Tag: The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) resumed its mid-season break with one of the campaign’s biggest upsets on Saturday.

Niger Tornadoes claimed arguably their most impressive away win of the season, defeating reigning champions Rangers 2-1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The victory was sweet revenge for Niger Tornadoes, who had suffered a 1-0 defeat to Rangers in their final game of 2024. Bashir Usman’s strike secured that win for the Coal Miners at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on December 29.

Determined to repay the favour, Tornadoes opened the scoring in Enugu in the 17th minute through Ismael Ishak Saraki who bundled home from close range.

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Rangers, led by Super Eagles assistant coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, responded swiftly when Collins Ugwueze equalized four minutes later, igniting the home crowd.

Despite Rangers’ relentless search for a second goal, Niger Tornadoes held firm. Their resilience paid off in the 64th minute when Ifeanyi Okechukwu struck the winner, silencing the vociferous home supporters.

In another match

Elsewhere, the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne hosted a thrilling seven-goal contest as Sunshine Stars edged Ikorodu City 4-3.

Sunshine raced to a three-goal lead within 34 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Ahmadu Liman, Promise Awosanmi, and Alao Danlami.

However, Shola Adelani inspired Ikorodu City’s fightback, scoring either side of halftime to narrow the deficit to 3-2.

Danlami restored Sunshine’s two-goal cushion with his second of the game in the 74th minute, a crucial strike as Emmanuel Solomon pulled one back for Ikorodu in stoppage time.

Despite late pressure from the visitors, Sunshine Stars held firm to claim the win, climbing provisionally to 12th on the league table.

The Executive Director of GTI Asset Management, the strategic partner of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nelson Ine, has said to make the domestic league great, it is a collective effort from all stakeholders.

Speaking during a press parley in Lagos, Ine said the league already recorded a significant improvement in the last few years, adding  there are concerted  efforts  to  take GTI’s intervention to a higher level.

Ine added that the best period of the NPFL was during the days of privately-owned owned clubs and there is a need to return to such days.

“The project’s success is not solely dependent on GTI, but rather a collective effort from all stakeholders,” Ine said.

“We’re working together to drive growth and development in Nigerian football, and we’re confident that our partnership will yield positive results.

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“We’ve achieved stability in the league and the competitive balance has improved significantly and we’re aiming to make it the best league in Africa.

“The transition to private ownership and management is crucial for the league’s growth, and we’re working towards aligning our league with international best practices.”

He added that GTI wanted to make the NPFL more attractive to investors, sponsors, and fans. 

By adopting international best practices, the league aims to increase its revenue streams, improve its infrastructure, and enhance the overall quality of the game.

The GTI Executive Director called on Nigerians to change their perception about the Nigeria league, saying it’s the collective responsibility of all Nigerians to uplift the capital base of the league.

Speaking further he said: “Imagine if people had invested in the English Premier League 32 years ago; that’s the opportunity we’re creating for Nigerians with the TNFF.”

Looking ahead, the NPFL and GTI Asset Management have identified areas for improvement. These include enhancing broadcast quality, developing more effective communication channels, creating engaging content, and upgrading playing facilities.