The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebele Obi

  • Ebele Obi defiant Heartland won’t go down

    Ebele Obi defiant Heartland won’t go down

    Heartland goalkeeper, Ebele Obi has remained upbeat that the Owerri club will not be relegated despite losing a Week 32 game at home to bottom team Ikorodu United. Heartland are 17th on the league table with 37 points in 32 games.

    The older brother of Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi told AfricanFootball.com Heartland were simply unlucky against Ikorodu United, but he said he believes their fortunes will change for the better.

    “We were so unlucky against Ikorodu United, it’s a game we were supposed to have won with a wide margin but we were lucky not to have scored goals from the numerous chances we created. I believe that by God’s grace, we will remain in the premier league,” Ebele Obi said.

  • Ebele Obi vows to drag Ifeanyi Ubah to court

    Ebele Obi vows to drag Ifeanyi Ubah to court

    Heartland goalkeeper Ebele Obi has told AfricanFootball.com he will sue owner of Ifeanyi Ubah FC for assault.

    Obi was assaulted by the businessman, who punched him at the end of a Week 9 game in Nnewi while his security aides beat him up.

    “I am taking Ifeanyi Ubah to court for assault,” announced Mikel Obi’s older brother to AfricanFootball.com.

    “It was God who saved me on that day.”

    The League Management Company (LMC) has banned Ifeanyi Ubah from its organised match venues for 10 games after watching video evidence of what happened at the end of the game.

  • Ebele Obi recovers from knee injury

    Ebele Obi recovers from knee injury

    Heartland goalkeeper Ebele Obi will resume full training on Thursday, as he has fully recovered from the knee injury that has kept him out of action since the beginning of the season.

    Obi sustained the injury during a training session and this made him unavailable for Heartland’s first 15 league games of the season.

    The former Enugu Rangers’ shot-stopper told SportingLife that he is presently 95% fit and that by the time he trains with the first team ahead of the away tie with Giwa FC in Kaduna, he should be fully fit to be among those selected for the away game.

    “I thank God that I can say that I am 95% fit now. I will join the training session immediately the team returns from the home game with FC IfeanyiUbah in Port Harcourt.

    “I hope to be available for selection ahead of the away tie with Giwa FC,” Obi, who is the younger brother of Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, told SportingLife.

  • Ebele Obi returns from suspension

    Ebele Obi returns from suspension

    Heartland goalkeeper Ebele Obi will return from suspension for The Naze Millionaires after he missed a Week 31 game away to Giwa in Jos  at the weekend.

    The older brother of Chelsea star Mikel Obi, who missed the clash due to card accumulation, said he is happy to return and ready to do his best as usual  for Heartland.

    “I thank God for everything about my life and career. I am happy to be back after two yellow cards made me miss our last game against Giwa. I was training hard while the team was away in Jos.  So, I am ready for our next game against Sunshine Stars, by God’s grace I will return stronger than before,” Ebele Obi said.

    The Naze Millionaires are 12th on the league table with 44 points from 31 games, while Sunshine Stars are ninth on the league table with 45 points.

    The game has been rescheduled for Thursday because of an AFCON qualifier involving Nigeria the previous day.

     

  • HEARTLAND 1-1 3SC: Ebele Obi: We were unlucky

    HEARTLAND 1-1 3SC: Ebele Obi: We were unlucky

    Heartland goalkeeper, Ebele Obi believes the Naze Millionaries were unlucky in their 1-1 draw with 3SC in a Glo Premier League tie at the Dan Ayiam Stadium, Owerri.
    Reacting moments after Heartland forced the visiting Oluyole Warriors to a 1-1 scoreline, Obi stressed that they won’t be discouraged despite not winning the game.
    “We were the better side, we played better and created numerous chances, but we are just unlucky not to have won. We won’t let this weigh us down as we look forward to next game,” Obi was quoted as saying by MTNFootball.com.
    Heartland started like a house on fire, creating chances upon chances but failed to take any of them.
    Former Heartland forward Gabriel Adikwu gave the visitors the lead with a 39th minute strike from a rebound after Obi failed to hold on to a goal-bound shot.
    Ikechukwu Ibenegbu aka ’Mosquito’ equalised from the penalty spot in the 56th minute after Samuel Olabisi handled Emeka Ogbugh’s shot inside the box.