The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enyimba

  • Enyimba,Wolves battle for supremacy

    Enyimba,Wolves battle for supremacy

    It will be winners take all in today’s Federation Cup final between Enyimba and Warri Wolves after both teams cancelled themselves out in the league this season.

    This season, both cup finalists have drawn in the league and so this cup final will determine who is the better team.

    Enyimba have won the cup competition twice, while Wolves are yet to clinch it.

    Enyimba striker Fidelis Saviour told MTNFootball.com that he is gunning for his second Federations Cup title against Warri Wolves after helping Kaduna United beat Enyimba 3-2 in 2010 edition.

    “This is my second time of playing in the final of the Federation Cup. I want to win it again. We have met Wolves twice this season and both matches ended in draws and so this will be the decider for both teams this season. We have a strong team to beat them,” Saviour declared.

    Last season’s league hotshot Sibi Gwar said he hopes to get his first cup winners’ medal with Enyimba today.

    “This is the first time I will be playing at this level of the competition, so I want to win it. It is not going to be an easy game, so I expect a good challenge from Warri Wolves,” said the former Niger Tornadoes star.

    “I pity them, they are meeting us at a wrong time because we are in form of our life now, with God on our side, we will triumph.”

    However, Warri Wolves captain Azubuike Egwuekwe told MTNFootball.com that they have score to settle with Enyimba in the Federation Cup final.

    “It is not going to be an easy game we all know after how we all worked hard to get here. It will be an interesting match but we have scores to settle. We could not beat them in both league games this season. We are therefore looking forward to win the Federation Cup and that way settle the scores,” Egwuekwe stated.

    Wolves goalkeeper John Dosu added: “Everybody is expecting an interesting and tough game, but we will come out victorious because we have prepared well for the game.”

    Meanwhile, organisers have announced the prize monies for the winners and the top stars of the cup competition.

    The winners of the 2013 Federation Cup will earn 2 million Naira, while the runners-up pocket 1 million Naira.

    The Most Valuable Player will be rewarded with the sum of N150,000, while the overall top scorer of the tournament will go home with N100,000.

    In the women’s category, winners will pocket the sum of 1 million Naira, while runners-up go home with N500,000. The Most Valuable Player in the women’s competition will get N150,000 and top scorer N100,000.

    Heartland won the 2012 Federation Cup with Brendan Ogbu adjudged the Most Valuable Player, while Isah Akor won the top scorers’ award.

  • Fed Cup: History favours me – Enyimba coach

    Fed Cup: History favours me – Enyimba coach

    Enyimba head coach Salisu Yusuf says having won the Federation Cup twice as a player, history favours him when he leads out his wards against Warri Wolves today.

    Enyimba will play the game of their lives against Warri Wolves in the 2013 Federation Cup final today after both sides have forced two draws in the Nigerian Premier League this season.

    And Salisu Yusuf, who was an assistant coach when Lobi Stars won the trophy in 2003, says he is familiar with the final of the Federation Cup as a player and as a coach, and hopes history repeats itself today.

    “I’m very hopeful Enyimba will win because I have the experience,” he told futaa.com.

    “As a player I was in three FA (now Federation) Cup final, I won two and lost one, so I’m very optimistic we’ll carry the day on Sunday (today). It will be very tough though.

    “I played for Ranchers Bees in 1987 where we lost the final against Abiola Babes.

    “I won it with El- Kanemi in 1991 and in 1992 against Stationary Stores, I also won it in 2003 as an assistant coach with Lobi Stars, so I’m used to the Federation Cup.”

    Enyimba will face the likes of Oghenekaro Etebo who is Wolves’ top scorer in the league this season.

  • LMC studying Pillars/Enyimba match report

    LMC studying Pillars/Enyimba match report

    • To make pronouncement on Sunshine/ 3SC soon

    The League Management Company(LMC) has confirmed the receipt of the match report of the disputed Glo Premier League Matchday 31 tie between Kano Pillars and Enyimba FC of Aba and will soon make a pronouncement on it.

