The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ubale

  • Ubale, Musa, Eugene join Nasarawa Utd

    Ubale, Musa, Eugene join Nasarawa Utd

    SportingLife can  exclusively reveal that the trio of Mannir Ubale, Mustapha Musa and Obi Eugene will play for Nasarawa United in the 2014/2015 Glo Premier League season.

    Ubale, Musa as well as Eugene helped Kano Pillars win the Glo Premier League title back to back.

    SportingLife gathered that the players have started training with the Solid Miners.

    Confirming the reports, the club’s Technical Adviser, Mohammed Baba Ganaru told SportingLife that talks are ongoing with the players’ agents and their former club.

    Ganaru said he is strengthening his squad with the trio because of their experience in the league over the years.

    Ganaru worked with Ubale, Musa and Eugene when he was Kano Pillars gaffer. They won the league together for Pillars in the 2012/2013 season.

     “They (players) showed interest to work with me at Nasarawa United and I have no choice than to inculcate them into my plans. I have worked with them before and they have the quality I am looking for in players. Although, negotiations are still ongoing with their club and agents but everything is in order and they will play for us in the coming season,” said Ganaru to SportingLife.

    “We have a great ambition this season and I believe they will be of help to our aspiration. We want to compete for the league title this season and they have shown their readiness to give their best to the team. If you look at both of them you will agree with me that the club is blessed to have them in our team. It will be very easy to work with them because we have done it together before.”

    The former Kano Pillars coach informed that the team has been engaging in pre-season training to keep the players fit for the coming season.

    “We have been participating in the training sessions and we have played friendly matches with some local clubs. All we are trying to do is to ensure that we have a formidable team next season,”he said.

  • Why we failed — Ubale

    The national junior tennis coach, Ubale Mohammed, on Friday attributed Nigeria’s loss at the just-concluded Africa Junior Championships (AJC) in Morocco to lack of exposure and of sponsorship.

    Mohammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the team lost in the round of 16 at the competition. NAN reports that the continental competition held from Feb. 16 to Feb. 27 in Casablanca.

    The coach said that he was impressed by the performance of the players, adding that the competition was the players’ first international tournament this year. He said their opponents had gone on different tours before coming for the championships, adding that his players could not embark on any circuit due to lack of sponsorship.

    Mohammed said the five players who represented the country were able to earn 10 points each on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rankings for getting to the round of 16.

    “My players really tried in the championships. I am so impressed with their performance because the AJC is their first international competition this year. They were faced with opponents that had gone for circuits.

    “Some of them have played in 15 championships before coming for the competition,’’ he told NAN while reviewing their performance. Due to lack of sponsorship my players only camped in Kaduna. They had no international experience. So, for them to get to the round of 16 and getting 10 points on the ITF rankings is some kind of achievement.’’

    NAN reports that three male and two female players represented Nigeria at the AJC which is for U-18 players, held in Casablanca.

  • Pillars striker Ubale hooked

    Pillars striker Ubale hooked

    Kano Pillars striker Manir Ubale will get married on Saturday in Kano.

    Last season, Ubale would be best remembered as the man who came off the subs bench to score a late winner against closest rivals Enyimba in a replayed league match on the way to Pillars retaining the league title.

    Zaria-born Ubale has been hooked by Aisha Hayatu Abubakar and the wedding ceremony will be at Bashir Hayatu Gentile’s residence by Asama’u Street near Juma’at Mosque of Giginyu Quarters in Kano Metropolitan by 11am.

    The ceremony is expected to be graced by top football dignitaries, fans and other well-wishers.

    In a media statement signed by Pillars’ spokesman Idris Malikawa, the club congratulated Ubale and his bride.

    The club therefore called on the fans to come in their numbers to honour the striker on his big match day.

  • Pillars good for NPL title — Ubale

    Super sub, Maniru Ubale says there’s nothing stopping Kano Pillars from retaining the Globacom Premier League title.

    Ubale’s 89th minute header gave Kano Pillars a 1 – 0 victory over Enyimba in the replay of the matchday 31 of the Globacom Premier League at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

    Speaking in a post match chat from Lokoja, Ubale revealed that with yesterday’s victory nothing will stop the Pillars from retaining the title they won last year.

    He said: “Now we are in pole position to win the league.

    “I’m happy to have scored against Enyimba.”

    The first half ended goalless but Pillars resumed the second half with more purpose to take the three maximum points.

    “Nothing will stop us from winning the Globacom Premier League, I am sure of victory in the remaining three games left.

    “We are going to Gombe to pick 3 points this weekend,” said an ecstatic Ubale.

  • Ubale nets 500th goal of the season

    Kano Pillars striker Manir Ubale has netted the 500th goal of the current Nigeria league season. On Wednesday, Ubale put the league defending champions ahead in the 17th minute at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano as Kano Pillars defeated ABS FC 3-0.

    As at the end of Week 24 matches last week a total four hundred and ninety seven (497) goals were recorded, with three goals needed to make the 500th goal in Week 25.

    Ubale will beat Alaba Johnson and Solomon Jabason of Wikki Tourists and Ndubuisi Ekwuruibe of Kaduna United to the crown.

    Solomon Jabason scored the fastest goal of week 25 games in the fourth minute, his teammate Alaba Johnson scored the second in the eighth minute, as they dispatched Shooting Stars 2-1.

    Last season, the 500th goal of the season was netted in Week 27. So far 248 games have been played – 191 home wins, 42 draws and 15 away victories.