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Tag: ABS FC

  • ABS FC to sign a five-year sponsorship deal with Puma

    ABS FC to sign a five-year sponsorship deal with Puma

    Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubside ABS FC of Ilorin will on Thursday sign a five-year sponsorship deal with global sports branding outfit Puma.

    The club’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka, disclosed in a statement on Monday in Ilorin that the signing ceremony would also see the official launching of the club’s new kit.

    “The deal is part of Puma’s commitment to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.

    “Puma, through its official franchisee in Nigeria, Persianas Retail Ltd, will be partnering with ABS FC to kit and sponsor the team for a period of five years,’’ he said.

    Chukwuemeka said the deal was the first of its kind and represents the biggest football kit sponsorship in the history of the Nigerian football league.

    “The partnership will see ABS FC and Puma working together to expand the profile of Nigerian football over the course of this partnership,’’ the ABS FC official said.

    He further said the signing ceremony which is scheduled for the Palms Mall in Ilorin would be graced by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick.

    “Also, the Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, will join him as Special Guest of Honour,’’ Chukwuemeka said.

  • NPFL: Rivers United beat ABS FC

    NPFL: Rivers United beat ABS FC

    Rivers United FC, Thursday defeated visiting ABS FC of Ilorin 2-0 in a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match after three consecutive losses.

    Christian Weli scored the opening goal for Rivers United in the 38th minute while Asomuah Godbless scored the second goal  in the 82nd minute.

    Willie Ndube, Assistant Coach, Rivers United told sports journalists after the game at Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt that the victory was vital.

    Ndube said that the victory was a turning point for the team and would propel it with confidence to win future matches.

    He acknowledged that Rivers United had not been doing good in the league and were lucky to win the game after a two-day long journey.

    “We are lucky to win, we just came back from a long journey with the expected fatigue. This victory will surely propel the team,” he said.

    Daniel Israel, Rivers United attacker said the victory was a good one for them since they have not gotten victory in their last three games.

    Zoumana Doumbra, a defender said the outcome was very important because the team’s position in the league was not encouraging.

    Henry Makinwa, Coach of ABS FC, said that his team lost psychologically when they missed an earlier opportunity to net a goal against their host.

    He said the needed technical changes he made could not give his side a favourable result.

    “If we had scored that goal, psychologically my boys would have come out better, but when they lost that opportunity, it affected them psychologically.

    “We have lost six games; what is happening to the team is like a shock to them because they had raised the hope of fans on winning the league,” he said.

     

  • Rivers United ready for ABS FC

    Rivers United ready for ABS FC

    Rivers United will face ABS FC in a rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

    United have underwhelmed this season and need a win against the newly-promoted side to get their campaign back on track.

    ABS FC come into the game on the back of a 0-2 reverse to Abia Warriors in Umuahia last Sunday and will be looking to bounce back with a positive result in Port Harcourt.

    Technical adviser of ABS, Henry Makinwa knows there is a need to produce a positive response particularly as ABS have yet to win in their last five NPFL matches.

    “My expectations are that we are going to win; we want to win.

    “Our ambition is to win all games if it’s possible.

    “Tomorrow (Thursday) is one of the games and we are going to give our best to win the game,” he told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

    United are also desperate for a win and technical manager, Stanley Eguma is eager to see his side return to winning ways against plucky opposition.

    “We are really preparing for the game (against ABS because) at this stage we need good results.

    “We need to win, especially at home; our position on the log is low and we really need to get these three points to start moving up.

    “I know ABS is a very strong, young and energetic team; they have a lot of youthful players and can cause an upset on Thursday.

    “We have to work very hard and not take them for granted.

    “We have to work hard, put our acts together and secure all three points against ABS; that’s our mission now,” Eguma said.

  • ABS won’t get carried away, Makinwa vows

    ABS won’t get carried away, Makinwa vows

    Technical Manager of Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC of Ilorin, Henry Makinwa has assured that the team will not get carried away despite making an impressive start to the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
    The newly promoted side had so far recorded three wins, a draw and a loss to stay joint-second with MFM on the NPFL log with 10 points, just three points behind leaders, Plateau United.
    The Saraki Boys had defeated Akwa United FC of Uyo 3-1 in their first game of the season, drew 1-1 in the Match Day 2 away to Niger Tornadoes of Minna, before beating FC IfeanyiUbah 1-0 in Match Day 3. The team lost 0-3 to Lobi Stars of Makurdi on Match Day 4 at Aper Aku Stadium but bounced back to hammer 3SC 2-0 in the Match Day 5 fixture at Kwara Stadium Complex last Sunday in Ilorin.
    In a chat with SportingLife, Makinwa, who holds a UEFA Pro-license coaching badge, said the team will continue to work harder on his newly introduced modern European concept in order not to falter as the league progresses.
    “We’ve been having very good results and everybody is happy about that but we will keep working harder everyday to improve. We knew we are new in the league, so we are taking our time and studying every moves, every steps to see that we get better.
    “I was able to get these players into shape because we selected them when we were playing NNL, from Kogi and other places; we have very good talented players. So what I did was to introduce to them new concept, modern European concept and they took that. They understood and they are playing it very well. They are very happy to execute it and for now it’s giving us results, we hope it will continue like that,” Makinwa told SportingLife.

