The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kwara United

  • Kwara United’s Jimoh leaves hospital

    Kwara United’s Jimoh leaves hospital

    Kwara United’s central defender, Ismail Jimoh has been discharged from hospital but won’t be available for the Harmony Warriors’ Glo Premier League Week 31 tie away to Enugu Rangers on Sunday.

    Jimoh was diagnosed with thyphoid fever and was rushed to the hospital but after he recovered from the ailment, he has been allowed to go back to the camp of the Harmony Warriors where he is been closely monitored.

    The head coach of Kwara United, Tunde Abdulrahman told SportingLife that he is elated that Jimoh has recovered from his ailment and that he has been told to have sufficient rest and that his progress would determine whether he would have role to play in the remaining matches of the season.

    Kwara United are presently 18th on the log with 32 points from 30 matches. Abdulrahman has told SportingLife that he has charged his players to remain resolute and never to be disappointed with the recent unimpressive results.

    He said they are going to Enugu with the mentality to pick at least a point at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium with the hope of easing their drop zone worries on the log.

  • Kwara United trio resumes training

    Kwara United trio resumes training

    • Available for selection against Enyimba

    Kwara United have been boosted by the availability of some of their stars who have recovered from injuries.

    Isiaka Oladuntoye (knee), Audu Akeem (muscle tear) and Ahmed Jimoh (toe) are all in pole position to be picked for selection when The Harmony Warriors face Enyimba FC today in a Glo Premier League Week 15 tie.

    The Media Officer of the club, Yinka Owolewa, told SportingLife that the three players have made appreciative improvements and are available for selection, but that Adesina Gata still has some time to spend on the sidelines before he is declared fit to return to action.

    Gata, the younger brother of Ismaila Gata, has been out injured after he copped the complaint against Sunshine Stars some weeks back.

    Owolewa told SportingLife that Kwara United’s players were praised for playing a good game in the away tie with Bayelsa United despite losing the tie 2-0 in Oghara.

    He said the secretary of The Harmony Warriors, Dele Oguntokun, thumbed up the team’s display but warned that the players must do more against Enyimba as another stumble won’t be accepted by the club.

    Kwara United are 14th on the log with 15 points from 14 games.

  • Kwara United thrash Rangers

    Kwara United thrash Rangers

    Rangers International’s unimpressive season continued on Sunday when they lost 3-1 to Kwara United in a week 11 Glo Premier League clash at the Ilorin Township Stadium on Sunday.

    Playing in front of their fans, the Afonja Warriors wasted little time from the start to go in front of Rangers after two minutes thanks to Dare Ojo’s rocket shot from 35 yards.

    The lead lasted only 13 minutes as Rasaq Adegbite brought the visitor on level terms. The Flying Antelopes would have had the lead five minutes from interval but for Onoriode Odah’s selfish play when with options to pass to better positioned duo of Emeka Eze and Eziyodawe, he chose to take his chance one-on-one with goalkeeper Ismail Shagari. They would then be punished five minutes later by Oladapo who shot the hosts ahead. Victory was made certain on 80 minutes by Amungwa Emmanuel to end the fixture at 3-1.

    In other results, Nasarawa United clung unto a 6th minute headed goal of Ibrahim Ibrahim to pip Akwa United 1-0 while Enyimba International held hosts Wikki Tourists to a nil all draw in Bauchi.

  • Kwara United start camp in Ijebu Ode for Dolphins tie

    Kwara United start camp in Ijebu Ode for Dolphins tie

    Kwara United have  arrived in Ijebu Ode ahead of their pre-season programme in Ogun State after the Afonja Warriors rounded off the selection of players ahead of the 2014/2015 Nigeria Premier League season.

    The Media Officer of the Afonja Warriors, Olayinka Owolewa told SportingLife that the Ilorin side hope to travel to Port Harcourt from Ijebu Ode for their date with Dolphins on Sunday, if the uneasy calm over league resumption is settled.

    He said Kwara United do not intend to sit on the fence or to only be among the numbers but that they have signed experienced players from every corner of the country and are ready for the season.