    There have been conflicting reports in the media regarding the real outcome of the league tie with some reporting that it ended 1-0 in favour of Pillars while some including the Enyimba camp are saying the game was inconclusive.

    LMC Chief Operating Officer (COO), Salisu Abubakar told SportingLife that the league body would not make a hasty pronouncement on the match until the report of the match officials detailed for the tie is properly studied.

    “I can confirm that we have received the match report of the Kano Pillars and Enyimba league tie. I cannot make any comment on it now but the LMC will make a statement in the coming days,” Abubakar said.

    Meanwhile, the LMC has heard from top officials of Sunshine Stars, 3SC and the match officials on their role in the botched league match played at the Akure Township Stadium after a meeting with them at Abuja yesterday.

    LMC COO, Salisu Abubakar informed SportingLife that the league body has listened to all the parties involved in the Matchday 30 tie and that a decision would be made soon on the botched game.

  • Enyimba must be determined to beat Warri Wolves —Egemba

    Enyimba must be determined to beat Warri Wolves —Egemba

    Enyimba South south Co-ordinator, Donald Uzoma Egemba has admonished the players and coaches of the Peoples Elephant to be ready to fight to win the 2013 Federation Cup final tomorrow at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

    Enyimba face first time finalists, Warri Wolves in the final tomorrow. Egemba, otherwise called Dero, has charged the Aba Millionaires to seek an end to their cup drought.

    He admonished the players not to be carried away by the favourites tag but they should rather face the Wolves with all determination and the firm belief that they can halt their winless streak. Enyimba had lost twice in three final games between 2009 and 2011. They beat Sharks 1-0 in 2009 but lost to Kaduna United and Heartland in the next two final matches in 2010 and 2011.

    “I am wishing Enyimba the best against Warri Wolves. I will like the club to beat Warri Wolves because we can’t endure another loss this time around.

    “History is in favour of us because we opened the Teslim Balogun Stadium in 2005 with a game against Ashanti Kotoko which ended goalless. We were also the first to score at the stadium when Uche Kalu scored for Enyimba in the 2007 Super 4 opener against Wikki Tourists.

    “I want to charge the players and officials of Enyimba not to be complacent if we are to win on Sunday.

    “I will implore all the supporters and fans of Enyimba to come and back us tomorrow. We are going to make original Enyimba jerseys available at reduced rates at the stadium,” Egemba told SportingLife.

     

  • Enyimba’s authority radiates new era

    Enyimba’s authority radiates new era

    Since Enyimba became a dominant force following their domestic and African conquest from 2002, the club have continued to break new grounds.

    Several domestic and continental titles adorn the club’s trophy cabinet, but the defunct Coca-Cola FA Cup, now Federation Cup, remained elusive. It was until 2005 that the club eventually won it’s first-ever Nigerian Cup.

    Victory under the floodlights at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, didn’t come easy as Enyimba had to depend on Dele Aiyenugba’s heroics between the sticks to defeat a resilient Lobi Stars on penalties.

    The club came close to winning their second Cup title in 2008, but lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions, Ocean Boys. The end of Coca-Cola’s robust sponsorship of the competition in 2008, led to a new era from 2009, as the competition was renamed Federation Cup.

    For the second time, the final returned to the Teslim Balogun Stadium, which had earlier hosted the 2007 final of the defunct Coca-Cola FA Cup.

    Interestingly, Enyimba emerged inaugural winners of the Federation Cup after a 1-0 victory over Sharks. Musa Mustapha headed the goal that ended Sharks’ dream of a Cup victory.

    From 2009 through 2011, Enyimba appeared in consecutive finals and the 2013 final will be Enyimba’s fourth in the new era. Club supremo, Felix Anyansi, attributes the situation to consistency.

