Sports Stat Moment

FIRST STANZA REVIEW OF RIVERS UNITED FC By Sammy Wejinya Media Officer Rivers United FC Very few saw this coming but Rivers United are the champions of the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season-at the half way stage. It has been an intense, bruising, exhilarating and sometimes, dramatic first half of the campaign from our perspective. Rivers United Media now x-rays the first 19 matches of our season and how we were crowned champions at the half way stage. We started the season with an important fixture at home to the champions, Enyimba International. Many questioned our temperament for the big game but we got it right on the day. MD 1 Rivers United 1-0 Enyimba (Yakubu Gowon Stadium. Sunday, February 21) The champions, Enyimba arrived in Port Harcourt in all their glory seeking maximum points at a ground where they had claimed much joy in previous seasons. It was a well-fought contest which the People’s Elephants dominated for long stretches e...

NFF appeals against re-listing of Giwa case. From NFF Communications Department The Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday appealed against the decision of the Jos High Court to re-list a case brought against the Federation by Obinna Ogba and Yahaya Adama. Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Chris Green, a lawyer, said the NFF decided to appeal against the re-listing of the case for hearing because the matter was out of time and the plaintiffs voluntarily discontinued the case in the first place. “We went to court simply to appeal against the re-listing of the case. The case was struck out after the plaintiff voluntarily withdrew. What we are challenging is the re-listing of the case, and not any order that the court has made by the Honourable Judge. The Honourable Judge made it clear that he only restored the Order striking out the case. “There is no order that we need to appeal against. We are only appealing against the re-listing of the case for ...

Okechukwu, four others beat Siasia’s deadline From NFF communications Department The camp of the U-23 National Team, Dream Team, came alive on Wednesday with the arrival of five of the invited foreign based players hitting camp to beat the Wednesday deadline handed down by Head Coach Samson Siasia. First to arrive the Serob Legacy Hotel camp of the Dream Team was captain Azubuike Okechukwu who was looking fit and ready as he wasted no time in joining the team's morning training session. Next was Portugal based defender Stanley Amuzie who came in around 2pm thereby being part of the team's evening training session, and the number was increased when the team was having dinner with the arrival of the trio of Godwin Saviour, Taiwo Awoniyi and Usman Mohammed, with back slapping and hugging from their team mates and officials. On Thursday afternoon, the camp was further boosted when England based Nathan Oduwa arrived. Speaking to thenff.com, Captain Okechukwu expressed d...

Confident Eagles confront Mali in Rouen From NFF Communications Department The Super Eagles are good to go for victory against their Malian counterparts in Friday’s international friendly match at the Stade Robert Diochon in Rouen, France, according to interim Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf. Yusuf, who is assisted by Imama Amapakabo and Kennedy Boboye, have worked with a relatively young team in three training sessions but says there is belief in the squad going into the clash with the fellow West Africans. “Yes, we have had only three training sessions. But they were very good sessions and the team has bonded very well. We expect to go all out even though it is a friendly match. “We are working with players who have self –belief and there is excellent team spirit.” Only two players, namely Turkey –based defender Kenneth Omeruo and Belgium –based midfielder Wilfred Ndidi were being expected as at Thursday afternoon. In camp are Odion Ighalo, Ogenyi Onazi, Brown Ideye, Carl ...

FC Ifeanyi Ubah defeats Ebonyi Utd 1-0, qualify for round of 32 of the Federation Cup. By Diegwu Nwankwo Media Officer, FC Ifeanyi Ubah FC Ifeanyi Ubah defeated Ebonyi United by a goal to nil, courtesy of a stoppage-time goal scored by Bello Koformata. The Anambra Warriors who came into the game as favourites were given a tough resistance by their opponents who were fearless throughout the game. The match which was played on a very poor Dan Anyiam pitch, had little clear cut chances in the 1st half with the first real chance coming at the 15th minute when Oluchukwu Nwosu's well-whipped cross was headed wide by Nico Dao. This was followed by a couple of half chances by the Anambra Warriors while enjoying plenty of possession. However, the possession didn’t count in the 1st half as it ended goalless at half time. The second half saw the introduction of three players within the 1st ten minutes, Seka Pascal, Bello Koformata, and Madabuchi Okereke. The trio made their...