    Owolewa revealed that Kazeem Yekeen, who left the club for Bayelsa United two seasons ago, has returned to the team and they have Anthony Okemiri, Dele Ajiboye, Philip Asuquo, Evans Yoro among other top stars they have assembled to set the season alight starting with the game in Port Harcourt.

  • Kwara United coaches to sign contract papers today in Ilorin

    Kwara United coaches to sign contract papers today in Ilorin

    Newly employed coaches of Kwara  United will today sign contract papers at the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin after they successfully negotiated their personal terms with the management of the club on Monday evening.

    The Kwara State government approved the appointment of four home groomed coaches : Tunde Abdulrahman (Technical Adviser), Tunde Sanni (Chief Coach), Jimoh Balogun (Assistant Coach) and Kareem Elemosho (Goalkeeper Trainer) for the Afonja Warriors and their appointment was made public on Monday.

    The coaches were invited by the management of the club headed by Haruna Maigidansanma while Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports was also part of the negotiation team.

    A source told SportingLife that all the coaches were satisfied with the terms laid down to them and they have promised to advance the interest of the Afonja Warriors when the league season begins on March 7.

    The source further said that the coaches would begin taking charge of technical duties as from today after they seal their contract with its signings before the Kwara State government.

    The Ilorin side will have the honour of working with coaches who are of Kwara State heritage as the state government is bent on encouraging those of its own to take up the mantle of leadership so as to further develop the State of Harmony.

    Kwara United were officially guaranteed a promotion ticket last week by the NFF’s Appeals Committee and they will campaign in the premier league alongside 3SC, Wikki Tourists and Gabros FC.

  • Kwara to name new head coach

    Kwara to name new head coach

    Nigeria  Professional Football  League outfit Kwara United is likely to name its new head coach before the end of the week.

    The team is reportedly set to unveil a new tactician after agreeing terms with a gaffer, who SL10 sources claim will move the team forward in the elite league.

    SL10 sources in Ilorin have it on authoritative terms that Tunde Sanni and Abdullahi Biffo are the leading candidates for the top job, with former ABS FC coach Kabiru Dogo also linked with a move to the Afonja Warriors.

    Isiaka Gambari and I. O. Bako have been holding the fort since Samson Unuanel was relieved of his duties from the club earlier in the year.

    Unuanel and his assistants, Ali Zubair (Chief Coach), Jimoh Balogun (Assistant Coach), Rasheed Badmus (Trainer) and Tunji Abubakar (Goalkeeper Trainer) were asked to go following the expiration of their one-year contract.

    A top club official told SL10 that the management had to cast its net far and wide to find Unuanel’s replacement. He added that a new coach has to be secured before the end of the week.

  • Kwara to name new head coach

    Nigeria   Professional Football   League outfit Kwara United is likely to name its new head coach before the end of the week.

    The team is reportedly set to unveil a new tactician after agreeing terms with a gaffer, who SL10 sources claim will move the team forward in the elite league.

    SL10 sources in Ilorin have it on authoritative terms that Tunde Sanni and Abdullahi Biffo are the leading candidates for the top job, with former ABS FC coach Kabiru Dogo also linked with a move to the Afonja Warriors.

    Isiaka Gambari and I. O. Bako have been holding the fort since Samson Unuanel was relieved of his duties from the club earlier in the year.

    Unuanel and his assistants, Ali Zubair (Chief Coach), Jimoh Balogun (Assistant Coach), Rasheed Badmus (Trainer) and Tunji Abubakar (Goalkeeper Trainer) were asked to go following the expiration of their one-year contract.

    A top club official told SL10 that the management had to cast its net far and wide to find Unuanel’s replacement. He added that a new coach has to be secured before the end of the week.

