quarter finals of the Federation Cup on Wednesday were almost leaving with a point when center referee Adeyemi Christiana from Ondo State pointed to the spot in the 90th minute after goalkeeper Bidemi Aluko was trying to clear a cross from defender Uju Joseph.

The visiting team had gone 1-0 up in the 16th minute through Rosemary Okezie but assistant referee ruled it off.

After the game, head coach of Edo Queens, Kenneth Aigbe expressed his delight

“I feel great because the players played to instructions and we’re playing a good side; Rivers Angels, they’re no push over at all, and the girls played to instruction, we need support for the girls so that they can step up their game,

Rivers Angels

Meanwhile head coach of Rivers Angels, Edwin Okon had this to say on officiating:

“There’re people that threaten referees every year and as well the referees must as well do what they want, we can’t grow like this in female football, we can’t grow like this”

“Look at the penalty, look at the officiating, look at the ones we had, look at the ignorance, so they’re kill joys; you take time to train your team, take time to walk up your team but once you step into the pitch, the referees becomes the only player on the pitch, they decide whatever they want, so these ones are not even qualified to handle the female league”

“The league is dying; I am crying the league is dying, the referees that are into the league do not even qualify to even step on the side of the pitch, they don’t even qualify” lamented Okon.

Rivers Angels are now 2nd with 19 points on the league table with one outstanding match while Sunshine Queens top group B with 22 points.

Rivers Angels Coach Edwin Okon

In other results yesterday

SATURDAY

Group A

Delta Queens 3-0 Adamawa Queens (W/0)

Osun Babes 1-1 FC Robo

Ibom Angels 2-0 Confluence Queens

Martins White Doves vs Bayelsa Queens (PSP)

Group B

Sunshine Queens 3-0 Taraba Queens (W/O)

COD Ladies 1-3 Nasarawa Amazons

Capital City Doves 3-0 Pelican Stars (W/0)

Sunday 16th August

Edo Queens 1-0 Rivers Angels

NWFL TITLE: SLEEPING TIME IS OVER-OKON

Head coach of Rivers Angels, Edwin Okon says his team has put the loss they encountered in the quarter finals of the Women’s Federation Cup against Confluence Queens on Wednesday behind them.

The six times federation cup holders hopes of clinching a double this year were shattered when they fell 2-1 to the Kogi based club, however coach of the Port Harcourt side said their attention is now on retaining the NWFL title.

Rivers Angels Coach Edwin Okon

Rivers Angels will be away to Edo Queens in a rescheduled week 5 game of the NWFL on Sunday.

The game which was earlier billed for Saturday was moved to Sunday due to Bendel Insurance National League game same day.

“The Federation Cup has come and has gone and there’s no way we can repeat it this year, all we need is to forge ahead, that date will not come back again for the year or for the season, so our focus now is on the league”

“We’ve lost one of the trophies which is the FA Cup and we do hope by the grace of God that we’re back to the drawing board to see how we can as well defend the league and we wouldn’t want to sleep again so that what happened to us in Enugu will not happen to us” Okon said.

In other games to be played on Saturday we have

Group A

Delta Queens vs Adamawa Queens

Osun Babes vs FC Robo

Ibom Angels vs Confluence Queens

Martins White Doves vs Bayelsa a Queens

Rivers Angels

Group B

Sunshine Queens vs Taraba Queens

COD Ladies vs Nasarawa Amazons

Capital City Doves vs Pelican Stars

RIVERS ANGELS WALK OVER PELICAN STARS

Pelican Stars of Cross Rivers state were yesterday walked over by Nigeria Women Football League Champions, Rivers Angels after they failed to honour their week 10 fixture in Port Harcourt.

The game which was earlier billed to hold on Saturday, August 1st was moved to Sunday August 2nd after the Rivers State Football Association had written to the Women Football Board for a shift due to a double header involving two Port Harcourt sides in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Match officials reported to the match venue on Sunday and waited for thirty minutes before the walk-over was performed with three goals and three points awarded to Rivers Angels.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Sports, Mr Nnodi Michael was at the match venue to watch the girls play but unfortunately their opponents never showed up.

However, he commended the girls on their resilience so far and promised them of better days ahead from the state government.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Sports, Mr Nnodi Michael

“You are the team that has always encouraged us, whenever you’re playing, we don’t shiver, we don’t have any cause to panic because you’re always winning home and away, so thank you so much for the way you have been carrying on with your assignment”

“We on our own part are also trying to do our little bit to make sure that we meet your requirements: it has not been easy but the present governor of Rivers State is a sports loving governor, particularly football and he’s doing all he can to ensure that we meet your requirements and the least you can do is to do well so that you encourage us and him to continue to do our bit” he said.