    “It shows that things are working and we have a strong system. Enyimba remains the most consistent club with 23 trophies in our trophy cabinet in the past 10 years and still counting. We have a leadership platform that provides room to excel. Enyimba is an institution. We’ve broken all the records in Nigerian football,” Anyansi told supersport.com.

    Reacting to the club’s consecutive defeats in 2010 and 2011, he said: “That’s football for you.”

    Anyansi maintained that the importance of experience cannot be over-emphasized.

    “Nigerians panic when we are not on the continent. Experience counts in management,” he told supersport.com.

    A regular player in the club’s consistent campaign in the Federation Cup new era is former captain, Josiah Maduabuchi, who has a commanding presence in the midfield.

    Maduabuchi, who developed through the club’s youth system, has a rich history in the competition.

    Due to his inability to secure regular playing time, Maduabuchi was sent on loan to Kaduna United in 2006 and he helped the Kaduna side to the fourth position in the defunct Coca-Cola FA Cup. However, he returned to win the Cup in 2009 with Okey Odita as captain. Maduabuchi was also present when the club lost consecutive finals in 2010 and 2011.

    “We’ve done well and God has been good to us. My target is to win tomorrow,” he told supersport.com.

  • Enyimba to miss cup-tied strikers

    Enyimba to miss cup-tied strikers

    Enyimba will face Warri Wolves in Sunday’s Federation Cup final without at least four of their star strikers, who are cup-tied.

    The Aba club are seeking a third Federation Cup crown against first-timers Warri Wolves at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos after they won the Cup in 2005 and 2009.

    MTNFootball.com has been informed Bishop Onyeudo, Daniel Etor, Emeka Nwanna and Victor Ezeji will miss out of this final because they have played this year’s competition for other teams.

    However, Enyimba could still pick Ifeanyi Edeh, Chimezie Amanfor and Sibi Gwar in attack against the Wolves on Sunday.

  • FEDERATION CUP FINAL: Enyimba hit Lagos Thursday aboard Aero contractors

    FEDERATION CUP FINAL: Enyimba hit Lagos Thursday aboard Aero contractors

    Players and officials of Enyimba FC of Aba are expected to arrive in Lagos on Thursday aboard Aero Contractors Airline ahead of Sunday’s Federation Cup final against Warri Wolves at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

    SportingLife gathered from a club’s source that the team will move down to the Center of Excellence from Kano after Wednesday’s matchday 31 Globacom Premier League clash against Kano Pillars at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

    It was learnt that the team will depart the Aminu Kano International Airport by 8:30am in preparation for the big clash.

    Club’s Technical Adviser, Salisu Yusuf has predicted a tough encounter.

    “We want to finish Pillars’ game today before talking about Federation Cup game against Warri Wolves. The two games are very important to the team and we have to approach each one after the other. The game against Pillars won’t be different from our previous matches. It is going to be a tough game no doubt while Sunday’s game against Warri Wolves will be an epic game too,” Salisu said.

  • Eagles call up Enyimba skipper Udoji

    Eagles call up Enyimba skipper Udoji

    Enyimba skipper Chinedu Udoji is set to earn a Super Eagles call-up after some sparkling displays for his title-chasing club this season.

    “Udoji has been pencilled down by the Eagles coaches after some great outings in the heart of the Enyimba defence this season,” a top source informed MTNFootball.com

    The central defender Udoji is seen by national selectors as a direct replacement in the country’s ‘B’ team for Godfrey Oboabona, who has moved to Turkish club Rizespor and so will not be eligible for next year’s Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in South Africa.

    Kwara United and former Nigeria U20 star, Ganiu Ogungbe, who was on the fringes of the CHAN Eagles has also been ruled out as a replacement for Oboabona after he moved to Cyprus recently.

    Udoji has already got the endorsement of Enyimba coach Imama Amapakabo to be an instant hit at full international level.

