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Tag: Iorfa

  • Iorfa hails officiating, praises boys

    Iorfa hails officiating, praises boys

    The Vice Chairman of   Lobi Stars, Dominic Iorfa  has praised the centre referee, Fernidard Udoh, from Akwa Ibom State for upholding the tenets of the game against hostile atmosphere after his boys nicked a vital three points away to Crown FC in a Week 21 Glo Premier League game at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    Iorfa in a chat with SportingLife also hailed his boys’  performance in the match.

    “This is the kind of officiating we are expecting in the Premier League. The referee stamped his authority throughout the game and my boys too were never intimidated despite the charged atmosphere. We have said that we would ensure that we improve better than we did in the first stanza and this away victory is a morale booster ahead of better things to come,” Iorfa told SportingLife.

    Lobi Stars secured first away win in two seasons against Crown FC by 1-0 on Wednesday.

    It was Lobi’s first road maximum points since 2012 when the club beat Dolphins 2-0 in a league in Port Harcourt and this aided the club to end the season in third place behind Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers.

    There was much pressure in the first half from both sides.

    However,  everything got changed in the 53rd minute of the match after the Ajilete Boys’ defender felled Lobi’s schemer in the vital area and centre referee Ferdinard Udoh did not hesitate to spot the infringement and awarded a penalty kick to the away side.

  • Iorfa cautions Lobi Stars players

    Iorfa cautions Lobi Stars players

    Lobi Stars’ Vice Chairman, Dominic Iorfa has cautioned his players against making any disparaging comments about their loss against Enyimba at Aba last Wednesday in a Glo Premier League clash as they prepare for another tough encounter against Kano Pillars at Katsina Ala on Sunday.

    The Makurdi side put up little resistance and got drowned 3-0 by the People’s Elephant at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba on Wednesday but Iorfa has admonished his players to occupy their minds with their next game against the league’s reigning champions.

    The former QPR of England and Super Eagles’ striker counselled his troops to think of the way forward and how to unlock the Sai Masu Gida and hand them a defeat just like they did on the last day of the league last season.

    He told them to forget about what they did wrong that led to their spanking by the Aba Millionaires.

    “The game had been won and lost. Enyimba beat us this time around but there will always be another time. We need to forget about this game immediately and head back home to plot how to beat Kano Pillars no matter what they are coming with to Katsina Ala.

    “We are looking forward to having a good game with them on Sunday but my players must stop bothering themselves about the reason they lost to Enyimba. You don’t retreat in the middle of a war. The league is just starting where points would be won and lost but we must not joke with the visit of Pillars,” Iorfa told SportingLife while making passionate appeal to his players ahead of Pillars’ visit.

    Lobi are fifth on the log with 12 points from eight matches while Enyimba that defeated them are seventh with 11 points from seven matches.

  • Lobi dedicate home win to Iorfa

    Lobi dedicate home win to Iorfa

    Lobi players and coaches have dedicated the 2-0 home win over Gombe United to the club’s Vice Chairman, Dominic Iorfa who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday.

    SportingLife had earlier reported that the players and coaches of the Makurdi Bombers were planning to beat the Savannah Scorpions in emphatic fashion for their mentor,Iorfa.

    This they actually did as all the players and other officials spoken to by SportingLife shortly after the match all had kind words for Iorfa and they wished him more fruitful years on earth.

    Lobi beat Gombe 2-0 to jump to ninth on the log with 49 points from 35 matches while their opponents slipped to 10th on the log with 49 points but with inferior goals difference.

  • Iorfa’s birthday: Lobi plan big win

    Iorfa’s birthday: Lobi plan big win

    Lobi Stars of Makurdi goalkeeper, Terkaa Melai has revealed that the players and officials of the club are planning to use their mid-week home tie against Gombe United as a birthday gift for the team’s Vice Chairman, Dominic Iorfa who is a year older today.

    Melai told SportingLife that the players have vowed to win against the Savannah Scorpions to give their boss a fitting birthday present since they do not have the financial willpower to do so.

    Recalling what they went through in Gombe when the first leg was played, Melai said it was God that saved his life and his colleagues. he said he was surprised to hear that the match commissioner did not reflect what happened in his match report.

    “We are going to beat Gombe United on Wednesday for our hard working boss, who will be a year older. He has been our pillar of strength and role model. He would add a year on Tuesday (today) on Independence Day. But we shall devote all we have towards our game against Gombe United on Wednesday so that we can present a fitting birthday present to him,” Melai told SportingLife.

    Meanwhile, the celebrant and Vice Chairman, Lobi Stars Football Club, Iorfa has expressed his excitement over his birthday that coincides with the Independence Day anniversary of the country.

    The astute administrator was born October 1 some decades ago in Gboko, Benue State.

    He said he would continue to remember his humble background and use his life for the cause of the down-trodden and common man on the streets.

    “It is always an honour to share similar birth date with the country and I am thrilled to be an Independence child. I am glad I can see another year and more of God’s favour and blessing.

    “I am not going to throw any birthday bash but I will use the opportunity to reflect on who I am and what I have achieved. I need to also do a cursory study of what I intend to be in the coming years,” Iorfa explained to SportingLife.

    Iorfa played professional football in England, Scotland, Turkey, Ireland and Belgium after he cut his footballing skills with BCC Lions of Gboko and Abiola Babes(both defunct). He also featured for Ranchers Bees in the 80s.

    He is renowned for his electrifying pace and gritty display on the pitch and he became cult hero at most of the clubs he played for.

    The former Super Eagles’ player was so important to Peterborough United that his name is still on the fans’ of the club’s lips during dull periods of their home matches.

