The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium

  • We will stun Rangers – Roger Lemerre

    Etoile Sportive du Sahel (ESS) coach Roger Lemerre on Saturday said his players were ready to pick at least a point against Rangers International Football Club on Sunday in Enugu.

    Rangers are hosting the visiting Tunisian side from Sousse in the reverse fixture of their 2018/2019 CAF Confederation Cup Group B pairing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

    The former CAF Champions League winners arrived on Friday for the Match Day 4 fixture with a 40-man delegation.

    They arrived very optimistic of getting a victory, going by the fact that they were able to beat Rangers 2-1 last weekend to halt their unbeaten run on the continent.

    Speaking during a media briefing on Saturday, Lemerre said his club would work hard to get the maximum points to boost their chances of qualifying for the final stages.

    The Frenchman who was a coach of Morroco, Tunisia and France at different times said his players’ confidence level was quite high.

    “The players and technical crew are determined to come out victorious in this match,’’ he said.

    Read Also: CCC: Rangers canvasses support ahead du Sahel rematch

    Also, the team’s captain, Abdar Sethi, while noting that Rangers are formidable and a tactical and pacy side, however said “but we will curtail their forays’’.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rangers need to win the match to return to contention for quarter-finals qualification from the group.

    In the other match in the group, Burkina Faso’s Salitas FC host CS Sfaxien of Tunisia on Sunday in Ouagadougou.

    NAN

  • 16 football clubs lock horns in 2018 Enugu State Federation Cup

    No fewer than 16 football clubs within Enugu State will be locking horns in the 2018 edition of Enugu State Federation Cup. The newsmen report that states’ Federation Cup is a prelude to the National Federation Cup, which comprises of 62 teams.

    Francis Ugwu, Secretary of Enugu State Football Association, told the newsmen on Tuesday in Enugu that the state’s Federation Cup matches would be a 21 days football fiesta in the state.

    Ugwu said that it would commence on May 5; while the finals would be played on May 26. He noted that all the matches would be played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. “The Federation Cup by its nature is a knock out tournament.

    “Where clubs must win each match; or loss and crush out of the tournament.

    “We are expecting that among the 16 clubs, a winner and a runners-up will emerge and they will represent the state at the National Federation Cup coming up later in the year,’’ he said.

    Ugwu said that the clubs participating in the 2018 edition included: Rangers International FC, Crime Busters FC, Purple Krown FC and Vemard Africa FC. Others are: Ingas International FC, El-Nahog FC, FC International, Flying Angels FC, Samba FC and Disdevt FC.

    Also participating are: Enugu Angels FC, Coal City Youths FC, FC Miserere, Lamray FC, FC Star-Plus and Rangers Feeders FC.

    NAN

  • Enugu Assembly Grassroots Boxing tourney for Sept. 20

    Enugu Assembly Grassroots Boxing tourney for Sept. 20

    The Enugu State House of Assembly Grassroots Boxing Hunt Tournament is to be staged at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium from Sept. 20 to Sept. 24.

    The Coordinator of the tournament, Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Enugu.

    Okonkwo, a former national Light Welter Weight champion, said the date was agreed on by the talent hunt committee at their meeting on Aug. 24 in Enugu.

    He said that the management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium had since granted approval for the use of the stadium.

    According to him, the speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly has also given his approval for the staging of the tournament.

    “I got a letter dated Aug. 28, 2017 from National Sports Commission South-East Zone for us to use the facilities.’’

    Okoronkwo said that final selection of boxers from the 17 Local Government Areas in the state for the tournament would hold from Sept. 11 to Sept. 19.

    The coordinator expressed happiness with the State Government for its commitment to sports development, assuring that the event would produce budding boxers.

  • Rangers target victory against Akwa United on Sunday

    Rangers target victory against Akwa United on Sunday

    Amaobi Ezeaku, Team Manager, Rangers International FC of Enugu, says his player are prepared to pocket the three points against Akwa United.

    Rangers will host Akwa United of Uyo at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday for in Match Day 24 of the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

    Speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Enugu, Ezeaku said that the club could not afford to lose another two precious point at home.

    “We take every game at a time and Akwa United match will be a tough one because no game is a comfortable one and we take every match as a final and this one of the finals for us.

    “Remember, we played 0-0 in Uyo, so, this time they will come out smoking for at least a draw but they will not see it talk less of touching it.

    “God with us, we are going to pocket the three points at the end of the 90 minutes because it is good to always smile home with points.

    NAN reports that Rangers forfeited two points to the League Management Company (LMC) by drawing 1-1 at home in their last match against Nasarawa United of Lafia at home.

    Meanwhile, Ezeaku expressed joy for their mid-week 1-1 draw against El-Kanemi Warrior of Maiduguri on June 7.

    “Well, I give glory to God because we went to Maiduguri aiming for victory but we ended up getting a point and it was unfortunate that El-Kanemi equalised in less than ten minute to the end of the match.

    “Thank God for the point and it is the first time El-Kanemi is experiencing such in their home since 2013 and I feel honoured that Rangers was the jinx breaker,’’ he said.

  • Crime Busters pushing to enter Pro-League Division – Team Manager

    The Team Manager of Crime Busters FC, Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu, says the club is going through reformation to achieve its target of gaining promotion to the Pro-League Division.

    The club will play its first match in the ongoing 2016/2017 Nationwide League One (NLO-1) against Enyimba Feeders FC at the Aba Stadium on May 12.

    Amaraizu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Enugu that the club had made preparation to play this season well to gain promotion to the Pro-League.

    “All hands are on deck as every match in this season will be taken seriously.

    “We have charged players and coaches to live up to their billings as the club is going through series of internal reformation to meet its set target.’’

    He said that players to be featured by the club would be U-19 as directed by the league board and approved by congress.

    Amaraizu, who is director in-charge of South-East clubs in the NLO board, noted that no over-age players would be allowed in the club in line with the standard set by the board.

    NAN reports that the friendly match played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Saturday between Crime Busters and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence FC ended 1-0 in favour of the police team

  • 16 clubs register for FA Cup in Enugu

    The Secretary of Enugu State Football Association, Francis Ugwu, on Tuesday in Enugu said only 16 clubs registered for the 2017 edition of the state’s Football Association (FA) Cup competition.

    Ugwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the competition will therefore have no group stage as a result of the number of participating clubs.

    “There will be no room for group stage matches. The competition will start from the round of 16, which is a knockout stage,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the competition, which has Rangers International FC of Enugu as its defending champions, is billed to hold from Thursday till May 1.

    Ugwu said Purple Krown FC will take on El-Nahag FC in the first match of the competition by 2 p.m..

    “The second match of the day will be between the Flying Angels and Star Plus from 4 p.m.’’

    The FA Secretary said Rangers would begin the defense of their title against Independence Layout FC on April 11 by 4 p.m.

    He said the round of 16 matches would be completed by April 11, while the quarter-final matches would hold between April 12 and April 13.

    “The semi-finals will be played on April 21, while the third-place and final matches will take place on May 1 by 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.,’’ Ugwu said.

    He disclosed that all the competition’s matches would be played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

    Ugwu however acknowledged that the competition’s match fixtures were amenable to changes.

    “This because some unavoidable circumstance may lead to changes in dates and times after consideration.’’

    He urged the participating clubs to play according to the rules and regulations guiding the competition as defaulters would be punished accordingly.