Following the victory of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club on Wednesday, the club has managed to return to the top of the league table with 30 points.
Closely behind MFMFC is Plateau United with 29 points, followed by El-Kanemi Warriors FC 27points, Kano Pillars 24.
[quote font_size=”18″ color=”#000000″ bgcolor=”#ddb57a” bcolor=”#dd3333″ arrow=”yes”]Related Post: NPFL week 16 result: MFM back on top[/quote]
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Biffo: Abia Warriors were determined to end Pillars dominance
Abia Warriors’ head coach, Abdullahi Biffo has stated that the determination of his boys to record their first win against Kano Pillars and also improve their standing on the league table were the reasons for the emphatic victory yesterday at the Umuahia Township Stadium in a NPFL Match Day 15 tie.
The Umuahia side leapt to sixth on the log from 10th position after the resounding win with 22 points from 15 games and Biffo told SportingLife that the boys resolved within themselves that they would clip Sai Masu Gida for the first time from seven matches and it was not difficult executing the match plan.
“There was no magic in the win. We spoke to the players on the need to get a win and they came out very determined to rewrite the history of the club and it was not difficult getting the win,” Biffo told SportingLife.
Sheriff Bashir and Sunday Adetunji were among the goal scorers for Abia Warriors yesterday and the Umuahia side will visit Lagos for a mid week date with MFM.
El Kanemi Warriors technical adviser, Isa Ladan Bosso has thrown his weight behind the embattled Wikki Tourists coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru.
Ganaru and his technical crew as well as the players were given four-match ultimatum by the management to change the situation at the club following series of poor results.
Bosso told SportingLife that the Nigerian system was frustrating the former Nasarawa United coach, adding that Ganaru achievements in the Nigeria league have not been appreciated.
“I think the system is frustrating Ganaru,” Bosso lamented. “This is a coach that has won the league back-to-back when he was at Kano Pillars and nobody from the system considered him good for the national team job (U-17, U-20, U-23 and Super Eagles), even as an assistant coach. Just last season, some coaches were given Super Eagles jobs because they did well at the beginning of the season.
“I know Ganaru as a good coach. He has worked under me and I know his worth, and I have never doubt his competency as far as coaching is concerned. He should not be placed under undue pressure because things are not going the way they want it at the moment. I don’t think he is the problem of the Wikki Tourists and I believe that results will come if everybody rally behind and give him all the necessary support,” Bosso said to SportingLife.
Double strike delights Najere
Kano Pillars’ Musa Najere has expressed his happiness after his two goals of the season sealed a comfortable home win for Sai Masu Gida against Gombe United.
Najere, who switched to Pillars from Enyimba at the beginning of the season, played his third game of the season yesterday after his stint with injury and he told SportingLife that he was a relieved man to have returned with a bang.
He promised to continue to help his team and that the latest win over the Desert Scorpions was just to underline their determination to put Pillars back to where they deservedly belong at the end of the season.
Pillars are still fourth on the log with 23 points from 13 games and with a game at hand.
Kano Pillars technical adviser Kadiri Ikhana has reiterated Sai masu Gida’s title ambition following a 1-1 draw with Remo Stars in a week eleven Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) encounter at the Shagamu Stadium in Ogun State on Wednesday.
Victor Mbaoma opened scoring for Remo Stars in the 36th minute before Rabiu Ali equalised for the visitors with a powerful strike in the 86th minute to earn a vital away draw for the Pyramid City outfit.
Ikhana believes that with the calibre of players in the team and support of Kano State Government his target to win the league this season will be achieved.
“Getting a point against Rivers United in Port Harcourt and here in Shagamu against Remo Stars indicates that my boys now understand themselves better and gradually they are now becoming a team everybody is proud of. We will continue to work harder and push for the title,” Ikhana said to SportingLife.
The Chairman Kano Sports commission who accompanied the team to Shagamu commended Sai Masu Gida for getting the vital point, charging them to be focused in the challenges ahead of them.
He assured that Kano State Government would not relent in its efforts in giving priority to their welfare.
Pillars will host Wikki Tourists on Sunday at the Sani Abacha Stadium in a rescheduled week 8 match.
Mountain of Fire Miracle and Ministries (MFM) FC defeated Kano Pillars 1-0 in the match-day 5 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) tie played at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.
Adebayo Waheed’s 66th minute goal was all the Olukoya Boys needed to secure maximum three points in the game.
Waheed made his debut for the Lagos-based outfit in the encounter when he was thrown into the fray came on as a second half substitute for AdeKunle Adegboye.
Adegboye had a chance to give the coach Ilechukwu’s boys a lead in the first half but his one-on-one opportunity was saved by Kano Pillars goalkeeper David Obiozor.
The MFM young star tormented Sai Masu Gida defenders which include the legendary former Enyimba of Aba captain Chinedu Udoji, Emmenual Anyanwu and Jamiu Alimi.
The young star justified his inclusion by scoring acrobatic nodding from a cross by Okorom Stanley to send the soccer Temple Stadium to wild jubilation.
It was an entertainment first half as both team try to outdo each other but all efforts yielded no result as the defenders on both side delivered their job effectively by keeping the strikers away from ball.
