The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dolphins

  • Dolphins to leave for Equatorial Guinea today

    Dolphins to leave for Equatorial Guinea today

    Dolphins’ head coach, Stanley Eguma has expressed hope that the Port Harcourt side would leave for Equatorial Guinea today in order to have at least two days to prepare for the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, first leg tie against Leones Vegetarianos billed for Saturday.

    The Port Harcourt side have been dodged by unpaid entitlements leading to this fixture but Eguma affirmed to SportingLife that he expects his players to rise up to the challenge in spite of the numerous hiccups they have ahead of the tie.

    Eguma said that they got words from their hosts that the game would now be played on Saturday instead of Sunday and that they would make use of natural pitch as against the synthetic pitch they were initially told.

    The former U-23 coach said they had adjusted to the gimmicks of their foes and that they have switched their final practice sessions to the grass so as to have a look at what to expect in Malabo on Saturday.

    “We are going to rise above our challenges and ensure that we do the nation proud in Malabo. It won’t be easy because of the myriad of problems we have but it is not peculiar with us alone. It is the same in other top flight clubs in the country.

    “We in the technical crew are doing everything to ensure that we keep the players in shape and fired up for the assignment at hand. We will do our best. We will be missing some of our best players too but we must rise above our challenges,” Eguma told SportingLife.

    Eguma also pointed out that Dolphins would be going to Equatorial Guinea without Ifeanyi Egwin and Festus Austin who are both recovering from shin injury while Rufus Eboue is also down with hamstring injury.

    He also rued the absence of Emem Eduok and Peter Ebimobowei who werethe two relied upon for goals before they were snapped up by foreign clubs.

    He also used the medium to pass vote of confidence on Christian Pyagbara and other strikers who are expected to wreak havoc on Leones Vegetarianos on Saturday.

  • Dolphins foot-drag over Confed Cup tie

    Dolphins foot-drag over Confed Cup tie

    Our Reporter Dolphins hard   tackling central   defender, Festus Austin says he is back in training and  ready to get back on the pitch with the club once again.

    Austin cracked his shin during a league game against Warri Wolves last year, two games after he returned from a year-long injury.

    He had cracked the same shin two years ago in a league game and was out of action for a year; then he returned for a league game in Enugu against Rangers International before cracking the shin one game later in Warri against Warri Wolves.

    “I have started training on my own and I am right now waiting for the team doctor to give me the go ahead to join the players on the pitch. I will meet with him soon. I have just started gym work because I need to gain some strength pending when the doctor confirms I can go into full training,” Festus said.

    The former Bendel Insurance defender said he first feared for his career when he was being taken off the pitch last year on a stretcher.

    “I was not happy when I first got injured and when I was taken off again, I thought it was the same fracture that reoccurred. I later found out it was the same leg but not the same place so I relaxed a bit because I knew what I went through with the first one,” Austin said.

    Festus joined Dolphins from Bendel Insurance in 2008 as fourth in the centre back order behind Tochukwu Okolie, Chimezie Nzewi and Emah Godwin but he soon started playing regularly, took a first team shirt and became a main stay in the Dolphins defence.

  • Dolphins owe LMC N2m

    •Could miss Confederation Cup
    •Bank on Emem Eduok’s transfer fee

    Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Dolphins of Port Harcourt risk missing the first leg of the CAF Confederations Cup fixture against Leonas Vegeterianos FC of Equatorial Guinea, except they receive manna from heaven.

    The capital outfit have a negative cash flow, and would have not participated at the just concluded Super 6 tournament if not for the magnanimity of the League Management Company(LMC).

    At short notice, Dolphins chiefs had contacted the LMC informing them of their intention to pull out of the pre-season tourney, citing poor finances.

    But to protect the integrity of the tournament, the LMC advanced a soft loan of two million Naira (approximately 9,000 euros) to Dolphins, which enabled the team travel to Abuja.

    Apart from funding Dolphins are expecting from the Rivers Start Government, one of the reasons they are in the red is that the club are yet to receive the 300,000 Euros (N64.2m) transfer fee from Esperance following the sale of Emem Eduok.

    With the state government channeling all their resources to the forthcoming election, they may miss the trip to Equatorial Guinea except Esperance liquidate the outstanding liability.

  • Dolphins fail to record first victory

    Premier league and Garden City based side Dolphins failed in their bid to record first win at the on-going Super 6 in Abuja after losing by a lone goal to Enyimba Wednesday. The Eguma-tutored side thus remain withoug a point while the Aba landlords have garnered six points in three matches.

