The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lobi

  • Akpoborie tips Eze for greatness

    Akpoborie tips Eze for greatness

    Former Nigerian interna-tional, Jonathan Akpoborie, is confident that Lobi Stars central defender, Stephen Eze, will achieve greatness as a footballer.

    Eze, who is in his first year as a professional, learnt his trade at the club’s youth team, Lobi Stars Feeders, which campaign in the amateur class.

    Former Lobi Stars gaffer, Dominic Iorfa, eventually approved Eze’s elevation from the developmental team to the first team for top flight action after his impressive performance in the amateur class.

    “Eze is an intelligent young defender who needs to be guided and transformed into a big star. Having watched him during matches for his team, I’m convinced he’ll attract attention. I learnt he trained with the Under-20 team.

    “With his height, he should easily take care of aerial balls. Every coach will be glad to have a player like him in the defence,” Akpoborie, who played football in the German Bundesliga, said to supersport.com.

    Eze made his Premier League debut at Bayelsa United on matchday one and scored his first goal against Enugu Rangers on matchday eight.

     

  • Lobi players warned to improve or face sanctions

    Lobi players warned to improve or face sanctions

    •Iorfa wants team out of drop zone

    Lobi Stars’ supremo Dominic Iorfa has warned his players to either perform in the remaining league games of the season or risk facing sack ahead of their matchday 29 Glo Premier League tie with Nasarawa United.

    The game is more of a local derby for both teams but Iorfa in a chat with SportingLife charged his wards to put brotherly affair by the side and ensure they beat the Lafia side comfortably as they work to wriggle their way out of the relegation zone they currently occupy.

    The former NFF Board Member revealed that he would not hesitate to weild the sledge hammer on unproductive players stating that the club would not tolerate the loss of concentration among the players that culminated in the painful away loss at Enugu Rangers.

    “The task of swimming ashore must be accomplished in the rest of the games we have this season both home and away. It is only consistency that can see us through .

    “We may consider sanctions against players who are not ready to comply with the Lobi management’s directives of proactive reactions in our subsequent games.”

    The ex-QPR and Super Eagles’ striker added:” You must demonstrate the new vigour to not only excel but to ensure that Lobi stay up in the top flight next season.’’

    Meanwhile, a remorseful Lobi players and officials have promised to up their performance in the remaining league games of the season.

    The players, who were still surprised at what led to their defeat at Enugu despite having the game in control and even getting the curtain raiser, have promised to vent their spleen on visiting Nasarawa United at the Emmanuel Akume Atongo Stadium, Katsina Ala tomorrow.

    Speaking ahead of the encounter which they have tagged ‘win or burst’, Stephen Eze, Lobi’s defender has called for the support of the management of the club and the prayers of their fans as they start the most critical part of the season with a tie against Nasarawa United at home.

    He said the players would continue to fight harder and strive to improve as they target maximum points against their next door neighbours.

  • Loss of concentration, our albatross — Lobi

    Loss of concentration, our albatross — Lobi

    • Club lose 2-1 to Rangers in Enugu

    Lobi Stars have blamed their lack of focus as the major reason for their loss at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu to Rangers International.

    The Makurdi Bombers shot into a surprise lead in the 15th minute when Lobi’s academy graduate, Joshua Abanyi scored the curtain raiser to the delight of his team mates.

    The hosts, however, fought back and scored two goals through Christian Obiozor in the 40th and 50th minutes, to hand all points to the Flying Antelopes.

    Abanyi, popularly called human computer, evaded Rangers players to plant the lead in the 15th minute, but gangling Obiozor leapt to nod home the equaliser about five minutes before halftime as both sides ended the first half one goal apiece.

    At the restart of the second half, Obiozor again popped up to punish fumbling Lobi’s defender, Stephen Eze to score what turned out to be the match winner in the 50th minute.

    The win catapulted Rangers to 7th on the log with 42 points from 28 matches, while Lobi wollow in the relegation zone with the loss, as they remain on 35 points from 28 matches.

    In a brief chat with SportingLife after the encounter, Lobi’s Boss, Dominic Iorfa put the blame on the loss of concentration of his wards and he promised to liaise with the technical crew on how best to correct this ahead of their weekend game at home to Nasarawa United.

    “We lost due to our inability to stay focus for the entire 90 minutes and we paid dearly for it with Rangers coming back to haunt us with two goals after we had scored first.

    “We don’t have to dwell too much on this loss. We would go back home and correct our errors to get back to winning ways. I still want to reiterate that Lobi will not go on relegation. We shall get enough points to remain in the elite division next season,” Iorfa urged.

  • Lobi vow to explode at Enugu

    Lobi vow to explode at Enugu

    • Makurdi side thrilled with live broadcast of tie

    Lobi Stars have said they hope to give hosts, Enugu Rangers a good fight ahead of their Matchday 28 Glo Premier League clash at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium today.

    Lobi are 15th on the log with 35 points from 27 games while Rangers are in 7th with 39 points from same number of games.

