The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dolphins

  • Dolphins enjoying 4th spot, says Eguma

    Dolphins enjoying 4th spot, says Eguma

    DOLPHINS’ manager, Stanley Eguma says he is enjoying the view from 4th place as he looks down on sixteen other clubs on the log.

    After the home draw against Sunshine Stars in week 4, Dolphins were in 16th position but since then, they have won every home match played and picked points on the road to Sharks and Kwara United to move to 4th spot.

    In Port Harcourt on Sunday, it was a hard fought 1-0 win over Elkanemi on a waterlogged pitch due to heavy rains and Eguma says he is happy that their hard work is finally bearing fruit.

    “We have all worked hard and I am happy we have moved to 4th place. It’s actually a good feeling to be up here.

    “Now we have to keep fighting, not relent and grab points on the road to move further up into top three,” Eguma said.

    Less than one minute into the game on Sunday, El Kanemi’s Isaac Giwa tried a back pass to his goalkeeper, David Obiasor, but the ball stopped in a pool of water.

    With Derek Amadi running in for the ball, Giwa pulled him down and the referee promptly pointed to the spot.

  • NFF makes u-turn on Sharks, Dolphins expulsion

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has made a dramatic u-turn on its resolution of the preliminary stages of the 2013 Rivers State Federation Cup.

    The NFF had on Wednesday ruled that no teams from Rivers State would be accommodated in the draws of the Federation Cup as “the 2013 preliminary matches of the Federation Cup (in Rivers State) were officiated by unqualified/registered referees.”

    A release signed by Mohammed Sanusi, Director of competitions NFF organising committee further stated that “no preliminary matches were played in the state in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the competition.”

    The NFF then made it clear that the two representatives from Rivers State, Sharks and Dolphins would be barred from competing in the 2013 Federation Cup.

    However, the Rivers State Football Association, following a hastily launched appeal, earned a reprieve on Thursday after an emergency meeting of the executive committee of the NFF in Abuja.

    The NFF ruled in the meeting that matches in the 2013 Rivers State Federation Cup be replayed from the semifinal stages with the finalists expected to be accommodated in the draws of the 2013 Federation Cup.

    A fine of N500,000 (about $3,164 USD) be paid by the Rivers FA before the round of 64 stages of the competition.

    An executive committee member of the federation who revealed this to supersport.com explained that the executive committee reached the decision “following exhaustive deliberations on the issue.”

    “It was a very serious situation but following exhaustive deliberations on the issue, it was decided that the resolutions reached were for the best,” he said.

    Sharks will now meet Go Round FC in the first semifinal while Dolphins will face Eleme United in the second semifinal match of the Rivers State Federation Cup.

  • Dolphins to improve on performance

    Stanley Eguma of Dolphins says his side needs to improve on its performance after a lacklustre show in the mid week encounter at the Liberation stadium against Gombe Utd, despite winning that game by a lone goal.

    Eguma said his team’s output during the game was not impressive, hence the need to work harder for better results.

    “We have to work really hard,” he said.

    “We need to keep working on improving our performance. In this game, our performance was not that impressive, we needed to do something better.”

    Eguma who has two straight home matches said improvement was necessary to ensure the next game which would be against El Kanemi could be won as the club needs to pick all the points available to it now.

    After two wins and a draw, the coach said it is not yet celebration time.

    “We are not going to relent and start celebrating the victory, we need to work hard to pick these two home matches and then move forward from there.

    “We have to be positive, even if we know that football is not mathematics, we have another home game against El Kanemi and we have to work towards it,” he noted.

    Still lamenting the absence of the players on national assignment, Eguma assured that the players available for him now will pick up after soon.

    “The absence of our players is really affecting us. We are trying to manage. When we started, the mid field was not really working but as the game progressed they picked up.

    “In the absence of others, the rest have to do our best and still expect to win,” he added.

  • Dolphins pip Gombe Utd 1-0

    Dolphins pip Gombe Utd 1-0

    Dolphins Football Club of Port Harcourt piped Gombe Utd 1-0 in a week 14 encounter played at the Liberation stadium on Wednesday.

    A very drab encounter which was like a training session, there was almost nothing to cheer throughout the game.

    The first time fans had to cheer was in the 35th minute when Derek Ndu Amadi made at attempt at goal.

    The first period ended scoreless.

    The commencement of the second half did not present anything really different except when Fred Okwara’s jab which was goal bound was saved in the 56th minute.