    Dolphins came out to get their first win of the competition, but they met a more determined Enyimba.

    In a keenly contested game, Nonso Okonkwo scored the only goal in the 15th minute when he fired home off a rebound after Dolphins goalkeeper Joseph Onwuga punched the ball into his path.

    Enyimba defender Ugwu Uwadiegwu was sent off in the 82nd minute following a second caution.

    Three minutes later, Dolphins were also reduced to 10 men when Joseph Douhadji was sent off after his second booking for a foul on Ebenezer Adeyemi.

    In the 37th minute, Joseph Onwuga fumbled Ugwu Uwadiegwu’s cross and Nonso Okonkwo shot, but his effort was blocked and Bashir Rahman’s effort from the rebound was off target.

    Two minutes later, Chibuzor Madu’s short back pass put goalkeeper Femi Thomas of Enyimba under pressure and he had to rush out to clear the danger.

    Adamu Tijani wasted a glorious chance to equalise for Dolphins in the 57th minute, when he fired way off target off Victor Alegbe’s pass after he had dribbled past three defenders.

    In the 71st minute, substitute Ebenezer Adeyemi shot at goal, but Dolphins goalkeeper Joseph Onwuga blocked it with his face.

    Enyimba goalkeeper Thomas saved from Nonso Elum in the 88th minute after Isiaka Olawale initiated a counter attack.

  • Dolphins to get full house by Sunday

    Dolphins to get full house by Sunday

    Dolphins will  have a full house of players by Sunday as the team continues their preparations, first for the Super 6 tournament in Abuja next week and then for the CAF Confederation Cup game next month.

    Dolphins opened camp on Monday ahead of the new season, though turn-out of players has been slow, the captain of the side, Sunday Rotimi believes they will have a full house by Sunday.

    Sunday Rotimi, Jonathan Zikiye and Daniel Israel trained with the team on Friday as the coaches continued to work on their fitness and the captain explained that communication breakdown is the reason why the camp is not full yet.

    “We had a little set back in terms of a break down in communications and everything is in place now so I expect that by Sunday we will have a full house,” Rotimi said.

    Rotimi continued that the late resumption will not affect the team at the Super 6 nest week and the CAF Confederation Cup.

    “We have basically the same team we used last season for the League and Federation Cup and we added just a few new players to the team so I believe we know each other very well and blending should not be the issue right now.

    “The few new players, I believe will easily adapt to the team philosophy they meet here,” Rotimi said.

  • Confed Cup crisis hits Dolphins

    Confed Cup crisis hits Dolphins

     • Exit of Eduok, Ebimobowei depletes squad

    One of Nigeria’s  representatives in the CAF Confederations Cup, Dolphins are at the risk of early elimination from the tournament if nothing is done to nip in the bud the crisis involving the team.

    SportingLife gathered that the technical crew of the Port Harcourt-based side registered four strikers for the second tier CAF club competition but with less than four weeks to the club’s first game against Leonas Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea, only two strikers are available for the continental games.

    Stanley Eguma, the technical adviser of Dolphins, had listed Ifeanyi Egwim, Omo Johnson, Emem Eduok and Peter Ebimobowei as the four strikers in his squad for the 2015 CAF Confederation campaign.

    However, while Ebimobowei, who was released on loan to Dolphins from Bayelsa after scoring 18 goals last season, has reportedly joined Egyptian giants,Al Ahly, Eduok on the other hand has pitched his tent with Esperance of Tunisia.

    Dolphins are now left with two strikers; Egwim and Johnson, but have up till January 15 to name replacements for the two players.

    The Port Harcourt club, who lost in the final of this tournament against Raja Casablanca of Morocco about a decade ago, now face a race against time to meet CAF’s deadline and register two players to replace Eduok and Ebimobowei.

    But the problem now is that head of the team’s technical crew, Stanley Eguma, left for Tunisia since last Friday and has not returned to Port Harcourt to assess the players he would name as replacements.

    “The situation is really dicey”an official told SportingLife.

    Continuing, he said: “Our coach has travelled to Tunisia with the General Manager since Friday and we have till January 15 to name replacements for Eduok and Ebimobowei.

    “We registered the two strikers for the CAF Confederation Cup with the belief that they would be available but their transfer has left us with a depleted squad,” he said.

    If Dolphins fail to beat CAF’s January 15 deadline to replace the two players, they would have to play with a depleted side and pray that they get to the group stages where they would have another chance to register new players.

