The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sunshine

  • Sunshine, Abia Warriors’ players hit Plateau Utd camp

    Sunshine, Abia Warriors’ players hit Plateau Utd camp

    The Jos side’s camp has been flooded with players from the Owena Whales and the Umuahia based side ahead of the new season’s campaign.

    Plateau United have stormed top Nigeria clubs like Warri Wolves, Abia Warriors, Sunshine Stars and Ikorodu United to recruit new players.

    The Jos side ended last season in eighth position with 51 points from 36 matches and club’s genaral manager, Pius Henwan has revealed that they are close to agreeing personal terms with the new players and will also seek the consent of their clubs too.

    “We have started our preparations for the coming season and have witnessed influx of players to our camp,” Henwan told Goal.

    “Players from Ikorodu United, Warri Wolves, Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors are some of those presently in our camp trying to convince new head coach, Kennedy Boboye that they will like to join us.

    “Coach Boboye has told us the type of players he would like to sign and this weekend we shall sit down to finalize on the number of players to sign and the choice of pre-season venue to go too to ensure that we have the best of closed camping exercises.”

  • Sunshine ace, Dayo Ojo joins Rivers United

    Sunshine ace, Dayo Ojo joins Rivers United

    Sunshine Stars ace Dayo Ojo has agreed personal terms with Rivers United and is expected to shortly sign for ‘The Pride of Rivers’.

    And already the all-action midfielder has been included on the squad that will undertake a training tour of Spain next month.

    He is expected to be one of several top stars who are heading to the Port-Harcourt outfit, who will feature in next year’s CAF Champions League after they finished behind champions Enugu Rangers this past season.

    Ojo packs bullet in his legs and he is comfortable on the ball. He now hopes to take up a fresh challenge with Rivers United.

  • Abia Warriors, Sunshine slammed

    Abia Warriors, Sunshine slammed

    Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors have been sanctioned by the League Management Company (LMC) for disruptive behaviour of their fans in recent matches just as Enyimba’s Masseur, Mr. Ifeanyi Kalu was handed a one year ban from all activities of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and his club fined N250,000.

    A total fine of N2.7m has been imposed on Sunshine Stars for various breaches of the rule including failure to provide adequate security, assault on match officials, throwing of object into the field of play, delaying the start of the second half and throwing of object at an official of Heartland FC.

    The breaches were committed in the course of their Match Day 33 fixture against Heartland at the Akure Township Stadium. In addition to the fine, Sunshine Stars will now serve the one match behind closed door which was earlier imposed as a suspended punishment for similar breaches on Match Day 17 fixture against Warri Wolves. The assaulted assistant referee and the injured Heartland official will be paid compensations of N250, 000 each from the fine.

    Abia Warriors are being sanctioned for the conduct of their fans in the Match Day 34 fixture against FC IfeanyiUbah and has been fined a total of N2.5m in addition to playing two matches behind closed door.

    The club was fined N1m for encroachment of fans into the field of play while a fine of N750, 000 is to be paid for the club’s failure to provide adequate security for the match officials immediately after the match. Each of the three match officials are to be paid N250, 000 each as compensation by the club for the assault perpetrated by their fans on the match officials. Abia Warriors are also to replace the FIFA match wrist watch the referee lost during the fracas.

    According to the Summary Jurisdiction Notice issued the club, the fan(s) who assaulted the match officials must be apprehended by Abia Warriors and handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution. The sanction further ordered that should the club fail to produce the culprit(s) after seven days from the date of the notice, a fine of N250, 000 shall accrue for each day until the order is complied with.

    The club has until close of business on Friday, September 16 (today) to respond in writing indicating acceptance of the charges or electing to appear before a commission.

  • Rangers’ Itodo confident of victory over Sunshine

    Rangers’ Itodo confident of victory over Sunshine

    Enugu Rangers goalkeeper Itodo Akor has spoken of his side’s chances ahead of Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 36 encounter with Sunshine Stars.

    The Flying Antelopes are bidding for their first top flight title in 32 years, and Itodo is confident a win against the Akure Gunners will boost their chances of winning the league.

    “Each of us understand how important the upcoming game is,” Itodo told Goal.

    “We are playing at home; so I do not expect anything other than victory.

    “I am confident we can achieve a good result, which might allow us go on top.

    “We won’t underestimate the power of our enemy.

    “They have a lot of good players.”

  • ‘Continental ticket still within Sunshine’s reach’

    ‘Continental ticket still within Sunshine’s reach’

    The President of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, Prince John Ola Mafo has reiterated the team’s objective of finishing well in the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) so as to secure a continental football ticket for next season.

    Speaking after the Akure based team secured a well deserved 3-1 win over Plateau United in a week 35 match of the Nigeria Professional Football League, the former Commissioner for Information, Youth Development and Sports, said the Owena Waves will secure points in the remaining crucial matches.

    “We are grateful to God Almighty for this victory over Plateau United, a happy moment for all soccer loving people of the state.

    ” The team is not losing focus, we are aware of the task ahead and with hard work on the part of the players and coaches, support from soccer loving people of the state and above all, the blessings of God, we shall reach our target.”

    However Mafo, who is also the Chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, fans and supporters of the team including the Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, who he called the number one supporter of the team for the unwavering support given to the team this season.

