Following are the results of Match Day 17 fixtures in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday:
Remo Stars 1-0 Katsina United
Enyimba International 2-1 Rangers International
Plateau United 1-0 Wikki Tourists
Gombe United 1-0 Rivers United
Abia Warriors 2-0 ABS FC
Akwa United 4-2 Shooting Stars FC
Nasarawa United 4-0 MFM FC
El-Kanemi Warriors 1-0 Kano Pillars
FC IfeanyiUbah 2-1 Sunshine Stars
Niger Tornadoes 2-1 Lobi Stars
The management of Lagos-based MFM FC on Friday said that the club’s fans were not ruffians and would never engage in any form of lawlessness.
The club’s management was reacting to an allegation in a publication that the fans were seen abusing alcohol during Match Day 16 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture against Abia Warriors.
The match played at MFM’s soccer temple, Agege Township Stadium on Wednesday, saw the team beat Abia Warriors FC 2-1.
MFM supporters were reportedly taking alcoholic local drink, popularly called “Jedi” during the Match Day 16 encounter.
The management of the club through its Director of Sport, Emmanuel Adeyemi, defended the fans saying that they would always uphold the club’s tenets of being a faith-based team.
He condemned the report, noting that the supporters were people of good reputation who would never bring the name of the club to disrepute by engaging in unholy acts.
“Our attention is drawn to a story claiming that our fans were spotted taking alcohol during our game against Abia Warriors.
“I want to state categorically that the story was not accurate because our supporters are very modest, they don’t indulge in any unholy act.
“Every fan of the club has the proper knowledge of what the team stands for, they know that drinking of alcohol or smoking is against our belief.
“I want to state here that there has never been any case of such in all our games,” he said.
Adeyemi urged the public to disregard the purported allegation against the fans of the club, adding that the team would work hard to protect their integrity.
“I will like to use this opportunity to tell our fans to disregard the story and I want to appreciate them for their support to the team.
“They have been very supportive in all our matches and we will continue to work hard and we will not disappoint them,” he said in the statement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos-based team is currently on top of the NPFL table with 30 points from 16 league matches.
They will be up against Nasarawa United FC on Sunday in Lafia for Match Day 17 encounter.
Super Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr has expressed satisfaction that the team was able to discover new talents in spite of the disappointment of not playing Monday’s friendly against Burkina Faso.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Eagles were to play two friendlies but ended up playing only one against Senegal on Thursday, which ended 1-1.
Unfortunately, the scheduled second game against Burkina Faso at the same venue of The Hive in London was called off due to visa problems.
“We planned two international friendlies but could only play one. However, we were still able to do some work,” Rohr said on the Super Eagles official Twitter handle on Tuesday.
“We’ve been able to see some new players and young Nigerian talents here in the U.K, who could be part of our group in the future.”
Among the new players who were in camp with the Eagles were Chelsea’s Ola Aina, Arsenal’s Chuba Akpom, Isaac Success of Watford, and Olanrewaju Kayode of Austria Wien.
Others are the duo of Joel Bazee of Hannover 96 and Tyronne Ebuehi of ADO Den Haag.
Rohr also revealed that he would return to Nigeria soon to scout for more players.
“I will be back in Lagos next week to watch some Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) games and see some of our home stars in action as we continue to plan ahead.”
The management of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure has given the club’s coaching crew, led by Kayode Olujohungbe, a two-match ultimatum to turn the fortunes of the team around.
The club’s Media Manager, Wahab Bankole said on Monday in Akure that the coaches were expected to take the maximum points from their next two matches against Katsina United and Katsina United .
He said that failure to achieve that would leave the management with no choice than seek fresh hands.
Bankole said the ultimatum was in view of the recent poor results being recorded by Sunshine Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The media officer noted the 1-2 loss to Niger Tornadoes of Minna.
“The management of the Akure-based team has given the coaching crew led by the Technical Adviser, Kayode Olujohungbe a two-match ultimatum.
“It is the view of the management that Sunshine Stars deserve to be in a better position on the league table after playing 14 matches in the current soccer season.
“The management also thanked the soccer-loving people of the state for their support so far,’’ he said in a statement.
The statement urged them not to relent as all hands were on deck to salvage the season.