Pillars’ striking force of Gambo Muhammad and Adamu Muhammad failed to give away side anything to take home as their attempts to score were denied by outstanding defensive trio of Okorom Stanley, Opara Austine and Bashiru Monsuru.
The results ensured that MFM maintain its second position, having secured seven points in their last three matches.
MFM travel to Akure on Sunday to face Sunshine Stars in the match day 6 encounters while Kano Pillars will face ABS on Sunday.
Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, Ojo Olorunleke has admitted that the team had to dig deep before beating Kano Pillars 1-0 in the Nigeria Professional Football League Week 4 encounter decided at the Akure Township Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite failing to convert from the spot in the early minute of the game, the home team kept their focus and got the winning goal courtesy of an 82nd penalty converted by Sikiru Alimi.
Olorunleke who was rested for last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Plateau United in Jos, returned to action against Masu Gida and ensured victory for the Owena Waves by making decent saves and in the process maintain a clean sheet.
Speaking with SportingLife after the encounter, the former Nigeria U20 goalkeeper expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the encounter.
“In everything you just have to give thanks to God because our hard work really worked for us. It was a tough match as you can see. What matters most is the outcome of the game. We needed the victory and God gave us.”
After missing the first penalty kick, Olorunleke said the team never gave up and believed the goal will come.
“Frankly speaking, we never expected to have penalty in the first place. We play the ball to score and penalty is also part of the game. If you are given a penalty, you can’t tell the referee you don’t want it. When we missed the penalty we didn’t give up because we knew that can derail our game plan.
“We prepared for the match and we know come what may, we are going to win whether penalty or not. But when God says it is with penalty we will get the three points, we glorify His name.”
Sunshine Stars will take on Gombe United at the Pantami Stadium in one of the NPFL Week 5 fixtures on Sunday.
Kano Pillars goalkeeper, Danladi Isa has charged his team mates to forget their 1-0 painful defeat to Sunshine Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League Week 4 encounter decided at the Akure Township Stadium on Wednesday.
An 82nd minute rebound converted by Sikiru Alimi from penalty kick ensured that the Masu Gida left Akure empty handed and Danladi believes his team was undone by the centre referee, Ferdinand Udoh.
In a chat with SportingLife after the encounter, the former Plateau United goalkeeper said the referee should not have allowed the rebound kick to stand because “it was against the rules of the game.”
He also faulted the match officials for disallowing his team’s late equalizer.
“My message to the League Management Committee is to ensure that we start practicing the rules of the game,” begins the penalty specialist.
“One of the rules says when a player takes a penalty and the goalkeeper saves it, the same player does not have the right to play and score from the rebound, he will wait for his teammates to play it.
“The referee blew the first one and I got it. He blew the second one and I got it again and the rules says the kicker of the ball should not kick that ball anymore. So why did the referee not obey the rule. It is very very painful.
“It’s not fair for the referee to disallow that goal, there was nothing wrong with it. I believe he is just trying to help the home team. The standard of our league should have gone far better than this. If you go to South African league, even Kenya, you won’t see such things. Look at what happened today, it’s unfair.”
He however urged his team mates to shift attention to this weekend’s game against Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM).
“We now have to put the defeat behind us now and shift our focus to the next game against MFM. We will keep on fighting and see what we get from the encounter,” he told SportingLife.
Kano Pillars goalkeeper, Danladi Isa has charged his teammates to forget their 1-0 painful defeat to Sunshine Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League Week 4 encounter decided at the Akure Township Stadium on Wednesday.
“My message to the League Management Committee is to ensure that we should start practicing the rules of the game. One of the rules says the kicker of the penalty when he kicks and the goalkeeper saves it does not have the right to play and score from the rebound, he will wait for his teammates to play it.
“The referee blew the first one and I got it. He blew the second one and I got it again and the rules says the kicker of the ball should not kick that ball anymore. So why did the referee not obey the rule. It is very very painful. On our equaliser, for me it’s not fair. The referee is just trying to help the home team and the standard of our league should have gone far better than this. If you go to South African league, even Kenya, you won’t see such things.
“You just have to grow but today look at what happened, it’s unfair,” he said.
He, however, urged his team mates to shift attention to this weekend’s game against Mountain of Fire and miracles Ministries (MFM).
“We now have to put the defeat behind us now and shift our focus to the next game against MFM. We will keep on fighting and see what we get from the encounter, ” he said.
• Count on Kano fans for victory in league opener
Kano Pillars are hoping to play friendly matches with Shekarau Babes and Gombe United during their camping in Kaduna with a view to toughen them ahead of their NPFL 2016/17 Match Day One fixture with FC Ifeanyiubah on January 15.
Pillars left for Kaduna last week and they are not expected to return until three days before their confrontation with the Anambra Warriors and the Chairman of the club, Tukur Babangida told SportingLife that they are arranging friendly matches for the players and the technical crew to gauge the level of preparations for the coming season.
Babangida revealed that Pillars are striving to open the new season with a bang and that with the support of their fans, they are convinced that FC Ifeanyiubah and other teams won’t serve as a hindrance to their target of bouncing back.