  • Rescheduled Ranchers vs Kwara United match ends in fracas

    Rescheduled Ranchers vs Kwara United match ends in fracas

    • Irate fans attack Referee Ozigbo

    The fourth club that would be promoted to the Nigeria Professional Football League, the elite division in Nigeria could not be decided in yesterday’s rescheduled Nigeria National League (NNL) match between host Ranchers Bees and visiting Kwara United as the match was marred by alleged irate home team’s fans who attacked the center Referee Charles Ozigbo after calling for a penalty in favour of Kwara United in the 22nd minute of the match that was to be played for only 28 minutes.

    The  match which was first played in Kaduna was marred by crowd violence when the game stood at 2-2 score draw. But the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation ruled that the match be replayed in Abuja yesterday and that only the remaining 28 minutes left in the match before it was disrupted by fans’ violence should be played in Abuja.

    But alas pandemonium broke out just six minutes to end the 28 minutes match when the irate home fans went for the injured Referee Ozigbo’s jogular for awarding a spot kick in favour of Kwara United. Ozigbo was injured with cudgels and stones while his head was covered with blood.

    The Police at the venue did not come with canisters of tear gas and were not armed, giving the irate fans the opportunity to have a field day.

    The NationSport’s reporter and others had to run for their dear lives while the 10 Policemen on guard tried all the tricks they had to save Referee Ozigbo and his colleagues’ lives.

    The matter will again move to the corridor of the Nigeria Football Federation to finally rule on which team gains the promotion to the elite division of the Nigeria Professional Football League of Nigeria.

    Ranchers Bees and Kwara United needed to win to be very sure of promotion a reason why the match was played under such undue tension and provocations.

    The ugly scene was also watched by the invited foreign based professionals who had just trained. They were asked to stay behind to watch the match by their Coach Samson Siasia shortly after their morning session training.

    The NNL promotion match between Ranchers Bees and Kwara United kicked off at exactly 10.32am at the Goal Project of the Abuja National Stadium yesterday (Friday).

     

  • Kwara United gets full payments

    Kwara United gets full payments

    The Kwara State Government has released funds to clear all outstanding entitlements of players and officials of Kwara United FC of Ilorin, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    This disclosure was made by the state’s Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Prince Saheed Popoola, who said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has approved the payment of the remaining 30 per cent of the sign-on fees for the 2013/13 season as well as payment of the 2013/2014 sign-on fee and clearance fee for the team.

    The Commissioner stated that the governor is fully committed to the welfare of the team and sports generally in the state and charged the players and management of the team to reciprocate by getting promotion to the Premier League next season.

    The General Manager of the club, Alhaji Haruna Maigidasanma, while commenting on the development said the governor is a sport lover, who remained the first governor to pay a hundred percent sign-on fee.

    He said the payment had come at a right time for the team which is currently in second position on the Nigeria National League table.

  • Akabueze hails Keshi, Eagles

    Akabueze hails Keshi, Eagles

    Former Sunshine Stars, Kwara United and presently Wuhan Zall FC of China attacking maestro, Chukwuma Akabueze has showered praises on Super Eagles players for their brilliant performance against one of the best teams in the world, the Azzuris of Italy.

    The former Nigeria U-20 star noted that coach Stephen Keshi is one of the best things that happened to Nigerian football at the moment, saying the Big Boss took a big risk of career to feature home based players at the Nation’s Cup and making them an integral part of the team.

    He said: “Keshi’s action has given hope to the local league and will in a long way stem the drifting of players to obscure leagues outside the country.” Akabueze has, however, brought hope and encouragement to footballers in Ondo State by initiating a Mock Nation Cup Competition tagged ‘Bentley Soccer Cup Competition’. Akabueze while on holiday in Nigeria decided to initiate the competition to keep footballers based in the state an opportunity to get busy during season break.

    The competition will be an annual event. Akabueze said the reason for initiating the mock Nation Cup is a means to give hope and encouragement to younger players to always give their best at all times.

    He also along side Sunshine Captain Sunday Abiodun and other organising members paid a courtesy call to the General manager of the Ondo State Sports Council, Mrs Joyce Idowu Akinbolumo for her support in making the first edition a success. To kick start the competition, Akabueze gave out 50 sets of boots to players featuring in the competition and also cash awards for first, second and third teams.