    He played 15 games for the Super Eagles and was included in the team to the then King Fahd Intercontinental Cup in Saudi Arabia in 1995. The competition was later changed to FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999.

    His son, also named Dominic, plays as a defender for the England U-18 team and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

  • Iorfa to Lobi’s players: Absolute concentration very crucial now

    Iorfa to Lobi’s players: Absolute concentration very crucial now

    Lobi’s supremo Dominic Iorfa has charged his wards not to be distracted at this stage as the battle towards another stint in the elite division next season is not yet won. He appealed to his wards not to celebrate yet as they head back home to prepare for the next round of game.

    “We are happy we got a draw but we need to put celebration on hold until our premiership status is retained. We shall go back home to prepare for our next match immediately.

    “It is not yet uhuru. There is no ‘paddy’ man in the jungle. There shouldn’t be complacency. We have to respect Kaduna United but we need to apply the necessary sledge hammer to beat them in our quest to beat the drop zone,” Iorfa told the players at their Peebody Hotel Transit camp, Warri shortly before their departure to Makurdi.

    Lobi are on 42 points from 32 matches and 16th on the log on goals difference with Nasarawa United who moved to 15th courtesy of their 2-1 home win over Bayelsa United. The Lafia side are on 42 points from as many games.

    SportingLife recalls that Lobi moved a step closer towards retaining their top flight status with a morale booster goalless draw at the Warri Township Stadium against Warri Wolves.

    Warri Wolves just lost in the final of the Federation Cup barely three days at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos and their lack of enough time to prepare was obvious throughout the match.

    Meanwhile, Lobi Stars have praised the centre referee that officiated their Matchday 32 Glo Premier League tie, Marcus Bwarshi of Bauchi State and other match officials that have been upholding the tenets of the profession.

    Bwarshi was singled out for commendation for the professional way he handled the league tie between the 2013 Federation Cup finalists, Warri Wolves and Lobi Stars who are still not completely safe from the drop zone for now.

    According to an official of the club: “Indefatigable referee, Marcus Bwarshi of Bauchi State stole the thunder from the two soccer gladiators inside the Warri Township Stadium in a game that was largely played in pedestrian pace that ended goalless draw.

    “We are praising the good officiating of the referee and others that have stood on the side of the truth despite overwhelming misleading impression that all match officials are corrupt. We still have a handful that have dedicated their lives to the rules of the game and have not allowed their hands to get soiled. Bwarshi from Bauchi is one of them,” the source told SportingLife.

  • Iorfa continues to ‘walk tall’

    Iorfa continues to ‘walk tall’

    Lobi Stars supremo, Dominic Iorfa, is excited that his contributions to the defunct Challenge Cup (later Coca-Cola FA Cup and now Federation Cup), will be recognised during the 2013 Federation Cup finals, in Lagos.

    Iorfa, who played in the 1985 and 1986 finals, is one of the illustrious stars of the competition to be honoured during the 2013 finals between Warri Wolves and Enyimba.

    “I remain proud of what I achieved in the Challenge Cup. To have played in consecutive finals with two different clubs is not cheap .

    “The Cup competition is special for many reasons and I’ll always remember the goals I scored in the Challenge Cup. In the 1985 semi-finals, I scored against ACB and got the equalizer against Abiola Babes in the finals. However, BCC lost on penalties.

    “I want to commend the organisers for their decision to honour me,” Iorfa said to SuperSport.com.

    Fondly called “Human Express,” Iorfa also achieved Cup records as an administrator when Lobi Stars won the Coca-Cola FA Cup in 2003, but lost the 2005 edition to Enyimba via penalties.

    Lobi reached the last four in 2009, but lost to Sharks in the semi-finals, and defeated Bayelsa United 3-1 to win the bronze medal.

    In 2012, Iorfa moved to the dug-out and led Lobi to the finals losing 1-2 to Heartland. Lobi lost 0-1 to Enyimba in the semi-finals of the 2013 edition.

    Iorfa made history as the first Nigerian, not born in England to play in the Old Division One when he moved to Queens Park Rangers from Belgian side, Royal Antwerp, in 1990.

    And in 1992, he also made history as the first African to play in Turkey following his transfer from QPR to Galatasaray.

     

  • Lobi will bounce back, says Iorfa

    Lobi will bounce back, says Iorfa

    LOBI STARS Technical Adviser, Dominic Iorfa, insists the club have no reason to be embarrassed by their Globacom Premier League 4-3 defeat to Bayelsa United on Sunday.

    The Markurdi-based side was on the verge of picking a point in the seven-goal thriller when they came back from 3-1 down to draw level at 3-3. But Uche Ihuarulam did the damage when he scored the winner for Bayelsa United in the 95th minute to earn coach Ladan Bosso-tutored side three points at stake in the match.

    Iorfa took time to encourage the players during their training session on Monday morning, urging them not to allow the loss to demoralize them.

    The ex-international remained positive that the club will bounce back into wining way when the league resume.

    “We played well but luck was not in our side. We need to tell the players to accept the defeat and put that behind them. Bayelsa United tie has come and gone and we should not dwell much on that. Although, we have to critically assess what happened during the game but we should remain determined and focussed.

    “If Bayelsa United can come and beat us in Katsina-Ala that means we can go away to secure victory as well. I am still positive that we will get our points back. Mind you, we got three draws in the first round against Nasarawa United, Kano Pillars and Gombe United. We can still repeat the same in the second stanza.

    “It is football and it has happened to any club. It has happened to big clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester United and so on,” Iorfa said.