The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enyimba

  • Ikpeazu gives condition for re-election in 2019

    Ikpeazu gives condition for re-election in 2019

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, says he would only seek re-election in 2019, after successful completion of projects initiated by his administration across the state.

    Ikpeazu disclosed this while speaking in a political programme “Osinachi”, at the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia monitored in Aba on Friday.

    “There are a few things which I am saying if we are able to finish by the grace of God, in the future I would think that we can answer the call to seek for re-election in 2019,’’ he said.

    He named some of the ongoing projects as the construction of Ifeobara basin, the reconstruction of Arochukwu road, the Osisioma interchange as well as the revival of the School of Nursing in Aba.

    Read also: Abia makes N1.3b from Made-in-Aba campaign, says Ikpeazu

    Ikpeazu said that since leadership is linked to achievements in office, he can be sure of matching any other candidate after completing the projects.

    He said that government had so far invested about N325 million towards upgrading facilities at the Enyimba Stadium with a view to making it “world class’’.

    Ikpeazu said two billion naira had been released to Setraco Construction Company for the reconstruction of the Aba-Port Harcourt road, adding that his administration had also done well in promoting made-in-Abia goods by patronising the products.

    He said that his administration had also recorded successes in its agricultural projects especially in Aba which was aimed at improving the life of the people.

    NAN

  • Akwa United to reverse Nigeria’s failure in CAF Confederation Cup – Coach

    Akwa United to reverse Nigeria’s failure in CAF Confederation Cup – Coach

    Abdu Maikaba, Coach of Uyo-based Akwa United FC on Wednesday said his team would reverse the disappointing records of Nigerian clubs in the Africa Football Confederation (CAF) Confederation Cup with an excellent performance.

    Maikaba said that the team would work in synergy with other clubs to achieve success.

    He said that working with teams like Enyimba was imperative for greater and better results considering the former’s excellent record in the championship.

    The Akwa United’s coach also said he would not undermine the contributions of clubs with abysmal records so as to come out good for the cup

    “While teams like Enyimba will give us ideas on how to make success, the ones that failed will reveal to us their mistakes so that we can work on them.’’

    Akwa United won the 2017 AITEO Cup by beating Niger Tornadoes 3-2 on penalties in Lagos on Oct. 15.

    They will be representing Nigeria at the 2018 CAF’s Confederation Cup.

    NAN

  • Ogunbote hails MFM after draw, Plateau maintain NPFL lead

    Ogunbote hails MFM after draw, Plateau maintain NPFL lead

    Coach of Enyimba Football Club, Gbenga Ogunbote has praised the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Football Club (MFM FC) for being a strong and disciplined side.

    He however expressed delight that his side left the fixture with a point.

    He spoke  after the People’s Elephant drew 0-0 against the Lagos side at the Soccer Temple, Agege Stadium.

    “What do you expect from a side that has been together for years? I salute their resilience and courage,” Ogunbote said.

    Speaking on Enyimba’s chances of playing continental football, Ogunbote said “I can assure you that we will finish the season at an appreciable position.”

    With the draw MFM held on to second position with 56 points, while Enyimba are fourth on 51 points on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table.

    MFM FC striker, Sikiru Olatunbosun said his side has accepted the result in good faith, and will work hard to win the next match against Plateau United.

    Shooting Stars gave their fight against relegation a big boost following their 2-1 comeback win against Gombe United, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

    Musa Usman gave Gombe the lead on 55 minutes before Seun Akinyemi equalised from the penalty spot on 72 minutes.

    Najeem Olukokun scored the winner on 79 minutes, to get  a win that takes Shooting Stars to 43 points and 14th on the log.

    Plateau United maintained their strong hold at the top of the table following their impressive 1-1 away draw against Kano Pillars in Kano. Ibeh Johnson gave the visitors a surprise 1-0 lead when he scored in the 17th minute.

    But Pillars were back on level terms in the 52nd minute through Hamza Abba Tiya as both teams shared the spoils.

     

    NPFL Matchday 33 Results

    Wikki Tourist 1-1 Enugu Rangers

    ABS 2-0 Remo Stars

    Kano Pillars 1-1 Plateau United

    Shooting Stars 2-1 Gombe United

    Lobi Stars 2-4 Abia Warriors

    FC IfeanyiUbah 1-0 Nasarawa United

    Nigeria Tornadoes 1-0 El-Kanemi

    Sunshine Stars 1-0 Akwa United

    MFM FC 0-0 Enyimba

  • Eguavoen walks away from Sunshine Stars, cites referees attitude

    Eguavoen walks away from Sunshine Stars, cites referees attitude

    Following a string of poor performances, Augustin Eguavoen, the Coach of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, has unceremoniously quit his job in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

    Sunshine played five games with the former Nigerian Coach in charge, winning two and losing three.