Responding on behalf of the players, captain of the team, Lucky Atu thanked the Permanent Secretary and assured him that the team will clinch a double by the end of the season.

Lucky Atu, captain Rivers Angels

“On behalf of the team and the technical crew, sir I will like to say a very big thank you, to the honorable governor of the state and the permanent secretary and other members of the house: Daddy we thank you for what you’ve really done in our life, we’ve wanted to come and pay you a visit when the house is complete but we’ve had to hold-on because of some of our players are away on National Assignment with the Super Falcons,so we thank God that you’re here today, we say a very big thank you sir” said the captain.

“On behalf of the ones in the Falcons and the ones here, daddy we say we love you, may God bless you and we’ll never let you down, we’re assuring you that we are going to give you the double trophy this season” she added.

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 TO FACE PELICAN STARS

RIVERS ANGELS TO FACE PELICAN STARS IN LEAGUE DECIDER AS NEW NWPL SEASON GETS DATE

Rivers Angels might have won the 2013/2014 Nigeria Women Premier League and the Federations Cup but the winner for the League season is yet to be decided, according to the Nigeria Women League board.

The Port Harcourt side won the league with 39 points ahead of runners up, Pelican Stars who finished with 36 points.

In the Federation Cup, Rivers Angels also won 2-0 against Sunshine Queens at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

Ideally, they should be regarded as double champions of the season for their outstanding performance throughout last year and rewarded with medals and two trophies for the two competitions but they have just one trophy in their kitty.

Rivers Angels Starting lineup

On Friday, January 23 2015, the Nigeria Women Premier League Board, held a meeting to review the 2013/2014 season.

It was resolved that there shall be the champion of champions tournament to declare the winner for the season which will be between the League winners and Fa Cup winners.

Since the Rivers state owned Angels won both competitions, it was resolved that they would battle with Pelican Stars who were the runners up in the 2013/2014 league season.

In a related development, it was also agreed at the meeting that the new NWPL season will commence on the 31st of March, 2015 as a against the former date scheduled for 28 February, 2015

The NWPL Board also resolved that there will be no relegation this season considering the small size of the premier league and most importantly, the situation with the insurgency in the North East sub-region that impacted on the league. Although, there will be a promotion of two clubs from the pro-league division to the premier league to bring the total number of premier league clubs to 14 for the 2014/2015 league season.

RIVERS ANGELS CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF THE 2013/2014 NIGERIA WOMEN PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON

Back to back Federations Cup champions Rivers Angels secured a second title in four days as they clinched the Nigeria Women Premier League title on Wednesday.

Angels secured only their second away win of the season by beating Edo Queens 3-1 at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin.

And just like the Cup final in Lagos on Sunday, Golden girl of Nigerian Women Football, Asisat Oshoala was at the centre of the team’s success.

Asisat Oshoala Going for Goal against sunshine stars of Akure During the Finals of the Fed Cup 2014

Oshoala continued her superb form as she opened scores in the first minute of the game. Thirty minutes later, the newly crowned Nigerian Women’s Footballer of the year added another when she pounced on a cross from the Angels right full back, Ugo Njoku to extend the visitors lead.

Hosts Edo Queens pulled a goal back nine minutes before the break after Angels goalkeeper, Ibubeleye Whyte misjudged a cross from a corner.

The second half started brightly from both sides but the Fed Cup winners were guilty of missing chances with the worst culprit being Oshoala who ultimately failed to complete her hattrick on the day.

Rivers Angels’ momentum faded as the game wore on as they lost dominance to the home side who took charge of the second period.

However, With 3 minutes to the end of regulation time, Edo Queens conceded a corner and set piece specialist, Ngozi Ebere sealed the victory with the third goal and her seventh goal of the season after she took a short corner to Aminat Yakubu who returned the pass to Ebere, allowing her curl the ball beyond the despairing hands of U-17 Fifa Women’s World Cup goal keeper, Onyinyechi Okeke.

The Rivers state government sponsored Angels by the virtue of the victory thus secured the league title after amassing a total of 39 points, three more than Pelican Stars of Calabar who stole into second place after a 1-0 win over last season’s league champions, Nasarawa Amazons.

Full Results

Ibom Angels 2-0 Sunshine Queens

Pelican Stars 1-0 Nasarawa Amazons

Delta Queens 0-0 bayelsa Queens

Edo Queens 1-3 Rivers Angels

Taraba Queens 3-0 Osun Babes

Rivers Angels coach, Edwin Okon was excited with the win.

