The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Super four

  • Super Four : Gov Ugwuanyi to watch opening tie

    Super Four : Gov Ugwuanyi to watch opening tie

     • Rangers declare readiness for tourney

    Enugu Rangers’ top official has revealed that the state is ready to host the NPFL Super Four and that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has confirmed he would be available for the opening match of the tournament which features all the four clubs that will be represent Nigeria in Africa next year.
    The General Manager of the Flying Antelopes, Paul Chibuzor Ozor told SportingLife that the reigning league champions are ready to test their might against Rivers United, Wikki Tourists and FC IfeanyiUbah and that they have been urged on by the governor of the state who has vowed to be present to cheer them up to victory.
    He said the Enugu side are ready to put what they have learnt from their pre-season training in Benin to good use during the Super Four before the commencement of the league and their CAF Champions League campaign.
    Ozor was among the over 70 Nigerians that travelled to London on the bills of FC IfeanyiUbah owner, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah to witness the partnership arrangement with West Ham United and they arrived Nigeria yesterday.

  • Ibeh tips Akwa Utd for Super Four crown

    Ibeh tips Akwa Utd for Super Four crown

    Akwa United midfielder, Michael Ibeh has told SportingLife that he is more than convinced that the Promise Keepers will improve better than they did during the first leg of the Glo LMC Super Four when the second leg starts in Uyo on Monday.

    The Uyo side are second on the log after the first leg of hostilities in Kaduna with four points ahead of Enyimba(whom they pipped to the second spot because of better head to head) and Warri Wolves who have four and three points respectively.

    Ibeh, who played for Abia Warriors last season, told SportingLife that he was pleased with his outing during the Super Four in Kaduna while adding that he is hoping to better his performance before the club’s fans in Uyo where he is targeting his first goal for the Promise Keepers.

    “We had a nice tournament in Kaduna and even though we lost the first game against Warri Wolves everyone could testify that we were better and we improved in the game with Enyimba and Nasarawa United where we picked four points.

    “We are playing the second leg before our fans and so we are expecting their support which will lead us to victory. I am expecting my first goal during the second leg of the Super Four too,”  said Ibeh, who was very close to joining Turkish side, Fenerbahce few seasons ago.

  • Super Four: Pyagbara predicts Enyimba’s resurgence

    Super Four: Pyagbara predicts Enyimba’s resurgence

    Enyimba striker,  Christian Pyagbara is confident that the reigning Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Champions will make a bigger statement at the second leg of the NPFL Super Four Tournament billed to start in Uyo on Monday.

    The People’s Elephant are placed 2nd after the conclusion of the Kaduna leg of the 2016 Super Four tournament courtesy of their one win, one draw and one loss record at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

    In a chat to www.npfl.ng, the soft-spoken Pyagbara said he expects that the more time spent together by his richly talented team, the better the results they will get.

    “We’ve been training hard since the end of the Kaduna tournament and we will always be training hard. You know there are many new players here and I’m sure as we spend time with each other, our results will get better,” said the former Flying Eagles star.

    Pyagbara, who joined from relegated Sharks Football Club scored his first goal for Enyimba in their 2-0 win over Warri Wolves in his team’s last match at the Kaduna Super Four. A native of Gokana in Rivers State, the attacker is delighted to have quickly gotten off the ground with his new team and is ready to make contributions to the team’s success.

    “I am doing my best to contribute to the success of the team and I am happy to have scored on my second start. It eases the pressure on you as a striker and the coach has told us he would field us based on how we perform during training sessions. So I will continue to give my best to ensure the team performs well,” added Pyagbara.

    Having amassed four points from three matches in Kaduna, Pyagbara is fully aware of what the team has to do in Uyo starting from Monday if they hope to be crowned Super Four Champions.

    “I strongly believe we have all it takes to win the Super Four at Uyo. All we need to do is to put our heads together, play like a team and help one another. I’m sure that with the quality we have, we will achieve victory,” he said.

  • Super Four excites Philip Auta

    Super Four excites Philip Auta

    Philip Auta  is delighted with the  performance of Nasarawa United  in the  ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League  (NPFL) Super Four campaign in Kaduna.

    Auta in an interview with Freekicknaija.com said he is thrilled that his team is gradually picking shape after the long break.

    “The team is doing well so far.I am happy with our performance but we must not get carried away.

    “Don’t forget that the Super Four is just like a pre season to keep the team in shape before the continental competition and the new season.

    “We just have to pray and keep preparing until we achieve our set objectives.” he said to Freekicknaija.com.

  • Super Four shifted to January 18

    Super Four shifted to January 18

    Even though a statehas not been pickedamong the over five that have signified intentions to host the annual LMC Super Four, the league body has fixed between January 18 and 22, 2016 for the tournament that will feature Nigeria’s teams on the continent.

    Enyimba (League champions), Warri Wolves (League runners up), Nasarawa United (third placed in the league) and Akwa United (Federation Cup kings) will be using the Super Four to hone their skills and sharpen their preparations for CAF inter club competitions with matches slated for the second week of next month.

    A top official of the league told SportingLife that the LMC has hitherto fixed January 11 to 15 for the annual club showpiece but that the four participating clubs prevailed on the league’s body to move it by an additional week to concise with the opening day of the league season.

    SportingLife was told that the LMC has earmarked January 31, 2016 as the day for the opening of the 2015/2016 season.