    They beat Rangers International of Enugu 2-0, lost 0-1 to Lobi Stars of Makurdi, defeated Enyimba International of Aba 1-0, and also lost 0-1 to 3SC of Ibadan and 1-2 to Plateau United of Jos.

    The management of Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) confirmed on Friday in Akure that the Technical Adviser, who joined the club in April had left his post due to what he called “frustrating performance of Nigerian referees’’.

    Mike Adeyeye, Secretary to the Committee for repositioning ODSFA, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure.

    Adeyeye said the management never had any problem with the coach but that he decided to walk away from the team and Nigerian football in general due to “bad attitude and poor performance’’ of referees in the competition.

    He noted that the coach had improved the performance of players and the team in general, but left because of the system of refereeing matches that always favoured some teams that “belonged’’.

    “He left because of Nigerian referees, he never complained about us, I sympathise with him, and he has left Sunshine and Nigerian Football for good.

    “I don’t see Nigerian football improve in the next 10 years if it continues to be like this, they are stage managing everything in Abuja,’’ he said.

    However, asked whether any form complaint had been lodged with the League Management Company (LMC), Adeyeye told NAN that it would be futile to waste N250, 000 to do so.

    “Look at the good goal that was disqualified in Ibadan, it is be frustrating,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Sunshine Stars currently occupies the 17th position on the NPFL table, with goal difference separating them from the relegation zone.

  • Enyimba must work hard – Dauda

    Enyimba must work hard – Dauda

    Fatau Dauda believes for Enyimba to stand a chance against Plateau United they must work ‘extra hard’.

    “We all know we are playing against a very good and determined side [Plateau United],” Dauda told Goal.

    “And to be able to pick all maximum points, we need to work extra hard, focus and also believe in ourselves as a team.

    “A win will boost us for the title chase, we know we will not get it easy though, because every team is equally good in the Nigerian league either playing home or away.”

  • Crime Busters pushing to enter Pro-League Division – Team Manager

    The Team Manager of Crime Busters FC, Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu, says the club is going through reformation to achieve its target of gaining promotion to the Pro-League Division.

    The club will play its first match in the ongoing 2016/2017 Nationwide League One (NLO-1) against Enyimba Feeders FC at the Aba Stadium on May 12.

    Amaraizu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Enugu that the club had made preparation to play this season well to gain promotion to the Pro-League.

    “All hands are on deck as every match in this season will be taken seriously.

    “We have charged players and coaches to live up to their billings as the club is going through series of internal reformation to meet its set target.’’

    He said that players to be featured by the club would be U-19 as directed by the league board and approved by congress.

    Amaraizu, who is director in-charge of South-East clubs in the NLO board, noted that no over-age players would be allowed in the club in line with the standard set by the board.

    NAN reports that the friendly match played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Saturday between Crime Busters and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence FC ended 1-0 in favour of the police team

  • Enyimba’s bus destroyed in Katsina

    Enyimba’s bus destroyed in Katsina

    •Peoples’ Elephants goalkeeper Dauda punches ball boy

    Hell was let loose at the Karkanda Stadium, Katsina yesterday after the NPFL matchday 18 encounter between Katsina United and Enyimba which ended 2-1 in favour of the home team.

    A ball boy was rushed to the hospital after Enyimba’s Ghanaian goalkeeper Fatau Dauda punched him after Katsina United fired the winning goal seven minutes from time.

    Dauda then had to be escorted by policemen from the pitch soon after the match.

    Fans of Katsina United later attacked Enyimba, smashing their bus and inflicting various degrees of injuries on players of the away team.

  • Ogunbote cherishes win over Rivers United

    Ogunbote cherishes win over Rivers United

     

    Enyimba’s head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has expressed happiness at his side’s ability to amass maximum points against Rivers United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)matchday 15 encounter at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

    Enyimba captain, Mfon Udoh scored a well-taken penalty in the second half to give his side a 1-0 win over Rivers United on Sunday.