Rivers Angels Coach Edwin Okon

“For the past four, or five seasons we are always in the Fa Cup finals, league finals, and we always lose in the finals of the league but we always win the Fa Cup that s why we have won it for 5 times but in the league in the last match like this, we sleep off that’s why you saw me throughout the game on the touch line like a mad man because I don’t want what happened in the previous years to happen today. The winning mentality is there so I think they tried it’s okay, I think am the happiest person today, said okon.”

Coach of Edo Queens Keneth Aigbeyi laments lack of pay for team as reason for defeat but credits Angels.

“It is a fair victory it is a good game both teams played well, But in football you know it is either it ends in a draw or one side wins and they have good motivation that is carrying them. We had to push our players out to play today if not that, they won’t have come out because it is been like 11 months with no salaries, we just have to force them to come out a lot of them have not been training, said Aigbeyi.”

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.

Falconets Get New Assistant Coach, As Dedevbo Drops 6 players

Head Coach of the Falconets, Peter Dedevbo as dropped six players from the list of 35 players invited to camp. In preparation for The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Canada 2014.

The players are:
Sidi Ajibola – FC Robo Lagos.
Lilian Tula – Taraba Queens.
David Florence – Tewo Queens Oyo.
Uchegbo Chidinma – Yaba Queens.
Ayomide Ojo – Police Team, Lagos.

Another player Fasilat Adeyemo was decamped for for failure to report three weeks after Camp resumed.

Dedevbo said the players were dropped because they could not ” endure the rigours of training”.

The Falconets will leave Abuja for Ondo State on monday the 26th of May for a friendly game with Sunshine Queens of Akure, the game will be played on Wednesday the 28th of May in Akure.

Meanwhile the Nigeria Football Foundation as appointment Mrs Mathew Olarenwaju Wemimo Oni as an assistant coach for the Falconets.

Oni is not a stranger to the National team as she was part of the U-20 team that represented Nigeria in Germany 2010. She also served as Team Manager of Sunshine Queens in 2012, she then went on to coach the same team in 2013.

The Former Pelican Stars player also once played for Oladimeji Tigress and Rivers Angel.

Her appointment now brings the number of the technical crew of the Falconets to four.

Sola Rogers

We will improve Sunshine Queens’s – coach Boboye

Sunshine Queens boss Kennedy Boboye has vowed they will improve and come back even better in the second round of the Nigeria Women Premier League after losing 2-0 to Pelican Stars in the last first round game.

The Calabar girls scored in each half of the match to claim the maximum points.

Boboye insists he plans to build a formidable team that can withstand any team in the country.

“We have seen our lapses in the first round and now we have the chance to fortify the squad to mount a title challenge this season.

“The girls fought against Pelican but lost their scoring chances. The Calabar girls got their two goals through our mistakes which we have learned from.

“The game in Calabar was a good test for my team, the girls played well and unfortunately we couldn’t score. But we have shown great hope for the future.

“We only need 5 or 6 players to add to what we already have, and this is what we will do in the mid-season break and of course to get to the top three remains our aim”, the coach said

The Mimiko girls are currently 8th on the log with 15 points from 10 matches.

God, hardwork gave us victory – Sunshine Queens

Coach Kennedy Boboye of Sunshine Queens FC on Thursday attributed his team’s 4-0 victory over Ibom Angels of Uyo in the mid-week fixture of the Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL) to God favour and hardwork.

The coach told the team Media Officer, Biyi Akinnodi that his girls gave a good account of themselves against the highly rated Uyo side.

“I want to appreciate the effort of my players, they displayed class. The players were so determined and focus from the beginning to the end of the game.

“We have been so good at home but the Ibom win is our best so far this season and I hope and pray we take the form away.

“It was obvious to everybody at the stadium that we scored four good goals. I’m delighted, this is the type of goals I need from my players especially in away matches.

“Our focus is now on our next game in Calabar at the weekend. No injury worries in the team except for Shola Oyewusi who was injured against Ibom and she is ok but we cannot risk her this weekend”, Boboye said.

Kayode Afolabi, Sunshine Team Manager, hailed the team’s performance saying much is expected from the team outside the state.

Sunshine Queens and Falcons midfielder, Zirike Elizabeth described the match as unbelievable saying her team deserved the win with the level of love in the camp.

“We prayed and worked for the win, the victory belongs to God”.

Goals from Shola Oyewusi, Adekunle Adenike, Koku Iyabo and Herny Chisom gave the Akure based team the maximum three points.

The team is currently 5th on the log with 15 points with a match in hand against Adamawa Queens and will battle Pelican Stars of Calabar this weekend in the week 11 tie of NWPL.

Photo Credit: ondonews.com