The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enyimba football club

  • Enyimba, 3SC begin preps for Eko International Cup

    Enyimba, 3SC begin preps for Eko International Cup

    Enyimba Football Club of Aba and Shooting Stars of Ibadan have resumed camp in preparation for the forthcoming Eko International Cup football tournament taking place in Lagos

    The two elite teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League started training last weekend respectively to gradually build up for the tournament involving eight teams.

    The pre-season football tournament, which runs between July 6 and 13, takes place at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, formerly Onikan Stadium, with two matches to be played on a daily basis.

    SKI-Hi Entertainment, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, is organizing the competition to prepare teams for the next football season and also to entertain lovers of the game in the off-season period.

    Five NPFL teams have been confirmed to take part in the tournament with two others coming from outside the country.

    They are Remo Stars, Ikorodu City, Shooting Stars, Enyimba of Aba, and two other teams expected to be unveiled soon. The two teams expected from other parts of the continent are FC Kallon of Sierra Leone and Heart of Oak of Ghana.

    Read Also: AFCON U20 : NFF submits final 23-man squad  as Flying Eagles  off to Cairo weekend

    Originally, FC Dadje of Republic of Benin were on the cards for the highly-anticipated event but only last week, the team wrote a letter to the organisers to be excused due to a clash of events involving the team which won the league title last term in Benin Republic.

    The Executive Director, Publicity and Strategy for the Local Organizing Committee of the EIC, Onome Obruthe, said the late withdrawal would not affect the scope of the tournament.

    Obruthe said: “We had some teams on standby in case of issues like this, and we are bringing them in once we tidy all discussions with their respective management teams.

     “We are counting down already and can’t wait to get started. We are excited about the support coming from our partners and sponsors like MTN and Bigi Drinks.”

  • Enyimba leaves for Burkina Faso tomorrow

    Enyimba will begin their march to Burkina Faso today when they make their road journey to Lagos in preparation for their tomorrow’s trip to Ouagadougou ahead of this weekend’s CAF Champions League preliminary round, first leg tie against Rahimo.

    The People’s Elephant will leave aboard Ethiopia Airways which will make a brief stopover at the Eyadema, Lome Airport before connecting a flight to Ouagadougou, as there is no direct flight to the Francophone West African nation from Lagos.

    Read Also: Enyimba crowned NPFL champions

    A top official of the team informed NationSport that the People’s Elephant targets an away win in Ouagadougou even though they know that the game won’t be easy against the Burkinabe side which they know only a little about.

    Enyimba is making a return to Africa’s lucrative club competition for the first time since 2016 when they got to the group stage of the competition before crashing out.

    Usman Abd’Allah’s men, however, featured in the last year’s CAF Confederation Cup where they got to the semi-final of the competition before bowing out to Raja Casablanca of Morocco.

  • NPFL: Enyimba FC defeats ABS FC 3-0

    NPFL: Enyimba FC defeats ABS FC 3-0

    Enyimba Football Club of Aba on Sunday, defeated Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Football Club of Ilorin 3-0 in the Week 34, Nigeria Professional Football Leage match played at the U J Esuene Stadium Calabar.

    Stanley Dimgba put the home team ahead in the 15th minute of play while Joseph Osadiaye made it two at the dot of first half to end the half 2-0.

    On resumption, ABS tried to redeem their pride in the game but the Aba boys refused to bulge and in the 53rd minute, Ibrahim Mustafa sealed the fate of the visitors by increasing the tally with another goal.

    Speaking, Enyimba Coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, said his players played according to instructions, adding that the team would not lose hope of a continental ticket until the last game.

    “The boys did well; we are still in contention for the continental event and until the last match, we will not relent, ‘’ he said.

    Henry Makinwa, Coach of ABS said his boys did their best, adding that, winning and losing was part of football.

  • NPFL: Enyimba FC pips Kano Pillars FC 1-0

    NPFL: Enyimba FC pips Kano Pillars FC 1-0

    Enyimba Football club of Aba on Sunday defeated Kano Pillars Football club 1-0 in the week 32 of the Nigerian Professional Football League match played at the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar.

    The tension soaked encounter saw the two teams making frantic efforts to get the opener but none was able to break each other’s defense line.

    The match ended 0-0 at half time but the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Junior Lokasa fouled an Enyimba player and center Referee Wole Adeniyi from Oyo State wasted no time in giving him a red card.

    On resumption of second half, the home team tried to take advantage of their numerical strength by pushing forward but Yusuf Mohammed in goal for Pillars stood firm.

    However, in the 71st minute a penalty was awarded to Enyimba and the captain, Mfon Udoh, scored to put them ahead.

    In his reaction, Technical Adviser of Pillars, Ibrahim Musa blamed the referee for the loss.

    “Referees are the killers of Nigerian league. We try our best to teach these players what to do but the referees kill the game for us. My boys performed excellently well but we lost to very poor officiating,” he said.

    Coach Gbenga Ogunbote of Enyimba thanked his players for giving a good account of themselves.

    “It was a high tension match and thank God we won. I congratulate my boys we will take it up from there,” he said.

  • EXCLUSIVE: I want to win the Ballon D’Or – Mfon Udoh

    EXCLUSIVE: I want to win the Ballon D’Or – Mfon Udoh

    Mfon Udoh is perhaps the most eligible bachelor on the continent of Africa – an intelligent forward with a great knack for goals. He currently holds the all-time record for the most goals scored in a single season in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with 23 strikes.

    The 24-year-old newly appointed Captain of Enyimba Football Club spoke exclusively to our correspondent Chijioke Ezeali about his dreams of winning the league and FA Cup titles for the two-time African club Champions and crowning his career with the prestigious Ballon D’Or.