  • Lobi, Dolphins, Kwara Utd chase Otegbeye

    Lobi, Dolphins, Kwara Utd chase Otegbeye

    Ajibola Otegbeye is being closely followed by Nigeria Professional Football League top sides, a close family friend of the player, has revealed to sl10.ng.

    The fast attacker, who last turned out on loan for Shooting Stars Sports Club is a hot property in the transfer market, with top flight clubs willing to invest in his talent.

    “There are three clubs interested in him. I can tell you that Lobi Stars, Dolphins and Kwara United are the three teams most serious in grabbing him,” the player’s family friend disclosed to sl10.ng.

    All three sides are eager to boost their offensive options and SL10 sources predict bigger things to come from Otegbeye, who turned heads during his spell at ABS FC.

  • Akwa Utd down Dolphins

    Akwa Utd down Dolphins

    Goals from Kufre Ebong and Nnamso Edo were enough to give Akwa United a 2-1 home win against 10-man Dolphins.

    Patrick Udoh’s men were looking to kick on back to winning ways at the Uyo Township Stadium, having played a draw against Abia Warriors in their last home match. But their trip to Taraba on Thursday seemed to have caught up with them, as after 22 minutes Emem Eduok poked home a Victor Alegbe pass.

    Slowly though, the home side started to get back in the game, and eventually equalised late on in the first half. Ebong rifled in an effort from 12 yards out after Dolphins failed to clear their lines.

    After the break though, Udoh’s side fought hard and took the lead through Nnamso Edo’s well kick spot kick which went past the goalkeeper after Chizoba Amaefule was sent-off for a second bookable offence in the penalty area.

    Dolphins fought hard to get a share of the points late on, but their efforts were in vein as the Promise Keepers won in front of the passionate Uyo fans.

  • ENYIMBA VS DOLPHINS: NFF GIVES REASON FOR FA CUP FINAL DELAY

    ENYIMBA VS DOLPHINS: NFF GIVES REASON FOR FA CUP FINAL DELAY

    Head of competitions of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has explained after several delays and postponements why the 2014 Federations Cup for both the male and female categories may likely hold in the third week of November.

    Sanusi stressed that the competition cannot hold before the third week of November as Rivers Angels FC has been greatly depleted by the absence of their key players who are on national duty at the ongoing 2014 AWC holding in Namibia.

    “It cannot be earlier than the third week of next month because we have a team that has about 12 players that is made up of the Women’s national team”

    “Our rules are very clear, once you have a team that has more than four players in the national team away for an assignment, you will have to postpone their matches. Based on these, we want to be fair with all the FA Cup finalists.”

    Dolphins are scheduled to face defending champions Enyimba, while title holders Rivers Angels take on Sunshine Queens of Akure.

  • Enyimba, Dolphins stars in Wonder Goal running

    Enyimba, Dolphins stars in Wonder Goal running

    Enyimba’s  Rasheed Olabiyi, Ifeanyi Egwim of Dolphins and Emmanuel Ajia of El-Kanemi Warriors are in the running for the 4th Wonder Goal Award of the Glo Premier League.

    The nominees were announced on the League Management Company (LMC) website, www.lmc-ng.org with fans urged to vote for any of the players whose goal is considered the most spectacular.

    The LMC had at the inaugural edition of the scheme stated that it was instituted to reach out to fans and enhance engagement between the clubs,  fans and the communities.

    “The Wonder Goal also seeks to reward marksmanship of the highest quality in the Glo Premier League as it was instituted to celebrate eye-catching and brilliant goals as well as the collective effort that resulted in the superb finish,” the LMC said.

    Ajia of El-Kanemi was nominated for his goal on Match Day 6 against his former club, Lobi Stars on April 13. It was a clinical finish which saw him shake off a marker from outside the box and fired to the top left of the post for his side in the 2-0 victory.

    Ifeanyi Egwim’s goal in a 2-0 win on Match Day 23 earned him the nomination. Egwim raced through from the center to pick up a pass that set him clear to lob above the on-rushing Crown goalkeeper. The match was played on August 13.

    The third nominee, Enyimba’s Olabiyi  is up for voting courtesy of his goal in the Oriental Derby between Abia Warriors and his club on August 17.  It was a Match Day 24 fixture which saw the midfielder firing a blinder from 25 yards that got Enyimba back into the game a second time.

    Voting will end by 11.59pm today and the player whose goal attracts the highest number of goals will receive the prize money of N100,000 from which 50% will be donated to a Charity of his choice within the city where the club is based.