    “It was a hard-earned victory. We never expected a cheap one because even if they have been knocked out of the (CAF) Champions League, it does not make them a bad side. You should not forget that they recruited for the continent so it wasn’t a bad one,” Ogunbote said after the game.

    The well-fought contest saw the hosts dominate the early exchanges.

    United however enjoyed the first real opening of the half when Nzube Anaezemba latched onto Guy Kuemian’s quickly-taken free kick but fired over, from a tight angle, with just the Enyimba goalkeeper, Joel Theophilus Afelokhai.

    Enyimba should have scored on the stroke of half time when Ismaila Gata struck a fierce low effort which the Rivers United goalkeeper did well to stop.

    The visitors enjoyed the first chance of the second period; an enthralling team move which involved Lukman Mohammed, Kuemian and Esosa Igbinoba.

    Igbinoba struck well enough from the edge of the box but was denied by an exemplary stop by Afelokhai.

  • Enyimba 1-0 Rivers United: Mfon nets 7th goal of the season

    Enyimba 1-0 Rivers United: Mfon nets 7th goal of the season

    •Hails important victory

    Mfon Udoh was the hero for Enyimba in the Match-Day-15 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) when he netted the winner against Rivers United.

    Enyimba started the game on the front foot as Joseph Osadiaye curled a free kick just over the bar from a tight angle.

    Udoh chased down a pass from Ikechukwu Ibenegbu but could only direct his shot to the side netting. The away side’s best chance fell to Nzube Anaezemba but he failed to beat Afelokhai in goal.

    The Aba Elephants won a penalty when captain, Mfon Udoh was fouled inside the box and got up to score the penalty for his seventh goal of the season to ensure the vital three points.

    “It was a very difficult game I must confess because Rivers United needed a win or at least a draw against us but we were determined and came out with the vital win,” Mfon told SportingLife after the match.

    “We played the game as if it was a Cup final and thankfully we got the important win. Our aim to give the title defence our best shot and at the end of the season, we’ll see how it goes,” he said

  • MFM strong enough to match Enyimba – Coach

    MFM strong enough to match Enyimba – Coach

    As the Lagos-based MFM FC tackles Enyimba FC of Aba for their Match Day 13, the Technical Adviser, Fidelis Ilechukwu says his wards are strong enough to match seven-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NPFL Match 13, between the Olukoya Boys and the Peoples Elephant will take place at the U.J. Esuene Stadium on Saturday in Calabar.

    Previous meetings in the 2015/2016 fixtures between MFM FC and the Aba-based club had all ended in a draw.

    The Church Boys are currently fifth on the NPFL table with 19 points from 10 league games. They won six, drew one and lost three.

    Enyimba is 14th on the league table with 14 points from 11 games. The team won four matches, drew 2 and lost five.

    However, MFM currently has two outstanding matches against Rivers United and Wikki Tourists, who are engaged in African Football (CAF) Champions League engagements.

    The Olukoya Boys will have to test their might against a more determined side to win Enyimba in the crucial encounter.

    On records, MFM have been firing from all cylinders since the beginning of the season and had performed better in their previous campaigns in the NPFL with strong wins over league’s heavy weights.

    The Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side earned a point away against 3SC of Ibadan in the first South-West encounter; after which they dispatched Sunshine Stars of Akure 1-0 in Akure.

    The team, however, lost 1-2 away to Kastina United in the Match Day 12 only to record a slim 1-0 win over another league debutant, Remo Stars, courtesy of Stephen Odey’s penalty.

    Enyimba on the other hand, have not been impressive this season recording only four wins in the 2016/2017 campaign and a surprising 0-0 with 3SC of Ibadan in the Match Day 11 fixtures.

    Baring the importance of the match, Ilechukwu believed that his side was now ripe to contest for the maximum points at stake in the weekend fixture.

    “We want to replicate our fine form against Enyimba because we have not lost against them in more than five meetings, both in pre-season and NPFL.

    “We played a goalless draw last season and we want to build on that in as much as I understand that there are changes in the management and that some players have left.

    “Although they still have quality players, we want to maintain our status against Enyimba,’’ he said.

    Ilechukwu said that the League Management Company (LMC) had done a lot to improve the league in the country; an effort he said had positively impacted on the league.

    “The LMC has done so much in the NPFL. There is no more home, no more away and anybody can win anywhere.

    “We have a situation where a team can either draw or lose anywhere.  As it stands now, anything can happen, this is football.

    “I believe we have a strong team that can match Enyimba. So, I believe we can beat them in their home,’’ he said.