    The lone goal of the encounter came when Dolphins’ Chigozie Ihunda who substituted Tope Jaiyeola was brought down by Segun Fatunwase of Gombe within the penalty area.

    It was scored by Victor Ezuruike in the sixtieth minute.

    In the 73rd minute Gombe Utd appeared to have equalized but it was ruled as offside which both players and officials protested.

    The game was stepped up in the closing stages by Gombe United due to the goal that was disallowed.

    Maurice Cooreman said the officiating is a disgrace to Nigeria football.

    “Its a live match on television and its a shame for football in Nigeria, everybody in Africa knows that referees in Nigeria break the rules. When you blow for penalty here, you must blow it for the other side.

    “Its not the first time, at least everybody watched the match on television and its a shame for the football in Nigeria. We lost because of the referee and also because we have been on the road, but again, when you score a good goal, it should not be denied”, lamented Cooreman.

  • Dolphins grab point in Illorin

    A second string but determined Dolphins side fought hard to grab a point in Ilorin off their hosts Kwara United on Sunday.

    Dolphins played without Chidi Osuchukwu, Jeleel Ajagun, Chizoba Amaefule and Emem Eduok who are in the national U20 team, Isiaka Olawale, with the beach football team and the duo of Chimaobi Chukwu and Emeka Atuloma who are injured while Victor Ezuruike had pressing family issues.

    Players like Baker Ebiabowei, Jimoh Ismail and Tope Jaiyeola were thrown into the starting lineup and even though match statistics showed Dolphins were second best, they eventually got the important away point.

    Adamu Yahaya put the home side in front in the 38th minute. Dolphins’ goalkeeper, Austin Brown failed to deal with a high ball that ricocheted off the cross bar and onto the path of Yahaya who headed home.

    At the start of the second half, Kwara United’s coach, Samson Unuanel replaced Solomon Yahaya with Haliru Obadaki while Dolphins brought on Ifeanyi Egwim for Chigozie Ihunda later on.

    With fifteen minutes left to play, Fred Okwara scored his sixth league goal for Dolphins and the equaliser on the day.

    Kwara’s goalkeeper, Kazeem Yekeen failed to hold a 25 meter strike from Osita Echendu and Okwara was on hand for the easiest of tap ins.

    With the pressure of dropping two points at home weighing on the Kwara United bench, Ogar Vincent was thrown in to replace Jimoh Oseni while Dolphins brought on Omoh Ojabu for Jaiyeola and held on even with five minutes of added time to claim their second draw on the road this season.

    Dolphins’s manager, Stanley Eguma praised the determination of his players on the day.

    “I must give it to the boys. They gave their all and showed determination even as we all know that a lot of key players were out. I had to encourage them and tell them to go for it and I’m glad that they showed the stuff they were made of,” Eguma said.

  • Depleted Dolphins set for Ilorin battle

    A much depleted Dolphins side arrived in Ilorin late on Friday night ahead of the game against Kwara United today.

    Five first team players are on various national team duties while two are out with injuries forcing the head coach, Stanley Eguma to look into the reserves for players to fill up spaces on the bus to Ilorin.

    Chizoba Amaefule, Jeleel Ajagun, Chidi Osuchukwu and Emem Eduok are with the Nigerian U20 side in Germany preparing for the World Youth Championship while Isiaka Olawale has joined the camp of the Beach football national team.

    On the injury list are Chimaobi Chukwu who has been out for a month and Emeka Atuloma who was taken out injured in Wednesday’s 2-0, while Ifeanyi Egwim who made the trip to Ilorin is just recovering from a bout of Typhoid fever.

    A player like Buduka Egwurugwu who was with the reserves (feeder team) was quickly thrown into the squad for the Ilorin game. Buduka has never before been in a Dolphins match day squad.

    On Wednesday against Kaduna United at home, debuts were handed to Ebiamowei Baker and Temitope Jaiyeola due to the thin nature of the first team squad. Head coach of the side, Stanley Eguma is not too pleased with the situation.

    “There is nothing we can do if the national team handlers decide to take our players but I must ask why do they take as much as four from te same team for the same national team?

    “The U-20 side have gone for pre-World Cup training and with the World Cup in August we have probably lost four of our best players for the rest of the season and it is not good for the club because we are in a long race,” Eguma said.

    “But we will have to make do with what we have even though I must say I am not happy about the situation.”

  • RIVERS FA CUP Dolphins, Sharks through to semis

    RIVERS FA CUP Dolphins, Sharks through to semis

    EX-FA CUP Champions, Dolphins of Port Harcourt strolled into the semi-finals of the 2013 edition of the Rivers FA Cup competition by demolishing Nationwide League side, Gokana Utd by 7-1.