The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that Sunshine Stars will now face Katsina United on Wednesday in the Match Day15 encounter of the NPFL.
The team currently has 15 points and is 18th on the league table.
The management of Rangers International FC of Enugu have handed a three-match ultimatum to its technical adviser, Imama Amapakabo and his technical crew to start winning matches or face sack.
The must win matches starts from Sunday’s match day 15 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) encounter against Katsina United.
The club’s Director of Public Relations, Media and Publicity, Foster Chime said that the management, after an extra-ordinary emergency meeting on Friday, took the decision as a result of what it described as a persistent abysmal performances in the NPFL and the CAF Champions League competition.
The decision compels Amapakabo and his technical crew to improve on their performance by wining Katsina United’s game and next two home matches or be ready to step aside.
The meeting, which was chaired by the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, Christian Chukwu equally urged the players to improve on their performances.
He also advised them to be committed and dedicated to up their game in the next three matches as all eyes are on them to redeem the image of the club in the upcoming CAF Confederations Cup as well as the remaining NPFL matches.
An injured striker of Rangers International FC of Enugu, Ifeanyi Egwim, says he is eager to return to active football to help the team defend the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) trophy.
Egwim was injured in Rangers final match day of 2015/2016 which ended in 4-0 thrashing of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.
The player told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday that he had started “little jugging’’ for now.
He said that the doctor gave him April to start kicking the ball.
“First of all, I wish to thank God that made it possible for me to be alive and walking with my legs again.
“I wish am now playing active football but it is better for me to return with full strength so that I will help my club to retain the NPFL trophy.
“My doctor gave me four months from now to start kicking the ball again, but I am at the stage of jugging and it is going well as I am not feeling pains there again.
“Although, I still feel pains at my ankle, but the doctor said that it was caused by the injury which affected my ankle a little,’’ he said.
Egwim praised his team mates for their commitment to the cause of defending the NPFL and doing well at the CAF champions league.
“Rangers is not a one-player club; so, my absence cannot stop other players from doing well.
“We have good players who are doing the same job I did for the club last season but we only need a little bit of luck.
“I pray that the goals start coming as soon as possible so that people will start to notice our target at the ongoing season,’’ he said.
On the club’s 4-1 defeat by Zamalek, Egwim said that 3-0 will see Rangers through to the next round.
“Our slogan is `never say die’ and we have been looking up to it so that we can get the ball past the Egyptians more than three times.
“It is not over until it is over. Only the 90 minutes of play will say it all and we are not going to let the people of Enugu and Nigeria down on that day,’’ he said.
Egwim thanked the state government, club supporters, management and his team mate for their encouragement and support during his recuperation in the hospital.
NAN reports that Rivers United defeated Al Merrikh Sudan 3-0 in Port Harcourt to brighten their chance of making it to the group stage of the competition.
As the Lagos-based MFM FC tackles Enyimba FC of Aba for their Match Day 13, the Technical Adviser, Fidelis Ilechukwu says his wards are strong enough to match seven-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NPFL Match 13, between the Olukoya Boys and the Peoples Elephant will take place at the U.J. Esuene Stadium on Saturday in Calabar.
Previous meetings in the 2015/2016 fixtures between MFM FC and the Aba-based club had all ended in a draw.
The Church Boys are currently fifth on the NPFL table with 19 points from 10 league games. They won six, drew one and lost three.
Enyimba is 14th on the league table with 14 points from 11 games. The team won four matches, drew 2 and lost five.
However, MFM currently has two outstanding matches against Rivers United and Wikki Tourists, who are engaged in African Football (CAF) Champions League engagements.
The Olukoya Boys will have to test their might against a more determined side to win Enyimba in the crucial encounter.
On records, MFM have been firing from all cylinders since the beginning of the season and had performed better in their previous campaigns in the NPFL with strong wins over league’s heavy weights.
The Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side earned a point away against 3SC of Ibadan in the first South-West encounter; after which they dispatched Sunshine Stars of Akure 1-0 in Akure.
The team, however, lost 1-2 away to Kastina United in the Match Day 12 only to record a slim 1-0 win over another league debutant, Remo Stars, courtesy of Stephen Odey’s penalty.
Enyimba on the other hand, have not been impressive this season recording only four wins in the 2016/2017 campaign and a surprising 0-0 with 3SC of Ibadan in the Match Day 11 fixtures.
