The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ajiboye

  • Ajiboye targets Super Four crown

    Warri Wolves’ goalkeeper, Dele Ajiboye has predicted a superb outing for the Seasiders at the ongoing Super Four after the club pipped Akwa United in the first match and are poised to take on Nasarawa United today.

    Ajiboye made series of point-blank saves to dent the aspirations of Akwa United who played better on Wednesday and the former junior international has revealed to SportingLife that Warri Wolves would even be stronger against the Solid Miners today.

    “It was a tough game by all standard but we got what we desired and the three points. Akwa United made life difficult for us and they were fitter than us which showed in the way they played.

    “Our experience will continue to carry us through and by the time we play more games together, we will get the right blend and become unbeatable,” Ajiboye told SportingLife.

  • Warri Wolves to unleash Osanga, Ajiboye against Akwa Utd

    Warri Wolves to unleash Osanga, Ajiboye against Akwa Utd

    • Deny depleted team report

    Warri Wolves have promised to parade their best squad when they face Akwa United in today’s Super Four clash in Kaduna.

    The team’s media officer, Azu Azuka disclosed to SportingLife that his side will use the tournament to test some of their new signing.

    Some of the new players expected in the lineup today are goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye, King Osanga as well as Benard Okorowanta.

    He said the team came to Kaduna with 27 players and 12 officials.

    “We arrived here in Kaduna today (Tuesday). We have 27 players and 12 officials. Actually, half of the players we brought are new players. We have King Osanga here, Dele Ajiboye and others. We want to use our new players to prosecute this tournament so that we can have complete squad before the CAF Champions League,” Azuka informed SportingLife.

    “This is a testing ground for us; we want a situation where all the players would be used so as to give coaches opportunity to know the areas where they need to work on.

    “There is understanding in the team already because we have played some friendly matches at our closed camping at Kwale before coming to Kaduna. So this is final stage of our preparation. There is cohesion; the team is blending match by match and just to perfect it with the Super Four.”

    Azuka also denied media reports that Warri Wolves are depleted.

    He insisted that majority of their old players are still with the team.

    “We need to show that all those negative reports associated with Warri wolves are not true. We still have all our reliable old players with us.  Michael Egbeta is here with us, Onamado is here, Joseph Eyimofe, all of them are here.

    “We have played Akwa United before and we know how to handle them. Give or take Akwa Unitd won’t be difficult for us,” he said.

  • Ajiboye to stage league comeback

    3SC first choice goalkeeper, Oladele Ajiboye, will return fully to his duty by the start of the second stanza of the Globacom Premier League, a top official of the Oluyole Warriors has hinted.

    Ajiboye broke his hand in an away tie against Kano Pillars and only staged a competitive comeback last week when he resumed full training session but 3SC media officer, Jubril Arowolo told SportingLife that Ajiboye would still be allowed to continue with his training session till he regain full match fitness.

    Arowolo explained that with only a game to the end of the first stanza, Ajiboye would not taste any premier league action this term again but would be groomed in time for the beginning of the second stanza.

    “Ajiboye has resumed fully and he trained without pains with the rest of his colleagues. We are happy that he is back but we are not going to rush him to action like that. It must be systematic. He will still be continually monitored as he trains to regain match fitness,” Arowolo opined.

    The club’s spokesman nonetheless expressed optimism that the Oluyole Warriors would visit the Kwara State Sports Complex without suffering a defeat on Sunday because they are highly charged to surprise their host.

  • Ajiboye, Gbolahan Salami injury hit 3SC

    Shooting Stars Sports club (3SC) of Ibadan duo of Dele Ajiboye and Gbolahan Salami have been ruled out of Sunday’s week five Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) tie against Wikki Tourists at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba due to injuries, SportingLife can exclusively reveal.

    Ajiboye, the Oluyole Warriors’ first choice goalkeeper sustained a wrist injury during a week four league tie against Kano Pillars on Thursday. He was replaced by the team’s second choice goalkeeper Richard Ocheayi in the 85th minute when it was obvious that the former Golden Eaglets star could no longer continue the match against the Pyramid City side. That means Ocheayi will make his first league start on Sunday against Wikki Tourists in place of Ajiboye.

    SportingLife can also report that the team’s hitman, Gbolahan Salami, who missed the Kano trip, sustained a groin injury in the team’s week three league game against Lobi Stars at the Lekan Salami Stadium where he scored one of the three goals that gave the Oluyole Warriors the victory over the visitors.

    The team’s central defender Charles Etuwe is another absentee from the 3SC party, which is also missing Gabriel Adikwu who has a knee injury.

    Etuwe, who joined 3SC from Crown FC of Ogbomoso, has not played since picking up a knee injury during club’s training session before the commencement of the season.

    Adikwu reportedly suffered a knee injury in their 2-0 matchday one league game against Gombe United in Ibadan.

    A source from the team’s camp told SportingLife that the quartet of Ajiboye, Gbolahan, Atuwe and Adikwu might make their comeback in the week six league game against Bayelsa United in Yenogoa next week.

    The injury has forced the coaching crew to re-strategise ahead of Sunday’s game.

    “We are very concerned about the injuries in the team but we won’t allow that to distract our plans. There is no doubt that they are very important to the team but we have other good players that can play in their absence,” a club official said.

  • Ajiboye saved Shooting Stars – Dolphins

    Dele Ajiboye has been named the hero for Shooting Stars, despite conceding a 52nd minute goal in the 1-0 defeat to Dolphins football club in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    The former junior international was named the unofficial Man of the Match as he made a string of saves to keep the Ibadan side in the game before the home side finally found the net seven minutes into the second half.

    “The truth is, Ajiboye was the one that kept the scoreline decent, because Shooting Stars were not in the game at all. If Ajiboye had not been excellent, Shooting Stars could have lost by as much as six or seven, it was that bad,” China Acheru, the media officer of Dolphins told futaa.com on Friday.

    The Ibadan side had complained about the officiating of the game, insisting that the center referee, Kadiri Mohammed of Lagos, did all he could, to stop Shooting Stars from playing their smooth brand of football.