    Sunshine Stars next take a trip to Enugu to lock horns with title chasers, Rangers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium on Friday at 7pm.

  • Sunshine risk LMC’s sanction over crowd trouble in Heartland draw

    Sunshine risk LMC’s sanction over crowd trouble in Heartland draw

    SUNSHINE  Stars could be sanctioned by the League Management Company(LMC) following the crowd trouble that marred their 1-1 draw with Heartland in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League at the Akure Township Stadium.

    Trouble began when the visitors took the lead in the 87th minute through Chidiebere Ajoku and the home supporters hurled objects including stones towards the pitch, leading to the match being delayed for some minutes.

    Kehinde Adedipe grabbed the equaliser for the hosts in added time after restart.

    The LMC have taken a dim view of crowd trouble this season already, ordering Mountain of Fire and Miracles  to play three matches behind closed doors in the aftermath of crowd trouble in a Match Day 23 loss to Shooting Stars.

    The Owena Waves were also banished to Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos last term after violence disrupted their home clash against Shooting Stars.

    The Akure-based outfit are now expected to face punitive action from the league authorities in the coming days.

  • Ojo to Enyimba players: We can beat Sunshine

    Ojo to Enyimba players: We can beat Sunshine

     

    Enyimba’s defensive midfielder, Dare Ojo has charged his team mates to be focused on their today’s NPFL rearranged Match Day 23 tie with Sunshine Stars in Port-Harcourt with the conviction that they could return to winning ways.

    The People’s Elephant were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Enugu Rangers on Sunday in a tie they needed to win to remain in contention for the retention of the league title they won last season.

    But Ojo in an interview with SportingLife stated that he and his teammates have worked very hard in training sessions  after the draw with Rangers and are certain that they would correct the errors noticed in the last match against the Flying Antelopes today when they tackle Sunshine Stars.

  • Rivers Utd’s coach lowers target after Sunshine loss

    Rivers Utd’s coach lowers target after Sunshine loss

    Rivers United coach, Stanley Eguma has now said he will be happy to clinch a ticket to play international football for the Port Harcourt club after they lost 1-0 at Sunshine Stars.

    “We must work hard and try to win the title or at the very least, get a ticket to represent Nigeria on the continent next season,” Eguma said after the match in Akure.

    “It was a good game and we prepared very hard to win as a good result would have helped our position on the log.

    “We have lost now and must look ahead because the league is getting tougher now.

    The defeat left United in third place on the table with 44 points, three points behind Wikki Tourists and Enugu Rangers who have both played a game more (27 matches as opposed to 26 played by United).

    Dele Olorundare produced a moment of magic, four minutes before half time, to shoot Sunshine Stars past Rivers United.

    The implications of securing maximum points were not lost on  Sunshine Stars coach, Solomon Ogbeide, who lavished praise on the vanquished opponents.

    “We played a very good side. They are tactically very disciplined but we are also a very good side,” he said.

    “They are where they are today on the table not by fluke but proved that they deserve to be there but we are also a very good side.”

  • Sunshine Stars will bounce back, says Abe Sunday

    Sunshine Stars will bounce back, says Abe Sunday

    The players of Sunshine Stars International Football Club of Akure have put behind them their painful exit from the Federations Cup, and are now focused on returning to winning ways in the NPFL.

    Captain of the team, Abe Sunday was speaking in Makurdi while reacting to the team’s  exit from the Federations Cup.

    The former junior international who thanked the club management led by Prince John Ola Mafo, the technical crew under coach Solomon Ogbeide and his colleagues for the good runs in the league, said attention is now shifted to how the team will return to winning ways in the league.

    “We give glory to God Almighty, we thank the Club Management and also commend the efforts of the players for the journey so far. Our focus is now on the league now that we are out of the Federations Cup through the lottery of penalties.”

    Sunshine Stars technical adviser, Coach Solomon Ogbeide who appreciated the club management for showing understanding after the defeat promised more hard work in a bid to realise the team’s ambition in the league.

    ” We are really grateful to the leadership of this club for the kind of love and understanding always shown at all times, the professional way of handling the affairs has seen us this far.”

    Earlier, the club President, Prince John Ola Mafo who commended the players for the great game against Akwa United, charged them not to lose focus.

    According to him, with more hard work, determination and commitment, the team will actualise its dreams at the end of the season.

  • MFM FC braces up for Sunshine Stars match

    MFM FC braces up for Sunshine Stars match

    Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos held it’s first training session on Monday at the Prayer City training ground as they prepare for Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) tie against Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure.

    The Lagos-based team tasted their first home defeat of the season in their last league match played on Sunday at the Agege Township Stadium against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan with the Oluyole Warriors claiming a 1-0 hard-earned victory over the NPFL debutant.

    Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his wards trained on Monday and completed the first phase of the programme on Tuesday. They rounded up training on Wednesday before travelling to Akure today for Sunday’s  match.

    The two-day training sessions saw the first team and a few players from the reserve train together from 8am to 10am at the Prayer City training ground.

    After the training session on Tuesday, head coach, Ilechukwu spoke to the club’s official website mountaintopfc.com.

    “I’m happy with the response of the boys during the two-day training session, I’m  impressed, they have lifted their spirits and are well motivated. We will complete the final lap of our programme on Wednesday but it will be in the morning before we hit the road for Sunshine Stars tie, the young tactician told mountaintopfc.com.