The Nation Newspaper

Tag: IfeanyiUbah

  • IfeanyiUbah’s coach laments team’s defending versus Plateau

    IfeanyiUbah’s coach laments team’s defending versus Plateau

    FC IfeanyiUbah’S Brazilian coach, Rafael Everton has said he was disappointed with how his team defended when they lost their 10-match unbeaten run at Plateau United on Saturday.

    IfeanyiUbah fell 2-0 at Plateau with first-half goals by Kabiru Umar and Benjamin Turba.

    “We were disappointing in the way we defended, but we will work on that and am sure we will be ready for the Rangers match,” he said.

    “We played very well but didn’t score goals.I praise my boys for trying to produce good football on this type of pitch especially in the second half”

    Ivorian import Seka Pascal was picked as the Man of the Match, but said the early goal they conceded knocked them off their strides.

    “We had a good game, but unfortunately we conceded the first goal very early and that kind of threw us off balance. But that’s football, sometimes you win, and other times you lose,” he said.

    “It feels great to be voted man of the match but it’s unfortunate that my team lost, but we will keep working hard in training so that we meet our target, which is a top three finish.”

    The defeat was ‘The Anambra Warriors’ first NPFL loss in seven matches and their first loss in 11 matches in all competitions.

  • Umar thrilled to end IfeanyiUbah’s 10-match unbeaten run

    Umar thrilled to end IfeanyiUbah’s 10-match unbeaten run

    Plateau United striker, Kabiru Umar has said he is thrilled he helped in ending a 10-match unbeaten run of FC IfeanyiUbah .

    Plateau United defeated IfeanyiUbah 2-0 with Kabiru Umar opening the scoring after 13 minutes.

    “I’m so excited that I scored one of the goals that ended the 10-match unbeaten run of IfeanyiUbah,” Umar told AfricanFootball.com.

    “They came to Jos with so much confidence, but they left empty handed.”

    The former Rangers and Kano Pillars striker said Plateau are finally getting their acts together.

    “We are now playing better as a team, winning three matches on the bounce. This can only be good for us,” he said.

  • Fans’ Unruly Conduct: LMC sanction Warri Wolves, FC IfeanyiUbah

    Fans’ Unruly Conduct: LMC sanction Warri Wolves, FC IfeanyiUbah

    Warri Wolves and FC IfeanyiUbah were Thursday handed varying fines and sanctions by the League Management Company (LMC) in a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued the two clubs for breaches of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Rules during their respective Match Days 25 and 26 fixtures.

    FC IfeanyiUbah was cited for contravening Rules B8.21 and B13.52 of the Framework and Rules for their failure to provide adequate security for match officials when the Referee was assaulted at his hotel room after the match against Sunshine Stars on Match Day 25. The Referee also lost some of his personal belongings in the process.

    The LMC decision however took cognizance of the prompt action of officials of FC IfeanyiUbah in compensating the Referee for the lost items and fined the club N750, 000. The club has 48 hours within which to submit in writing to the summary jurisdiction or elect for a hearing.

    Warri Wolves were cited for multiple breaches which include Rules B13.18, B8.21, B13.52 and C1.

    Under Rules B.13.18, Warri Wolves was charged for the encroachment on to the field of play by their stewards and supporters immediately after the match and fined N1, 000, 000. The club was further fined N750, 000 for breach of Rules B8.21 and B13.52.

    Warri Wolves was cited for breach of Rules C1 in that the club stewards and supporters severally assaulted the match officials after the match against Wikki Tourists on Match Day 26 including at their hotel rooms thereby failing to show sportsmanship and conducting themselves in a manner capable of bringing the league to disrepute.

    Consequently, the club was fined N1, 250, 000 representing N250, 000 each as compensation for the assault on the Match Commissioner and the four Referees. The club was also directed to pay another N250, 000 being the value of the items lost by the match officials in the course of the assault.

    The next three home games of Warri Wolves have been ordered to be played behind closed doors with the execution of the last two suspended subject to good conduct for the remainder of the season.

