The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Akwa United

  • Akwa United face Lobi in first-ever Federation Cup final

    Akwa United face Lobi in first-ever Federation Cup final

    Akwa United will face Lobi Stars in their first-ever Federation Cup final after they stopped Nasarawa United 1-0 on Wednesday in Abeokuta.

    Aniekpeno Udoh scored the only goal of the game in the 28th minute to book a place in the final of the Federation Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

    David Ukeme of Akwa United was sent off in the game, but all the same they were deserved winners of this tie.

    In the second semifinal, Lobi Stars defeated nine-man Rangers 1-0 in Katsina.

    The goal was scored by Eche Idakwo

    Rangers stars Razak Adegbite and Christian Madu were sent off during the encounter.

    Lobi Stars won the Federation Cup in 2003, when they beat Sharks 2-0.

    They also reached the cup final in 2005 and 2012, when they lost 6-5 to Enyimba after the game ended 1-1 and Heartland 2-1, respectively.

  • Akwa United boss wants turnaround against Bayelsa United

    Akwa United boss wants turnaround against Bayelsa United

    Akwa United head coach, Zachary Baraje has assured SportingLife that he would prepare a solid and better team against Bayelsa United after his players disappointed in their 1-0 loss to Lobi in Makurdi on Wednesday in a Glo Premier League Week 18 tie.

    The Promise Keepers flattered to deceive against the Pride of Benue and this made Baraje to point blankly tell SportingLife that his boys had a off day against Lobi in Makurdi and that he would use the period of their training to correct the lapses noticed against Lobi Stars.

    Baraje told SportingLife: ” I want to assure Uyo people that Akwa United will lift their game against Bayelsa United this weekend. We won’t play second fiddle. We didn’t play well against Lobi and we gifted them easy goal and were second best in Makurdi.

    “I have a lot of work to do during our training sessions. We won’t train that hard because of the closeness of the game but I will use the opportunity to correct our lapses against Lobi Stars ahead of our game against Bayelsa United in Oghara.”

    Akwa United are 14th on the log with 21 points from 18 matches.

  • Akwa United: We know how to beat Pillars

    Akwa United: We know how to beat Pillars

    Akwa United have stated that they know how well to deal with Kano Pillars whom they host today in a Glo Premier League Week 17 tie in Uyo.

    Sai Masu Gida will visit the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo today with a host of Akwa United former players like Anefiok Godspower and Moses Ubong Ekpai but the Media Officer of the club, Uwem Ekoh told SportingLife that they will secure all points because they have got their winning mentality back.

    He said it was important that Akwa United secured a place in the Round of 16 of the Federation Cup which they did after victory over Peacemakers of Akure last Wednesday adding that another win over the reigning league champions would crown their effort and confirm that they have got their groove back.

    Ekoh said former club captain, Ini Akpan has resumed training after struggling with injury for some time, adding that other players too are raring to go against Kano Pillars.

    Akwa United are 14th on the log with 18 points from 16 games while Pillars are placed seventh with 25 points from as many games.

  • Enyeama, Akarandut watch Akwa United win

    Enyeama, Akarandut watch Akwa United win

    Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and one-time Nigeria league top scorer Akarandut Orok were among the fans and dignitaries who watched hometown club Akwa United beat Rangers at the Nest of Champions in Uyo on Sunday.

    Akwa United won 2-0 for their first win at the brand-new Nest of Champions.

    Interestingly, the duo featured for Akwa United in the past before they moved abroad.

    Enyeama now plays for Lille in France, while Orok is with Bahrain club Al Hidd.

    Another Eagles star, Ogenyi Onazi, was in the stands to watch Lobi Stars play in Makurdi recently.

  • Beat Akwa United, get double bonus

    Beat Akwa United, get double bonus

    • Rangers mgt tell players

    Enugu Rangers’ players have been told to go  for victory against Akwa United on Sunday and have their bonus doubled with an additional N300,000.

    The Flying Antelopes have won their last four premier league matches and with a road trip to Uyo on Sunday as guests of Akwa United, the General Manager of the club, Paul Chibuzor Ozor has challenged the players to go for another win and get rewarded handsomely.

    “The General Manager has told the players they would double bonus if they beat Akwa United in Uyo on Sunday and that they would be given additional N300,000 by him for the same purpose,” the Director of Media and Publicity of the club, Foster Chime told SportingLife.

    Rangers are seventh with 23 points from 15 games after they bagged 12 points from possible 12 in the last four matches.