    So many states have applied to host the Super Four and as at the last count, SportingLife gathered that Ilorin, Makurdi, Lagos, Port Harcourt among others have shown seriousness to host the tournament and that decision would be made by the LMC this week.

  • Super Four tournament gets January date

    Super Four tournament gets January date

    The League Management Company will stage the annual Super Four tournament to usher in the new football season from January 11 to 15 next year.

    However, a venue for the invitational tourney has yet to be decided, africanFootball.com reports.

    Nigeria champions Enyimba, runners-up Warri Wolves, third-placed Nasarawa United and Akwa United, who won the Confederation Cup, will feature in the competition which is aimed at preparing the clubs for their continental engagements next year.

    The 2015 tournament was expended to incorporate the Flying Eagles and the Olympic Team and it was won by the former with Taiwo Awoniyi picking the Most Valuable Player award.

  • Bosso targets Super Four tournament

    Bosso targets Super Four tournament

    Bayelsa United coach, Ladan Bosso has described as not a-must-win the annual Super Four tournament due to kick off on January 24 in Abuja.

    The football showpiece is meant to prepare the nation’s flag bearers on the continent namely Kano Pillars, Enyimba, Bayelsa United and Warri Wolves for their various competitions this year.

    Kano Pillars and Enyimba will campaign in the CAF Champions League while the duo of Bayelsa United and Warri Wolves will take part in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    Bosso said the tournament is not a must win but an opportunity for his team to demonstrate its preparedness to represent the country proudly at the African cadre.

    “The Super Four tournament is a demonstration of good intention by the League Management Company (LMC) to keep in perfect shape the continental teams.

    “Bayelsa United won’t see the tournament as a-must-win but as an occasion to showcase our ability to represent Nigeria well on the continent.

    “We’ll at the weekend head to Kaduna to participate in the pre-season football competition involving the likes of Kaduna United, Enyimba, Rangers, Gombe United, Nasarawa United, among others.

    “The pre-season event will be good for us and will put us in good shape and frame of mind for the Super Four as we intend to head straight to Abuja from Kaduna for the clash.

    “We sacrificed our New Year holidays in camp to continue our intense build-up for the new season,” said the former Kano Pillars coach to supersport.com.

     

  • Super Four: Abia warriors intensify efforts for Abuja showdown

    Super Four: Abia warriors intensify efforts for Abuja showdown

    Newly promoted Nigeria Football Premier League Club, Abia Warriors FC have perfected plans to emerge champions of the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super Four competition billed for Abuja next week.

    The Umuahia-based club have hired a new head coach in ex-international, Coach Emeka Ezeugo to fine-tune strategies to come out on top ahead of the other three teams vying for the coveted trophy on offer in Abuja.

    The other clubs participating in the two-day football fiesta to determine the true winner of the second tier league are Giwa FC of Kano, FC Taraba and Crown FC of Ogbomosho.

    The four teams will square up in a knock-out challenge at the synthetic pitch of the FIFA Goal Project, Package B, Abuja National Stadium from Tuesday, 12 to Thursday 14, November, 2013.

    Assistant coach, Chijioke Iwuagwu who led the club to promotion revealed that Abia Warriors will spring surprises not only at NNL Super Four in Abuja but will also cause headaches to rival teams in the elite division when the new season kicks off later this month.

    ‘’I must say that we (Abia Warriors) are ready for the Abuja competition because we have started closed camping after two weeks of break. We have also brought in a few quality players to shore up some areas we feel will not give us advantage over our opponents in league’’, coach Iwuagwu disclosed.

    The former Heartland International FC of Owerri assistant coach hinted that the team is highly primed to make a good impression at the Super Four to announce its arrival on the scene.

  • Abia won’t complete Super Four

    Abia Warriors head coach, Emeka Ezeugo has said his wards will not make the numbers but vie for laurels at the upcoming Nigeria National League (NNL) organised Super Four competition.

    The Super Four is the last agenda on the calendar of the NNL for the 2012/13 season and will determine the winners of the league among the four promoted sides namely Abia Warriors, Crown FC, Giwa FC and FC Taraba. The football showpiece will take place at the FIFA Goal Project ground, Abuja from November 12 to 14.

    Ezeugo, who is spending his first week at the helms of affair of the Umuahia-based side, said he has the men to prosecute successfully the three-day competition.

    “Abia Warriors won’t just make up the numbers at the Super Four but will compete favourably and excel. The team has good players, I think we can head to the Super Four and make something positive out of it.

    “I don’t have more details on Giwa FC and FC Taraba but I know it won’t be different from typical Nigerian sides so we’ll be able to handle them as well as Crown FC.

    “I know what to expect from the opponents though I’m still trying to familiarise myself with the terrain. I’ll always cope with the strong coaches I met on ground,” said the former Heartland coach to supersport.com.

    Ezeugo said:“We’ll strengthen the side with quality Premier League players for our campaign in the elite league. Of course, the Premier League is a different ball game from the NNL. The Super Four challenge will avail me more opportunities to know the area to strengthen.

    “Abia Warriors will not play defensive game but attacking football that will be technical and tactical. I will give Abia Warriors a philosophy and peculiar pattern of play that opponents will find too tough to challenge,” said the former Nigerian defender.

    Abia Warriors will depart Umuahia, Abia State on November 11 for Abuja to participate in the NNL Super Four competition.