Tag: CHIKATARA

Chisom Chikatara who was officially unveiled as a player of Wydad Casablance yesterday has a buy-out clause inserted in his three-and-half-year deal with the Moroccan side.

Wydad Casablanca inserted a two million dollar buy out clause in the deal which reportedly cost the club over $500,000 and the 21-year old can only leave if interest party comes up with the fee.

In the meantime he will still remain with Abia Warriors until registration opens in the Moroccan Botola league where Wydad Casablanca are currently leading the pile with 35 points from 18 games five points ahead of second place FUS Rabat.

Already the CHAN 2016 hero for Nigeria has hit the ground running for Abia Warriors scoring in their 1-1 draw with Ikorodu United before his presentation yesterday by his new side.

18 times champions of the Moroccan league, Wydad will be hoping he increases his tally of 12 goals scored in the Nigeria Premier League last season after giving him his favourite jersey number 10.

His presentation was conducted by club president Said Nazareth and coach John Toshack who at a point in time managed Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Deportivo La Coruna, Sporting Lisbon, Besiktas, Saint Etienne and Swansea City among others.

Abia Warriors and Super Eagles forward, Chisom Chikatara announced his presence in the league with the opener against El Kanemi on Wednesday.

The Abia Warriors forward opened his account for the new league season and a strong case for a recall to the Super Eagles – ahead of the crucial AFCON 2017 qualifier against Egypt – with a 4th minute strike to lead his club to their first win in 2 matches.

The 21-year-old, who was a revelation at the CHAN 2016, opened scoring for Abia Warriors in the 2-1 win against El Kanemi on Wednesday and says “it will be a pleasure to return to the national team”.

In a chat with footballlive.ng, Chikatara expressed his delight at getting on the score sheet and also dedicated the goal to his teammates.

Abia Warriors striker, Chisom Chikatara has said that he wasn’t at his finest form during his side’s 1-1 draw against Ikorodu United in the match day one of the Nigeria Premier league clash on Sunday at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

The African Championship (CHAN) four goals star was the cynosure of all eyes on Sunday as spectators expected to see a repeat of what he displayed at Rwanda.

But the Kolanut Boys as he is fondly called by his admirers performed below the expectation.

Ikorodu United defenders, Fransis Nnedun and Kabiru Moshood were at their best as they shut out Chikatara out of the game and he could be hardly noticed during the encounter before he was substituted with Michael Olaha in the 63rd minute.

In an exclusive chat with SportingLife after the game, Chikatara hopes to raise his game as the league progresses.

“This is the first league game after a long break. One could expect things like that to happen but it is one game out of many matches to be played in the league. I was not at my best form during the match and I will pick up again match after match,” Chikatara told SportingLife.

Ikorodu United head coach Edema Benson after the match said he instructed his defenders to mark Chikatara out of the game.

But in a quiet manner, Chikatara disputed the claim and responded: “I don’t think they marked me out of the game. It was just not my day as I told you before. If I was at my best Ikorodu United defenders cannot stop me.”

Abia Warriors have disclosed that CHAN 2016 sensation, Chisom Chikatara will join his new club, Wydad Casablanca next week.

“Everything has been agreed and the club and the player are excited,” said Abia Warriors chairman Emeka Inyama.

“The boy had offers from across the world, but in the end we settled for WAC because they were the most serious bidders for the player. We now hope to be in Morocco next week where the player will be presented to the fans and media.”

WAC local rivals Raja Casablanca, Egypt’s Zamalek as well as SuperSport United from South Africa were among the clubs who lined up to sign the 21-year-old striker.

Chikatara scored 13 goals last season and he fired four goals at the CHAN in Rwanda.

Wydad Casablanca have announced the capture of Home-Based Eagles striker Chisom Chikatara from Nigerian side Abia Warriors, NaijaSportsXtra can report.

The deal was signed on Wednesday and was made public on Thursday morning via the club’s official website and facebook page, as the picture of the ‘Kolanut Boy’ representative Emeka Inyama with the Moroccan club president was posted on the social media channel.

The 21-year-old who scored a hat-trick in his first game at the 2016 African Nations Champions (CHAN) as a second half substitute leads the tournament goal chart on 4 goals with Tunisia’s Ahmed Akachi.

Chikatara who was on Esperance and Zamalek radar spent four years with the Nigerian club, making over 70 league appearances and helping them earn promotion to the Nigeria Premier League in 2013.

Wydad’s chairman said that they will not sign any more players as the Botola Pro champions already signed Ibrahima Sory Keïta, El Mehdi Karnass, Benjamin Zé Ondo and recalled Naïm Aarab from loan.

The Rouges et Blancs are currently top of the league after 15 games and will hope to continue their fine form when they face Nigerien side AS Douanes on February 14 in the CAF Champions League.

Nigeria’s revelation at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN), Chisom Chikatara confirmed that the hat-trick he scored in the opening game was not a fluke by netting his fourth goal of the tournament as the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by Tunisia in Kigali.

The Abia Warriors forward who broke the deadlock on 52nd minute was set up by man of the match Osas Okoro. Chikatara fired past a hapless Tunisia goalie Rami Jeridi for his fourth goal of the tournament.

The lead will last for only 17 minutes before Akaichi restored parity finishing off a three-man move that involved Moncer and substitute Hichem Essifi. Moncer crossed to Essifi, whose header found Akaichi, who shot past Ezenwa for a deserving equalizer.

The Etoile Du Sahel attacker is trailing Chikatara on the goal scorer’s chart with three goals, having grabbed a brace for the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in their opening game against Guinea which ended 2-2 last Monday.

The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia dominated play and their goal by Akiachi just before half time ought to have stood after television replays showed the ball had not crossed the line before it was crossed for the Etoile du Sahel striker to head past Nigeria goalkeeper.

The first half therefore ended  goalless with Nigeria playing below par.

The North Africans started the game the brighter of the two teams and Nigeria goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa had to pull two big saves in the 14th and 27th minutes to deny Tunisia.

Nigeria’s biggest chance was in the 11th minute, when Ifeanyi Matthew powered a shot from inside the box which goalkeeper Rami Jeridi somehow got a hand to.

Orji Kalu stabilised the shaky Eagles defence when he came on at the start of the second half for Stephen Eze to curtail the danger posed by Akaichi.

The Eagles dangerous runs down both flanks were missing as both Prince Aggreh on the left and Osas Okoro on the right failed to go behind the Tunisia back four.

Aggreh would later be replaced late in the game by Ezekiel Bassey.

Nigeria remain top of CHAN 2016 Group C after yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Tunisia at the Stade Regional in Kigali.

The Eagles will face Guinea on Tuesday, while Tunisia take on Niger in the final group games to determine the quarterfinalists from Group C.

Top striker, Chisom  Chikatara has said the quest for laurel is behind the move to former Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars.

The Super Eagles lanky marksman was Abia Warriors top scorer in the out gone 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Chikatara said he believes the Pyramid City side will afford him the rare opportunity to sip from the NPFL trophy as well as campaign in Africa.

“Yes, I have negotiated with Kano Pillars but yet to collect my clearance from Abia Warriors. Of course, I’m bringing with me two of my teammates (laugh) to Kano Pillars.

“However, I think the urge to win trophy and continental participation is the driving force behind the move in addition to the quest for new challenges. The two seasons I spent at Abia Warriors did not help me to achieve the lofty dream winning any league trophy or ticket to Africa,” said Chikatara to supersport.com.

Pillars were dethroned as champions by Enyimba at the end of the out-gone league season finishing a distance eight on 55 points while Abia Warriors ended their campaign on the 10th position on 53 points.