    The LMC also noted that in consideration of the gravity of the offence, including the assault perpetrated by the Stewards of the club and several incidents of assault, including at the hotel rooms, a suspended two-points deduction has been ordered on Wolves subject to good conduct for the remainder of the season. Warri Wolves have 48 hours within which to submit in writing to the summary jurisdiction or elect for a hearing.

  • IfeanyiUbah drop Bulgarian coach

    IfeanyiUbah drop Bulgarian coach

    Bulgarian Mitko Dobrev’s days as coach of FC IfeanyiUbah are numbered after he was dropped from the team’s Federation Cup clash against Katsina United in Ilorin.

    The Bulgarian has been left back at their base to train the players who did not make the match day squad to Ilorin. The big-spending club are 11th on the Nigeria league table.

    Dobrev is in his second spell at the Nnewi club. Last season, IfeanyiUbah sacked Dobrev before they fired John Obuh and then Daniel Amokachi.

     

  • Ezenwa gets pay rise at IfeanyiUbah

    Ezenwa gets pay rise at IfeanyiUbah

    New FC IfeanyiUbah signing, Ikechukwu Ezenwa will earn an improved monthly salary of N600, 000  at the club, a senior club official has specially informed AfricanFootball.com.

    Both parties have agreed terms over a two-year contract and the goalkeeper will go on to be one of the top earners in the Nigerian league.

    The 27-year-old left Sunshine Stars earlier in the season, citing unpaid salaries and having trained with FC IfeanyiUbah over the last week, he has been offered a deal.

    Ezenwa is believed to have been on N450, 000 a month at Sunshine, N150, 000 less than what he will be getting in Nnewi.

    He is expected to be in goal for the club in their next league fixture.

  • FC IfeanyiUbah beat Pillars to Gata

    FC IfeanyiUbah beat Pillars to Gata

    It has emerged that Kano Pillars may not get their prized target, Ismaila Gata of Niger Tornadoes following reports that the Minna-based side has already issued a clearance certificate for the player to FC IfeanyiUbah, the Nnewi Warriors.

    “I can confirm that I have seen the clearance letter issued FC IfeanyiUbah by Niger Tornadoes in respect of the player, Ismaila Gata but we are yet to treat the registration papers because FC IfeanyiUbah have not met the pre-condition for midseason registration,” confided an LMC official involved with the process.

    One of the conditions that the League Management Company (LMC) set out for the mid-season registration is the provision of attestation by all the registered players of the clubs that they are not owed salaries. The LMC had warned that clubs that failed to provide the certification will not be allowed to register new players.

     

  • Wikki thrash IfeanyiUbah 3-0 Abia Warriors move to second spot

    Wikki thrash IfeanyiUbah 3-0 Abia Warriors move to second spot

    Wikki Tourists bashed FC IfeanyiUbah 3-0 as Abia Warriors defeated MFM FC 3-1 to move to second spot on the Nigeria Professional Football League table yesterday.

    Abubakar Lawal smashed a brace with Godwin Obaje also getting a goal for Wikki to stop title chasers IfeanyiUbah.

    In Umuahia, Abia Warriors shot to second place after they saw off MFM FC 3-1.

    Uche Ihuarula got Abia Warriors off to a flying start after just three minutes.

    ‘Little Messi’ Stanley Okoro made it 2-0 for the home team on 65 minutes, before Ndifreke Effiong converted a penalty in the 74th minute.

    However, MFM pulled a goal back through Kenedium Chuks in added time.

  • IfeanyiUbah partners Yobo Centenary game

    IfeanyiUbah partners Yobo Centenary game

    With barely one month to the befitting testimonial match planed to mark the retirement of  former Super Eagles Captain, Joseph Yobo, from football slated for May 27 in Port Harcourt, one of Nigeria’s top businessmen, Dr Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, has thrown his weight behind the project.

