The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ifeanyi Ubah

  • Ifeanyi Ubah appoint Japanese-American as head coach

    Ifeanyi Ubah appoint Japanese-American as head coach

    F EDERATION Cup champions FCI Ifeanyi Ubah have announced the appointment of a Japanese-American trainer Kenichi Yatsuhashi as their new head coach.

    The former Accra Hearts of Oak handler, who will manage the Anambra Warriors, will be assisted by Yaw Preko.

    Yatsuhashi, who holds several international coaching certificates, will replace Brazillian Rafael Everton, who vacated his post 48 hours after winning the country’s oldest cup competition with the Nnewi-based outfit.

    The Japanese coach is expected to prepare the team for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.

    Earlier, the management announced a cash reward as well as payment of allowances for its players and officials for their Federation Cup success.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah, Akwa Utd scramble for MFM’s Onuwa

    Ifeanyi Ubah, Akwa Utd scramble for MFM’s Onuwa

    MFM mercurial midfielder, Emmanuel Onuwa Chukwuma has revealed that he may quit the NPFL club ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria league season as he has been approached by several top teams.

    Onuwa, who rejected a bumper package from Rangers during the mid-season transfer window, said Akwa United, Abia Warriors and IfeanyiUbah are knocking on his door.

    “I love MFM so much, but I am not sure if I will still be around next season though I wish to,” he said.

    “Clubs are coming for me and they are really tempting offers. Akwa United and Abia Warriors have shown interest in signing me. Ifeanyi Ubah too. I must tell you the offers those that have talked to me are talking about are big and tempting.”

    The diminutive Onuwa was a key player for MFM in their first season in the top flight.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah, a must win for Lobi – Uwua

    Ifeanyi Ubah, a must win for Lobi – Uwua

    Technical Adviser of Lobi Stars Football club of Makurdi,  Godwin Uwua said he has put the 3 – 1 defeat against Mountain of Fire Ministries ( MFM) in Lagos behind him as he is looking ahead of the Ifeanyi Ubah game on Sunday  which according to him is a must win game .

    In a telephone interview with SportingLife ,  Uwua who refused to talk about the officiating said so many things played against Lobi stars in the game  against MFM at Agege stadium in Lagos .

    ‘First the match  was supposed to be played on Saturday, but due to heavy  rain, it was shifted to Sunday morning , after almost all other result were known and it became a must win situation for the home team .

    He commended his boys for putting up a brilliant performance against the noisy home supporters, saying he is looking forward to the game against Ifeanyi Ubah FC at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi on Sunday .

    The former Super Eagles coach,  however, declined to describe the match against Ifeanyi Ubah FC “revenge of  Federation  Cup defeat ” which his team suffered in Calabar but said it is a must win game .

    “After the Ifeanyi Ubah match , we have only one match because Giwa FC of Jos have been suspended, we were are looking forward to winning all our remaining home matches against Ubah and Nassarawa united in Makurdi” .

    According to Uwua, coming among the top four  would be a great motivation to kick start the NPFL next season and a reward for the new management of the club, saying there is hope to still pick a continental ticket .

  • Akwa Utd clash vital to Ifeanyi Ubah’s title hopes, says Aniyikaye

    Akwa Utd clash vital to Ifeanyi Ubah’s title hopes, says Aniyikaye

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah midfielder Adeleye Aniyikaye believes his side still have a chance of winning the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title this season as they take on Akwa United on Saturday in Nnewi.

    Aniyikaye insists that victory is very crucial to the team, especially with the league gradually winding down,” Adeleye told Goal.

    “The game against Akwa United is very important to us.We are currently placed fourth on the table, and still have the chance of winning the title. We must continue to win our games because the target is to unseat Enugu Rangers, who are top of the log.

    “The battle against Akwa United just happens to be one of those games that we have a bright chance of winning. Our tempo has been raised with the point earned at Abia Warriors, so it is important that we consolidate on Saturday.”

  • Ifeanyi Ubah on track for international football – Oni

    Ifeanyi Ubah on track for international football – Oni

    FC IfeanyiUbah are on track to play international football next year after they achieved a treble over Warri Wolves, according to forward Jimoh Oni.

    IfeanyiUbah pipped hosts Wolves 1-0 behind closed doors on Sunday.

    It will be the third time the Nnewi club will beat last season’s runners-up having also outscored them in the reverse fixture as well as in the Federation Cup.

    “I joined IfeanyiUbah from Heartland so as to play continental football and now we are gradually close to achieving this target,” said Jimoh Oni.

    “We are now fourth on the league table and are also in the semifinals of the Federation Cup.”