    Dolphins who played in the second quarter-final match scored four goals in the first half and added another three in the second half of the game before the Gokana club managed to grab a consolation.

    Eguma Stanley commended his boys for the win and only hopes the goals harvest gets into the league matches of the club.

    “We all planned to win the game and the most important thing is to win the game. Some days you can get harvest of goals and some days, the goals will be dry. And that we have scored so many goals today does not make Gokana a bad team. It’s just that we are lucky to convert our chances today and we pray that our next League match would yield goals harvest too,” he said.

    In the same vein, Sharks played in the first quarter-final match against rookies, New Gunners FC from Ogoni scored three goals in the first half and one in the second half of the game for a four nil win against their opponents.

    Fortune Omoniwari got a brace while George Amakiri and Chiamaka Madu scored the third and fourth respectively for the Blue Angels.

  • Enugu Rangers batter Dolphins

    Enugu Rangers batter Dolphins

    Rangers International FC thrashed Dolphins 3-0 in a Nigeria Professional Football League game played on Sunday in Enugu.

    The fact that the game was played in an empty stadium did not take much shine away from it with early exchanges between both sides that failed to produce a goal until the 42nd minute of the game.

    Defender, Chimezie Ajaegbo capitalized on a mixup in the Dolphins defense and ran all the way to slot behind Terhemon Akombo in goal for Dolphins.

    Akombo had come on in the 8th minute for Sunday Rotimi who hurt his groin as early as the 2nd minute of the game.

    Just before half time, Rangers got a free kick from about 25 yards and Chibuzor Okonkwo blasted it with such venom that it looked to have passed through Akombo in goal for Rangers’ second of the day.

    Seven minutes after the restart, Rangers scored their third of the day when Efe Yahere pounced on the rebound after Akombo failed to hold down a shot from Sunday Chinedu.

    It wasn’t until the 54th minute of the game that Dolphins got their first shot on target when an Isiaka Olawale effort was scrambled by the goalkeeper for a corner.

    In the 68th minute, Dolphins coach, Stanley Eguma threw an all attacking side in, taking off Defensive midfielder, Hassan Hussein for Fred Okwarah and had three shots on target and four corner kicks in the last ten minutes but the score line remained the same.

    Dolphins coach, Stanley Eguma said he hoped his side would get better after the loss.

    “There’s nothing we can do about this one. It’s gone. We just have to go back home and prepare better for other games. This one is gone.

    “We tried to wake up in the second half but the damage had already been done,” Eguma said.

    Rangers’ coach, Okey Emordi refused to talk to the press after the game.

  • Dolphins finally get bonus for 3SC win

    Dolphins finally get bonus for 3SC win

    The players of Dolphins football club have finally been paid the bonus for grabbing all the three points in their NPFL Week Two clash in Port Harcourt against Shooting Stars of Ibadan.

    The Garden City side had wondered why they will not be paid their own bonus while Sharks, their ccity rivals who are also run by the Rivers State government, were promptly paid their own bonus after the win over Warri Wolves.

    The media officer of Dolphins, China Acheru, told futaa.com in a telephone conversation:

    “I can authoritatively tell you that Doilphins have been given their bonus for the voctory over Shooting Stars. The payment followed a peace meeting between the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Fred Igwe, and the players of Dolphins, where the Commissioner promised to settle the sign on fees of the players that has been oustanding since last season.

    “The payment of the bonus is seen as a sign of good faith by the commissioner, a first step towards the fulfilment of the promises made at the peace meeting.”

  • CHIDI REJOINS DOLPHINS

    CHIDI REJOINS DOLPHINS

    CHIDI OSUCHUKWU, one of the stars of Nigeria U20 campaign to the last Africa Youth Championship, where Nigeria claimed the third place, has rejoined his NPFL team, Dolphins.

    The midflelder played a huge role in qualifying the Flying Eagles for the U-20 World Cup that will be hosted in Turkey, but was quick to return to Port Harcourt, less than one week after the Championship.

    “Osuchukwu has rejoined the team, and he will be available for the double header against fierce rivals Heartland and Rangers on the 11th and 14th of April respectively, China Acheru,” the media officer of Dolphins told futaa.com.

    “We have had some issues with our midfield, and the return of Osuchukwu will go some way in resolving some of those issues,” he added.

    Dolphins currently sit in 14th position, with just five points from the five matches played so far.