  • Akwa United beat 3SC 2-1

    Akwa United beat 3SC 2-1

    Akwa United got morale boosting win in the Glo Premier League Week 10 matches decided in Uyo against 3SC yesterday.

    The Promise Keepers had to come back from a goal down before two second half goals fetched them the maximum points that lifted them to 11 points from 10 matches on the log.

    The Oluyole Warriors stunned the fans at the Uyo Township Stadium when Nojeem Olukokun scored the opener for the visitors in the 24th minute but two goals by Aniekpeno Udoh and Namso Edo in the 59th and 73rd minutes were enough to overturn the Ibadan side’s first half lead.

  • Akwa United celebrate first win of the season

    Akwa United celebrate first win of the season

    Akwa United FC players and officials are in dreamland after securing their first points of the season of the four week old Premier League season after they pipped Gabros FC 1-0 at the Uyo Township Stadium.

    The Promise Keepers had only got a point from three matches played before the home fixture with Gabros FC but they were resilient as they bagged an 82nd minute goal converted through Mbang Chukwudike to the delight of the home fans.

    The Media Officer of Akwa United FC, Uwem Ekoh told SportingLife that the joy that the victory elicited at the end of the match could not be quantified for any price.

    He said the win was what they needed to put their season back on track after two successive losses to FC Taraba and Sharks despite starting the season brightly with an away draw in Aba.

    “We are all happy about the win it was what we have been looking forward to after the last two defeats,” an elated Ekoh told SportingLife.

    Akwa United now have four points from four matches and they travel to Giwa FC next.

  • Akwa United, Sharks pick home wins

    Akwa United, Sharks pick home wins

    Akwa United, Gombe United and Sharks secured important victories to aid their chances of either surviving the relegation chop or consolidating on their position on the league table after Week 28 Premier League games.

    Adio Yusuf and Utibe Achibong both scored their first goals for the Promise Keepers in their 2-0 home win over Giwa FC while Gombe United’s  Suleiman Usman was the match hero when his team beat Nasarawa United by a lone goal at the Pantami Stadium.

    Sharks also recorded a 3-0 win over Kaduna United thus giving them a reality check after the latter’s 5-0 thumping of Crown FC  last Sunday. Akwa United moved to 42 points while Gombe United increased their points haul to 35. Sharks have amassed 41 points from as many games after a goal laden win over Kaduna United.

    It was the right response to the Blue Angels 2-0 away loss to Nasarawa United in Lafia.

    Meanwhile at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, FC Taraba dropped further into the mire of relegation zone after they were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Sunshine Stars yesterday.

    The Akure Gunners have now scooped 41 points from 28 games.

  • HEAVY RAIN STOPS AKWA UTD, PILLARS TIE

    HEAVY RAIN STOPS AKWA UTD, PILLARS TIE

    •Game holds 9am today

    AKWA UNITED players have said that maximum points will not elude them despite the heavy downpour in Uyo which forced a postponement of their Glo Premier League tie with Kano Pillars.

    The Week 7 tie was barely four minutes in play when the heavens opened and the match officials called off the match after consultations with both teams. The game will now come up by 9am today at the Uyo Township Stadium.

    In a brief chat with SportingLife, the Media Officer of the Promise Keepers, Uwem Ekoh said that the players have vowed never to lose focus when the game is restarted for this morning in their bid to get all points and retain their position on the league log.

    “The game will now be played tomorrow(today) by 9am because of the rain that disrupted proceedings with barely four minutes into the game. The players are raring to go and they have stated that they are just after the maximum points to make amends for the loss away to Enyimba,” Ekoh said.

    Akwa United are top of the league table with 11 points from six games while Kano Pillars are with fifth with nine points from six matches.

  • Akwa sign Archibong, Solomon

    Akwa sign Archibong, Solomon

    Akwa United have announced the signing of Utibe Archibong and Ezekiel Solomon from Akwa Starlets.

    Having lost the services of some key players at the end of last season, most notably their top scorer, Mfon Udoh, who has now joined Enyimba. The Promise Keepers have however bolstered their ranks with the signing of the promising youngsters.

    Archibong, a playmaker emerged as the highest goal scorer in the Federation Cup last season. While Solomon is a promising striker that is expected to fill the void created by Udoh’s departure.

    The Akwa Ibom State-owned club have also been linked with an ambitious move to re-sign former Flying Eagles winger, Emem Uduok, from Dolphins FC.

    The coach, Patrick Udoh tutored side are however keen to retain the services of a majority of their players from last season, as the club aim to perform better in the upcoming season, having escaped relegation by the whiskers in the last campaign.