    “Chinedu Udoji is a good player any day anytime and he is good enough to get Super Eagles call up,” Amapakabo told MTNFootball.com

    “Without mincing words, he is one of the best central defenders in the Nigeria league now and the major reason why our team have not conceded many goals in the league.

    “I have followed him very closely for two seasons now and he has been very consistent.”

    Meanwhile, Super Eagles ‘B team’ will know their first round opponents in the CHAN on Wednesday.

    Nigeria secured the ticket for the first time after two failed attempts.

    Nigeria will contend for the trophy with hosts South Africa, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

    The tournament will be played between January 11 and February 1, 2014, at the Cape Town Stadium, Athlone Stadium, Free State Stadium and Peter Mokaba Stadium.

     

  • Enyimba test Pillars championship quest

    Enyimba test Pillars championship quest

    It will be a clash of title hopefuls when Kano Pillars host closest rivals, Enyimba in continuation of the Nigeria league on Wednesday.

    Champions Pillars lead the 20-team table on 51 points from 30 matches, two points ahead of Enyimba.

    Enyimba thrashed Pillars 3-0 in the first round of the campaign,so Pillars will be seeking revenge.

    Both teams have dominated at home but struggled on the road.

    Pillars have won two away matches and drawn one, while Enyimba have recorded a win on the road and drew five matches outside their fortress of Aba.

    Enyimba coach Imama Amapakabo told MTNFootball.com that they are in Kano to get a result that will alter the league standings.

    “We are in Kano for the game, we know it will be tough, but we are prepared for a big game and hopeful of getting the result that will change the face of the league table,” Amapakabo stated.

    Enyimba will be missing one of the league hotshots Bishop Onyeudo, as he was not listed for this high-profile encounter.

    Kano Pillars goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai, told MTNFootball.com they want all the three points at stake.

    “All we are playing for in the game is the three points, we are ready for the game because we know how important it is to our aspiration,” the former Olympic team shot stopper said.

    “We know we lost the first leg 3-0, but we are not thinking of getting a wide-margin victory, we are just focused on getting three points that’s all, but if we got many goals, to God be the glory.”

    Pillars will be without midfielder Obi Eugene, who bagged a red card in the team’s last match at Nasarawa United.

    However, the team’s other top performers, Rabiu Ali and Shehu Abdullahi, will again be called upon to call the shots in the engine room.

    Umar Zango has yet to recover from a knee injury and in his place, youngster, Adamu Murtala, has sparkled playing alongside the bulky Ado Ali.

  • Enyimba hold hosts Dolphins

    Enyimba hold hosts Dolphins

    Enyimba continued an impressive run in the Nigeria league after they scraped a goalless draw at Dolphins on Saturday.

    Both teams battled for victory, but created limited chances which they could not convert.

    Enyimba now have 46 points, while Dolphins have 40 points.

    ‘The People’s Elephant’ coach Salisu Yusuf told MTFootball.com his team played well and could have won, but failed to convert the few chances they created.

    “We played very well and could have won had it been we converted the few chances we created, but that is football. A draw was not a bad result,” Yusuf told MTNFootball.com.

    Enyimba were without their two star strikers, Bishop Onyeudo and Ifeanyi Edeh.

    MTNFootball.com gathered that league joint top scorer Bishop Onyeudo was not listed by Enyimba due to diarrhea, while Edeh is sidelined by injury.

    Coach Salisu Yusuf disclosed to MTNFootball.com that the towering striker suffered from the ailment and thus was excluded from the match.

    “He was to have played the match, but he developed Diarrhea, so there is no way he could play. Ifeanyi Edeh suffered a knock in our last game, so we don’t want to rush him to come back, so we rest him for next game,” he told MTNFootball.com.

    Onyeudo has scored 12 goals this season.

    Yusuf also revealed the secret behind his team’s recent fine run in the league and cup.

    “It is nothing more than hard work and dedication to duties by all who are involves in the team. We are been well motivated and the support of the fans is second to none,” he added.