  • ABS FC are title contenders, says Chinedu Ajanna

    ABS FC are title contenders, says Chinedu Ajanna

    ABS FC centre-back  Chinedu Ajanna has told AfricanFootball.com his promoted team will contend for the top prize in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this season.

    Ajanna, a no-nonsense defender whose role model is Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, has therefore urged the team’s fans to always support them as they will strive hard to make them proud. He talked about his career and more in this interview with AfricanFootball.com.

    Name the clubs you have played for?

    I started with Kwara Football Academy from where I joined Bukola Saraki FC (Now ABS). I then moved to Kwara United before I returned to ABS.

    How do you feel to be part of the team who brought the team back to the top flight league?

    I am happy with the achievement because that was our target when the season got underway. Thank God we achieved it. I was the assistant captain, but led the team as the captain because the captain was not playing.

    What are your targets for this season?

    To be a better player, contribute my quota to see that the team do well in the league and set a new record.

    A new record?

    Yes, we haven’t won the league before and I think winning it this season is not beyond us.

    Do you really believe ABS FC are contenders just fresh from the second-tier NNL?

    Yes of course, we are in the league to contest for the title, not to just play in it. We have good players, knowledgeable coaches, sound management and great fans. We are unbeaten in first three games, though the season is so young but we will keep the momentum.

    Who is your role model?

    That is Sergio Ramos. I love his zeal, dedication. I love the way he play and score goals too.

    What can you say about the NPFL?

    It’s a great league, growing every season and it can only get better.

    What is your message to the fans of ABS FC?

    I want to say thank you to them for their love and support. They should keep supporting us as we need them to achieve our goals. We will keep doing our best, we will not to let them down.

  • ABS FC post another big win in pre-season friendly

    ABS FC post another big win in pre-season friendly

    Taiye Ayinde came off the bench before NPFL side, Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) could dump stubborn Black Stars of Lokoja 4-0 in a pre-season friendly played at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.

    The defence of the non-league Lokoja side was a hard nut for The Saraki Boys to crack as they defended with everything they had.

    All efforts by ABS to break the defence of the resilient Black Stars proved abortive in the first half, which ended 0-0.

    Coach Henry Makinwa made five changes in the second half, bringing in Adeshina Gata, Taiye and Kehinde Ayinde, Lukman Abdulhameed and Kehinde Idowu.

    Taiye Ayinde beat the offside trap to open scoring for ABS in the 75th minute.

    He got his second goal of the day two minutes later, when he again beat the offside trap of the opponents.

    Wasiu Alalade, who came in for Ossy Martins, put the game beyond the Lokoja outfit when he scored the third of the evening by lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper.

    Gata, who also came off the bench, scored the 14th goal for the team to seal a 4-0 victory for the newly promoted side.

  • Gata confirms move to newly promoted ABS FC

    Gata confirms move to newly promoted ABS FC

    Kwara United forward Adeshina Gata has completed his move to Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side ABS FC.

    The player, who was previously linked with three NPFL teams, joined the Henry Ayodele Makinwa tutored team.

    After rising through the ranks, he became a first-team regular and played a key role in Kwara United’s promotion to the NPFL in 2014.

    Gata’s progress in the last two seasons for Kwara United was hampered by persistent injuries.

    Gata said: “I’m very, very happy to be here. ABS FC is a team that believes in youths and I’m very proud to wear the shirt for this team and play in this league. My aim is to do everything I can to help make the supporters happy, to help out my teammates and to bring something extra to the team.

    “I know the team very well. I know this is an ambitious club with good  players and with a great coach. I’ve come here to ABS FC because it’s a very good move in my career to play for such a club. I am excited for the season ahead.”

  • ABS FC unveil squad on Saturday

    ABS FC unveil squad on Saturday

    Nigeria National League (NNL) side ABS will on Saturday, by 10.00am at the club’s Secretariat, Kwara State Stadium, unveil the 30 players signed for the 2013/14 season.

    The Abubakar Bukola Saraki-owned team lost a record 24 players from their fold to various clubs for the forthcoming new season.

    The General Manager of the club, Alloy Chukwuemeka said the side have finalised arrangements for the new season inclusive of the players who will help the side’s comeback to the elite league.

    ‘We lost a record 24 players to Premier League teams mostly, which necessitated massive recruitment for the upcoming season’, he explained.

    ‘We also got some players from the Kwara Football Academy, based on the Memorandum of Understanding we signed with the youth development institution some years back.’

    ‘The final list of 30 players will be released on Saturday, and the players will also be kitted, in readiness for the commencement of the season on January 25.

    ‘We have to act fast to cover ground and position ourselves towards realising our dream for promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season,’ Chukwuemeka added.

    Chukwuemeka said the club will play more pre-season friendly matches, after playing Kogi United FC, Kwara United FC and Enyimba International.

    The ABS General Manager disclosed that the duo of Moshood Adebayo and Yomi Elijah will continue to take charge of the side on interim capacity until a substantive head coach is appointed.

    ABS FC is among the four teams that dropped to the lower division at the conclusion of the 2012/2013 Premier League season.