    Happy 2017 Mfon Udoh. Great to see you are alive and well

    Mfon UDOH: Thank you so much sir, am so glad that you and I made it to 2017

    Can you tell our readers about you and your family background?

    Mfon UDOH: My name is Mfon Udoh. I was born and bred in Calabar, Cross River State. I hail from Ikono LGA in Akwa Ibom. I have a large family. We’re seven [7] children. Four [4] boys and three girls [3]. And I’m the last.

    How did football start for you?

    Mfon UDOH: Football started like a joke for me. I Started to play just for the love and the fun of the game then at a point I realised I could be paid for what I love doing. Now, I have gone from Diamond stars academy to Unicem Rovers, to Akwa United, to Enyimba and it’s been an amazing experience.

    Although, I don’t know my next destination but one thing I know and I believe for sure is that my next destination will be a good one by God’s special grace.

    Take us through your professional career both for club and country?

    Mfon UDOH: I start started my professional football with Unicem Rovers of Calabar.  It was an awesome experience for me. Since then I’ve been playing football professionally.

    On the national team, I made my debut for the Super Eagles against Ghana in front of home fans in Uyo and it was a dream come true for me. I couldn’t imagine that it was my small self that was putting on the Nigerian Jersey.  I don’t think I’ll forget that in a hurry.

    What were the high and low points in 2016 for you?

    Mfon UDOH: The low points of last season started when my team [Enyimba] lost out of the CAF Champions League and also to make it worse we didn’t win a single trophy that same year and also couldn’t make the first four [4] on the NPFL log. But the high side was when I emerged as the highest goal scorer of the CAF Champions League in 2016.

    Since becoming the all-time highest goalscorer in a single season in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). You’ve endured some poor campaigns, what do you think is the reason for that?

    Mfon UDOH: The poor campaign was just as a result of injury. When you’re just recovering from a severe injury that took you out for a long while, your best will only come gradually. But am glad that’s over now.

    The departure of Chinedu Udoji paved the way for you to be named Captain of Enyimba. Will it be an added pressure for you in your debut season as captain of one of Nigeria’s most successful clubs?

    Mfon UDOH: There’s no pressure at all. It’s just a new season of challenge, hard work, sacrifice, commitment and a whole lot.

    What is your target for the new NPFL season?

    Mfon UDOH: My target is to help Enyimba regain the league and federation cup titles once again. Lifting those trophies in my first season will mean a lot to me and my career.

    Who is your favourite teammate for both club and country?

    Mfon UDOH: I don’t have a favorite teammate here because everybody is my friend. Hmm… National team I’ll say its ehhhh!!! Onazi

    Who is your most difficult opponent?

    Mfon UDOH: All my opponents have been very tough and impressive I must confess.

    Which player in world football inspires you the most?

    Mfon UDOH: Ronaldo inspires me

    Which player do you secretly wish to play alongside?

    Mfon UDOH: Neymar is that player I’ll want to play with

    How do you relax when you are not playing football?

    Mfon UDOH: At my leisure I play a lot of music, I go to the movies and I sing at the karaoke’s.  Then hangout with colleagues

    When do you plan to quit Bachelorhood?

    Mfon UDOH: I will quit being a bachelor as soon as I find her

    Which other career would you have picked apart from football?

    Mfon UDOH: Tennis

    Do you have ambition of plying your trade in a foreign league?

    Mfon UDOH: Of course it’s my dream as a local player to one day play in the big leagues abroad

    What will give you the biggest satisfaction as a footballer?

    Mfon UDOH: To play in the one of greatest leagues in the world with the greatest players too and also win the prestigious Ballon D’Or. I know it sounds funny but impossibility is nothing.

    Great speaking with you. Thank you for your time.

    You are welcome. Thanks for having me.

    Club Honours:

    Enyimba: Nigeria Profession Football League: Runners-up 2014

    Enyimba: Nigeria Profession Football League: Winner 2015

    Individual Honours

    Nigerian Premier League Top Scorer: 2013-2014

    Enyimba top scorer: 2013-2014 (23 goals)

    League Bloggers Award Winner: August 2013

    CAF Champions League 2016 Top Scorer (9 goals)

  • I’m leaving Enyimba a fulfilled man – Ikhana

    I’m leaving Enyimba a fulfilled man – Ikhana

    Kadiri Ikhana, the former Technical Adviser of Enyimba football club of Aba, said he is exiting the club a fulfilled man based on the successes recorded.

    Ikhana said on Tuesday that he is happy that his return to the club was able to create the enabling environment for the team to achieve the feat of winning the Federation Cup in 2014 and the League cup this year.

    The veteran coach who described his stay in Aba as another turning point in his career noted that he is at home with the decision of the club’s management to hire a new coach.

    According to him, Enyimba remain his club and would always be happy to be associated with the story of the club.

    “I will tell you that I am not at war with any one over the decision to hire a new helmsman in Enyimba, I was there before and won the league and CAF Champions League in 2003 and left, to me there is nothing new with what happened between the management and myself.

    “I will continue to pray for the club success while I await God’s next move for me. I love coaching and challenges and wherever the tide takes me to, I will do my best as always,” he said.

    He also said that the new coach that would be hired will get the best of result in Aba if only he is focused. “Aba is a good place for many good coaches to succeed. My piece of advice to whoever they will engaged is that he should be focus and with that he will achieve the desired result,” he said.

    It would be recalled that the management of Enyimba FC and the Edo born tactician parted their separate ways during the week when the People’s Elephant announced its decision to hire a new coach.