    The Capital Oil chairman at the weekend endorsed the Yobo centennial game and promised to use two of his companies, FC IfeanyiUbah and the Authority Newspaper to be brand ambassadors of the testimonial match.

    Coordinator of the Yobo centennial game who is also a former Super Eagles player, Waidi Akanni, confirmed Ubah’s magnanimity and his involvement in the plan to give the Ogoni-born former Nigerian captain a befitting send-forth from the beautiful game.

    “Dr Ifeanyi Ubah has endorsed the Yobo Centennial Game. He has promised to use two of his companies, FC IfeanyiUbah and the Authority Newspaper to be brand ambassadors for the testimonial match,” said Akanni yesterday.

    While expressing his happiness over the coming of the top businessman to the testimonial project, the former chairman of Lagos State Football Association stressed that Dr Ubah has shown to football loving Nigerians that he is truly a man of the people.

    “His long association with the senior national team is legendary. How he supported past testimonials for the likes of Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Taribo West and Nwankwo Kanu remain very fresh in our minds. Dr Ubah remains a father figure for us ex internationals,” observed Akanni who used the occasion to call on other well to do Nigerians to support worthy causes meant to celebrate past footballers who have contributed their quota to make Nigerian sports great.

    Some of the corporate bodies who have indicated their support for the event include Sifax Group, NICON Insurance and Beko Electronics Ltd.

    Meanwhile, some top players from Europe including William Gallas, Louis Saha, Tim Howard and Steven Pienaar have been booked on the flight to Port Harcourt for the game.

    Yobo’s former Everton teammate Wayne Rooney and African greats Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, plus a host of other international football personalities have all shown interests in honouring the former Eagles defender who amassed 100 international caps, scoring seven goals in a career that spanned 13 years.

    The testimonial game which is being put together by the Joseph Yobo Foundation in partnership with the Rivers State Government will be an occasion to celebrate a worthy son of the state who has had a distinguished career.

  • Wikki thrash IfeanyiUbah 3-0

    Wikki thrash IfeanyiUbah 3-0

    Abia Warriors move to second spot

    Wikki Tourists bashed FC IfeanyiUbah 3-0 as Abia Warriors defeated MFM FC 3-1 to move to second spot on the Nigeria Professional Football League table yesterday.

    Abubakar Lawal smashed a brace with Godwin Obaje also getting a goal for Wikki to stop title chasers IfeanyiUbah.

    In Umuahia, Abia Warriors shot to second place after they saw off MFM FC 3-1.

    Uche Ihuarula got Abia Warriors off to a flying start after just three minutes.

    ‘Little Messi’ Stanley Okoro made it 2-0 for the home team on 65 minutes, before Ndifreke Effiong converted a penalty in the 74th minute.

    However, MFM pulled a goal back through Kenedium Chuks in added time.

  • Ifeanyiubah go top, Sunshine win big

    Ifeanyiubah go top, Sunshine win big

    FC Ifeanyiubah returned to the summit of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after defeating Warri Wolves 1-0 in Nnewi yesterday.

    Maduabuchi Okereke scored the winner just before the hour mark as the Anambra Warriors rise to top spot on 22 points, one more than Enugu Rangers in second place.

    Sunshine Stars were the biggest winners of the match day when they cruised past El-Kanemi Warriors 3-0. Okiki Afolabi and Dayo Ojo converted spot kicks while Isiaka Oladuntoye’s goal came in between the scored penalties.

    There were one-nil wins for Lobi Stars and Rivers United over Akwa United and Kano Pillars respectively. Bernard Ovoke netted a late goal for Rivers United while Nanen Imenger scored for Lobi midway into their game against Akwa United.

    Niger Tornadoes added to the woes of struggling Ikorodu United. Tornadoes were two-nil winners with both goals scored by Ismaila Gata, who now leads the scorers chart with seven goals.

    Last Friday, MFM FC edged Wikki Tourists 1-0 while Nasarawa United and 3SC defeated Plateau United and Heartland by identical scorelines of 2-1 on Saturday.