    The Makurdi side will need to get a result in Enugu today if they do not want to slip back into the relegation zone and with the realisation of this staring them in the face, Lobi’s Head of Media, Jack Moses Ekwe Ekwe has assured that they will be ready for the Flying Antelopes.

    Ekwe Ekwe, in a chat with SportingLife, said: “We have launched ‘Operation Sea-Lion’ to capture the Flying Antelopes ‘dead’ or ‘alive’ inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium tomorrow (today).

    “The quality of the players now at the disposal of coach Evans Ogenyi has given us the confidence that we can spring surprises against Rangers.

    “Our young troops are ready to explode against any of our soccer foes irrespective of venue(s) because we fear no foe. We shall deploy the necessary weapons in our arsenal to achieve our goal of winning. We have three options of caging, trapping and drowning the Flying Antelopes.”

    He continued: “Heartland would have gone home with a basket-full of goals with the chances we created; Rangers won’t be lucky if we get such opportunities again in Enugu.

    “We are calling for fair officiating in line with the League Management Company (LMC)’s directives.”

    Meanwhile, Lobi Stars’ Kingsley Ashu has expressed his happiness that the matchday 28 tie at Enugu would be beamed live by league broadcasters, SuperSport. The defender, who spoke on behalf of his team mates, said that with the live broadcast of the match to all Nigerians at the same time, the rate of fair officiating would be high.

    “Live matches are good for the stakeholders because the match officials and players will be willing to portray Nigerian football in good light to the whole world,” Ashu explained.

    Lobi edged Heartland 1-0 at the Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina Ala on Sunday through a 17th minute strike from Douglas Achiv.

     

  • Lobi were tough —Olabiyi

    Lobi were tough —Olabiyi

    • Eyes African Champions League ticket

    Enyimba of Aba midfielder, Rasheed Olabiyi says he is happy to have been in the People’s Elephant squad that pipped Lobi Stars 1-0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City to qualify for another Federation Cup final.

    Olabiyi, who was on the pitch for 90 minutes, said Lobi made life difficult for them throughout the encounter.

    He added that having reached the Federation Cup final, they have set their attention on the league which will enter match day 27 this weekend.

    On their weekend fixture against Kwara United at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin, Olabiyi said the Aba Millionaires would be ready to avenge their goalless draw against the Afonja Warriors in Aba in the first stanza.

    “I am elated we are through to the final and looking to the encounter in Lagos with all seriousness.

    “But, before then, we shall focus our attention on the league where we hope to gain a ticket to the Champions League. We are ready for our next opponents.

    “We are going to Ilorin to face Kwara United. It is our personal target to avoid defeat there because they came to Aba to get a draw at the beginning of the season,” Olabiyi hinted.

    Enyimba are top of the league table with 42 points from 26 matches while Kwara United are 4th with 41 points from same number of matches.

  • Lobi now battle relegation

    Lobi Stars centre-back, Anthony Agbaji has said his side have redirected their attention towards doing well in the ongoing 2012/13 Glo Premier League season.

    The Makurdi-based side were on Wednesday dumped 0-1 by Enyimba in the semi-final of the 2013 Federation Cup at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

    Super Eagles striker, Ifeanyi Ede’s lone strike was enough to cement Enyimba’s place in the final of the annual football fiesta coming up in Lagos on September 15. Lobi Stars questioned the goal by Enyimba claiming the referee made bad calls and refused them several penalty appeals.

    Agbaji said after his side’s elimination in the Federation Cup in the hands of Enyimba that they have no choice than to fight hard to overcome the poor fortune that has befallen Lobi Stars in the league where they are placed bottom of the standings.

    “Of course, we never asked for the questionable officiating that characterised our Federation Cup semifinal defeat in the hands of Enyimba. We had a great dream of going ahead to play in the final and make amends for the lapses that cheated us from winning the encounter against Heartland in 2012.

    “Unfortunately, everything has ended a mere dream but life must go on as we have the league to fall back on and see what we can salvage from the precarious position we see ourselves at the moment.

    “Ordinarily, the incident that saw us off from the Federation Cup is enough to kill every appetite in us to raise a hand of defence, but we just realised that under no circumstance should Lobi Stars go down relegated.

    “It’s a vow we’ve taken upon ourselves and we’re bound to work harder to put behind us the ugly memory of our ouster from the Federation Cup. Our position in the league table is a misrepresentation of the strength of the side and we must work hard to reposition the side and claim our rightful place,” said the Lobi Stars strongman to supersport.com.

  • Lobi turn attention to Heartland

    Lobi turn attention to Heartland

    Barely 48 hours after they lost to Enyimba in the semi final of the Federation Cup, Lobi Stars have shifted attention to their survival battle in the Glo Premier League.

    The Makurdi side are last in the league with 32 points from 26 games, and with a tie against Heartland of Owerri on Sunday at the Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina Ala, Lobi’s Barnabas Imenger Jnr has expressed optimism that the Naze Millionaires will fall.

    Imenger, who recently got a recall to the senior national team, said he is positive Lobi are properly positioned to break their opponents for the maximum points.

    The son of a former Super Eagles striker said: “God will crown our hard work with triumph over Heartland and our other opponents. We deserve a turnaround after some turbulent results.