Baring the importance of the match, Ilechukwu believed that his side was now ripe to contest for the maximum points at stake in the weekend fixture.
“We want to replicate our fine form against Enyimba because we have not lost against them in more than five meetings, both in pre-season and NPFL.
“We played a goalless draw last season and we want to build on that in as much as I understand that there are changes in the management and that some players have left.
“Although they still have quality players, we want to maintain our status against Enyimba,’’ he said.
Ilechukwu said that the League Management Company (LMC) had done a lot to improve the league in the country; an effort he said had positively impacted on the league.
“The LMC has done so much in the NPFL. There is no more home, no more away and anybody can win anywhere.
“We have a situation where a team can either draw or lose anywhere. As it stands now, anything can happen, this is football.
“I believe we have a strong team that can match Enyimba. So, I believe we can beat them in their home,’’ he said.
A former Head Coach of Warri Wolves FC of Delta, Edema Fuludu, on Monday has said that preparations are on to return the football club back to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Fuludu, a former Central Midfielder of the Super Eagles made this known in Lagos that the team would bounce back.
“I believe football fans of Wolves are seriously anticipating their return,’’ he said.
Fuludu said that his former club (Warri Wolves) had no business playing in the Nigeria National League (NNL)
According to him, efforts were being made to ensure that “Warri Wolves gain promotion back into the Nigeria Professional Football League ’’.
“Relegation is one of those things that happen in football. It can happen to any club.
“We will come back stronger. We are currently looking inwards to address so many issues.
“Wolves is going through a phase. We are learning and making corrections.
“We will bounce back with a bang,” Fuludu said.
Warri Wolves were relegated after the end of the 2015/2016 season where they finished 17th on the league table.
“But as we all know, football is capital intensive. If you want a good player, you need to be ready to splash out money to attract the players you need, to succeed.
“Wolves belong to the NPFL, and not the NNL. It is just a temporary setback.
“The player you get will now determine how far you will go to achieve the set goals. So is about funding the team, which I believe the state government is working toward, ‘’ Fuludu said.
The Chairman of the football club, Steve Cole, said that with the current ongoing football developmental programmes, relegated Warri Wolves would bounce back stronger.
According to Cole, the Delta Government’s focus was to ensure that there was a transition programme in place to promote quality players.
Gbenga Ogunbote, Chief Coach of Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, says his team’s performance against hosts Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi was excellent, in spite of a 1-2 loss.
Enyimba could not hold on to a first half lead in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 10 clash.
Ogunbote however told newsmen after the match played at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi that his team’s performance was “excellent’’.
He expressed satisfaction with how his team played, saying “although we lost the match today against Enyimba, I can authoritatively say that my boys played well.’’
Evans Ogenyi, the Technical Adviser of Lobi Stars FC, on his part also commended his team for their performance.
Tyavkase Terbol scored the match’s winning goal in the 88th minute, after Anthony Okpotu had scored the first goal for Lobi Stars in the 70th minute of the match.
Kennedy Uche had scored Enyimba’s lone goal in the 17th minute through a penalty kick.
Lobi Stars technical adviser, Godwin Uwua has taken his suspension by the club in good faith and insists he will wait till the club calls him back.
The former Flying Eagles coach was suspended on Monday for three weeks by the board for his team’s 0-0 home draw against Katsina United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 8 in Makurdi on Sunday.
In a chat with SportingLife, the former Enyimba FC of Aba manager said he bears no grudges against anybody.
“I can’t say the decision by the club to suspend me is fair or not but I’m under the club and its management so I take it in good faith,” said Uwua to SportingLife.
“I was at the training when they announced that I have been suspended for three weeks for picking a draw in the game against Katsina United. In the game of football, it is either you win, lose or draw. We have played seven matches and we have picked away draw too. We are currently in 8th position on the league table, which I don’t think is bad compared to others. In seven matches played so far, we won three, drawn 2 and lose two games.
“I was called to come and turnaround Lobi Stars and I am trying to do my best for the team. I don’t have any bad feelings towards the board decision; it is a price to pay in football. I will continue to do my best. To God be the glory.”
Coach Evans Ogenyi has been directed to take over pending Uwua’s return from suspension.