    Chijoke Alakwe was the match winner on Sunday for IfeanyiUbah when he headed home a cross by Elu Wilson in the 36th minute.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah on track for continental football, says Loute

    Ifeanyi Ubah on track for continental football, says Loute

    Ifeanyi Ubah are on course to play international football next year after they defeated Kano Pillars 2-1 at home on Sunday, according to defender Isaac Loute.

    The Nnewi club are now eighth on the league table with 40 points after going unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions.

    “We are grateful to club owner, Ifeanyi Ubah, whose enormous financial support has lifted us and we now want to repay him by playing on the continent next year,” said the Benin international.

    “I am  happy that we have extended our unbeaten run to 10 matches and we are now to pick some points away from home.”

    Loute was up against former club, Kano Pillars on Sunday and he admitted it was “emotional” for him.

    “Kano is like home for me as I played for Pillars for two seasons during which we won the league,” he said.

    “It was always going to be an emotional and difficult game considering the quality of players Pillars parade. So, it was great we won.”

  • Ifeanyi Ubah deserved a point against Heartland, says Loute

    Ifeanyi Ubah deserved a point against Heartland, says Loute

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah defender,  Isaac Loute has said his team worked hard for the draw earned against Heartland FC on NPFL match day 28 at the Dan Anyim Stadium last Saturday.

    Loute revealed that the team has resolved to pick up points on the road and keep a perfect home record.

    “We’d resolved long before now to finish as high as we can in the NPFL and to get that done we just have to remain in an excellent form and also pick at least a point on the road,” Loute told Goal.

    “Prior to our visit to Owerri, we had sorted out a couple of game plans which helped us get  what we wanted. We worked hard and it’s only proper to say that we do deserve the point earned against Heartland FC in Owerri.”

    Ifeanyi are eight on the log with 37 points,  but Loute feels a run of consistent results could make a perfect change at the top of the log.

    “You don’t give up until it’s over. There  are 10 more games to go till the end of the season and that means we still have 30 points up for grabs which we are determined to pick, that can make a lot of change. We are still strong contenders in the Federation Cup too, so basically we are still going on strong,” he said.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah were lucky, says Bosso

    Ifeanyi Ubah were lucky, says Bosso

    El Kanemi Warriors technical adviser, Ladan Bosso has said the lucky team won during Sunday’s matchday 27 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clash against FC Ifeanyi Ubah in Nnewi.

    A 41st minute goal from a well-timed header from Brazilian, Alberico Da Silva was all FC Ifeanyi Ubah needed to claim the three points at stake in the match to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions.

    Bosso said his boys have improved from the way they played in the first round of the competition while expressing confident that they will pick away points before the end of the season.

    “We were better on Sunday but the lucky side won. It was a good game and officiating was okay too. I am hopeful that before the end of the season we should be able to get away points. They are playing better from what happened in the first round. They have blended well now and the unity in the team is giving me confidence that we will end the season well,” Bosso told SportingLife.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah deserves a win against Ikorodu Utd

    Ifeanyi Ubah deserves a win against Ikorodu Utd

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah captain, Emmanuel Thompson has disclosed that not defeating Ikorodu United is disappointing but a point earned is fair.

    Emmanuel, who has been on the sideline due to a thigh injury for over a month, resumed training in June and was in action against the Olukoya Boys.

    “It feels good to be back to action though I’ve not hit that top notch performance level but I believe I’ll improve from an 80% performance today to something better in subsequent matches. The most important thing for me right now is that I’m back and better,” Thompson told Goal.

    “We head into every match with that mentality to win but unfortunately we only got a point. Though it may be very disappointing that we didn’t secure a win against Ikorodu United in Lagos- a point earned is fair but if we’d lost here it would have been terrible,”he said.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah’s Gata happy to open goal account

    Ifeanyi Ubah’s Gata happy to open goal account

    • Targets brace against 3SC

    Ifeanyi Ubah striker, Ismail Gata said he knew he would start scoring for his new club sooner rather than later after hitting the target in a 2-0 victory over Rivers United in the Nigeria Professional Football League Match Day 23 encounter at the Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium, Nnewi on Sunday.

    In a chat with SportingLife, the former Enyimba and Kwara United striker said he hoped to increase his tally with a brace against another former club, 3SC in Ibadan next weekend.

    “I’m very happy to score my first goal after joining from Tornadoes. I’ve always believed that my goals will soon start flowing despite the fact that I did not hit the target in my first two games.

    “It will be lovely to play against 3SC my former team and I am planning to score two goals. With Wasiu my strike partner, Wasiu Jimoh and Okereke Maduabuchi our Cristiano Ronaldo, I believe we are going to defeat Shooting Stars. Even though they beat MFM away in their last match, we also defeated another top club, Rivers United. This is football and anything can happen, so we too want to beat them in Ibadan,” Gata told SportingLife.