FC Ifeanyi Ubah will on Wednesday take on Ebonyi United at the Dan Anyam Stadium Owerri, in the Round of 64 of the Federation Cup. By Diegwu Nwankwo Media Officer, FC Ifeanyi Ubah Ahead of the match, Technical Adviser of the team, Mitko Dobrev, has disclosed that the team will approach the tournament with every serious and will field a strong side, as they would love to win the trophy in other to pick up a continental ticket. “ Our objective is to pick up a continental ticket, and so we will take this tournament seriously as the winner qualifies for the continental ticket. We would play each game as a final, and so we can say we are 5 wins away from a  continental ticket” Team News: Meanwhile the ‘Anambra Warriors will be without Bright Onyedikachi who is away on international duty with the National U23 team  and Cameroonian midfielder Tamen Medrano who is away on personal reasons. However, center back Adeleye Olaminkan is back into the team after missing the l...

#CAFCL: ENYIMBAFC IN THE GROUP OF DEATH By Agu Uchenna Kingsley mrkckingsley@gmail.com The group stage of the 2016 CAF Champions League held on Tuesday 24th of May, 2016. It was one that saw the final 8 teams left in the competition drawn into 2 groups A and B. Group A has Zesco UFC of Zambia, 8 times Champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Asec Mimosa of Ivory Coast and Wydad AC of Morroco. Group B, tagged the "group of death" houses Enyimba FC of Nigeria the NPFL defending champions, Zamalek of Egypt the Egyptian Premier League defending Champions, ES Setif of Algeria and Mamelodi Sundows of South Africa. This will be the third time Enyimba FC will be grouped with a South African team in the CAF Champions League and they failed to qualify from the 2 previous groupings in 2005 (when they were grouped with Ajax Capetown) and 2006 (when they were grouped with Orlando Pirates). Against Egyptian teams, Enyimba has not fared any better as they have lost 6 times, won 3 times and...

Federations Cup (Men) Fixtures Kwara United Vs Galadima Best – Abuja – 26/05/16 – 4pm Sunshine Stars Vs Giwa FC – Lokoja – 25/05/16 – 4pm Abia Comets Vs Nembe City – Owerri – 26/05/16 – 4pm Damaturu FC Vs Dynamite FC – Abuja – 26/05/16 – 2pm Rovers FC Vs Flash Flamingoes – Lokoja – 25/05/16 – 2pm Nasarawa United Vs FC Abuja – Kaduna – 26/05/16 – 4pm Go Round Vs Yobe Stars – Makurdi – 25/05/16 – 2pm Rivers United Vs Papilo FC – Umuahia – 25/05/16 – 4pm Kaduna FC Vs Bridge Boys – Lokoja – 26/05/16 – 4pm 3SC FC Vs Wikki Feeders – Enugu – 25/05/16 – 4pm FC Zamfara Vs Almar FC – Lokoja – 26/05/16 – 2pm Heartland FC Vs Top World – Oleh – 25/05/16 – 4pm J. Atete Vs Akwa Starlets – Owerri – 25/05/16 – 4pm El-Kanemi Vs Katsina Feeders – Bauchi – 26/05/16 – 4pm Sokoto United Vs Crown FC – Abuja – 25/05/16 – 2pm Fasbir FC Vs Niger Tornadoes – Zaria – 25/05/16 – 2pm ABS FC Vs Yenegoa City – Ijebu-Ode – 25/05/16 – 4pm Akure City Vs Enugu Rangers – Jos – 25/05/...

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAWS FOR 24TH MAY, 2016 By Agu Uchenna Kingsley, mrkckingsley@gmail.com The draw for the group stage will be held on 24th of May 2016. The eight teams will be drawn into two groups of four. The teams in each group will play each other in thesame group in a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advance to the semi-finals . Nigerian Professional Football League 2014/2015 defending champions Enyimba International  popularly known as the Peoples' Elephant are still in the race to win the Championship for the third time and their top striker Mfon Udoh is still leading the CAF Champions League top scorers chat with 7 goals. The eight (8) teams in the DRAWS are - ES Sétif of Algeria (North Africa) - AS Vita Club of Congo DR (East Africa) - Al-Ahly of Egypt( North Africa) - Zamalek of Egypt (North Africa) - ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast (West Africa) - Wydad Casablanca of Morocco (North Africa) - ...

NPFL: SUNSHINE PLAYERS THANK CLUB MANAGEMENT, PROMISED MORE COMMITMENT.... By Wahab Bankole Media Manager, Sunshine Stars fc The players of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure have expressed joy over their welfare packages which have continued to receive attention from the club's management. Speaking on behalf of the players after receiving cash rewards from the club President, Prince John Ola Mafo, for recording victory over Wikki Tourists,  team captain, Abe Sunday said the monetary rewards will go a long way in boosting their morale ahead of the match against Abia Warriors this weekend in Umuahia. "We want to sincerely thank and appreciate the club management led by the president, Prince John Ola Mafo for the special motivation and encouragement". " We also say a big thank you to Mr Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko for providing all our needs. We promised to always work hard to achieve the set targets this season". The club President who is al...