    “We must stick together as a team and wait for the right time to pounce. Heartland are beatable. This we must have in mind.”

  • Homegrown stars comfort Lobi

    Homegrown stars comfort Lobi

    With a modest squad and a shoe-string budget, 2003 Cup champions and 2012 runners-up, Lobi Stars, have reached back-to-back semifinals in the Federation Cup.

    A 3-1 victory over Sharks took the “Pride of Benue” into the last four in 2012 and a 2-1 victory over giant-killing Akwa Starlets ensured the club remained in the race.

    Youth team product, Victor Obinna Jnr, chose the right time to put his name in the cup folklore when he rose to connect a well-tailored pull out from Super Eagles fringe star, Ezekiel Bassey to halt the fairytale of the Starlets.

    A well-built nursery at the Lobi Stars Feeders, orchestrated by former Queens Park Rangers and Galatasaray forward, Dominic Iorfa, has turned out to be the conveyor belt for the production of youngsters.

    Other graduates of the Lobi Stars Feeders include goalkeeper, Terkaa Melai, who easily moved in-between-sticks with the exit of John Lawrence and his assistant, Daniel Atsaka.

    Former under-20 star, Moses Orkuma, Stephen Eze, Emmanuel Ajia, as well as Al-Ittihad Tripoli star, Tony Okpotu, who scored some goals before joining his new club, are graduates of the club’s developmental team which campaigns in the amateur class.

    “Obinna has done well since he was promoted to the first team,” Iorfa said to supersport.com.

    Okpotu has since entered the history books as the club’s first homegrown talent to play abroad.

    With the height of a basketball player, Eze has been transformed from a top flight rookie into an intelligent central defender.

    Eze, who missed the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Turkey, is clearly the club’s revelation this season.

    “I’m living the dream. It’s my first time in the elite class and I’ve learnt a lot. My target is to play in the final and win the Federation Cup,” Eze told supersport.com.

  • Lobi blame hard luck for Sharks loss

    Lobi blame hard luck for Sharks loss

    Lobi Stars are determined ahead of their Federation Cup semi final tie with Enyimba in Benin City on Wednesday, despite losing 0-1 to Sharks in a Glo Premier League match day 26 tie at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

    Lobi’s media officer Jack Moses Ekwe Ekwe said the Makurdi side dominated possession and would easily have carried the day against the Blue Angels but for hard luck.

    Skipper of the side and former Under 20 international, Moses Orkuma played himself into scoring position on more than two occasions but still couldn’t score. The club’s catalogue of misses was followed by an 87th minute goal through Tayo Fabiyi, which the home team hung on to.

    Moses said: “Lobi Stars must blame themselves and hard luck for the catalogue of misses in the first half with our captain, Moses Orkuma, the highest culprit. He squandered two begging chances with the net at his mercy in both the 28th and 32nd minutes respectively.”

    Sharks also tried their best with Abraham Peters and Christian Pyagbara in their elements. They troubled Lobi’s goalkeeper with shots which were all thwarted by unarguably the Man of the Match, Terkaa Melai in goal for the away side.

    “We were the better side for most parts of the match but a momentary loss of concentration led to Sharks’ questionable goal in the 87th minute through Tayo Fabiyi. We had the possession 60 to 40 per cent in our favour,” Moses added.

    Meanwhile, the first batch cum advance party of Lobi’s team will leave Port Harcourt this morning for Benin ahead of Wednesday’s Federation Cup semi final tie with Enyimba of Aba.

    Ekwe said Lobi decided to arrive at the match venue on time so as to familiarise the team with the environment and ensure that the game is played with all concentration on Wednesday.

  • No bottom role for Lobi —Agbaji

    No bottom role for Lobi —Agbaji

    Lobi Stars central defender, Anthony Agbaji has said his side have abandoned the bottom spot of the league log for good.

    The Makurdi-based side sat in bottom spot of the log prior to mid-week’s Glo Premier League Matchday 25 tie but a heartwarming 1-0 win against visiting Sunshine Stars in Katsina-Ala has lifted the side to the 17th position on 32 points from a possible 75.

    Agbaji said his side are determined to sustain the new-found winning mentality in their subsequent matches.

    “Never again will Lobi Stars return to the bottom of the league log, we’ve left the ignoble position for good.

    “We know how daunting and demanding the vow will be to maintain but we’ve resolved to work extremely hard to consolidate and improve on our position.

    “The mid-week victory will serve as strong motivation ahead of our next road match at Sharks in Port Harcourt.

    “Sharks won their last game at city rivals, Dolphins, same as us and will come all out to grab another win on home soil.

    “We’re determined to puncture their dream in the game aimed at getting something substantial for ourselves.

    “We’ll cherish whatever sacrifice and price to keep us away from the bottom, we won’t consider any sacrifice too much to make,” said the 2013 Federation Cup semifinalists’ strongman to supersport.com.

    The 2012 Federation Cup finalists will square up against six-time Nigerian champions, Enyimba on Wednesday in Benin City in a battle of wits to determine who progress to the Cup final in Lagos on September 15.