The Nation Newspaper

Tag: unbeaten

  • Dolphins remain unbeaten after AHIP win

    Dolphins remain unbeaten after AHIP win

    Reigning champions, Dolphins ended their first phase campaign of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League in Abuja, defeating AHIP Queens of Kano 52-38 to make it nine wins in nine games and topping Group A.

    Rookie Mistura Subair top scored with 13 points for  Dolphins who rested their starting five for the last 8 minutes of the game. Power forward Aderinsola Idowu added 11 points and 7 rebounds to join Mistura as the only Dolphins player to score double figures.

    Head coach of Dolphins, Ochuko Okworogwu after the game said in spite of the win her team has not been impressive, but praised the level of competition.

    “We are going back to work hard for the second phase, we were very slack in defence in the first phase. We can’t afford to continue to play that way if we want to retain our title.

    “Other teams have improved, but the sponsors and the federation still need to give more support to the teams financially and otherwise,” she added.

    AHIP, who gave an improved performance from Saturday night, had Chinwe Okah and Victoria Ofiri as top scorers with nine points apiece in the loss.

    Wilson Idanwenkhai head coach of AHIP believes his team will be stronger for the second phase of the league next month.

    “We started like this last season because we had little time to jell and we are just getting into rhythm. We won’t go home to rest and I know we will come back better just like we did in last season’s second phase and hopefully secure a place in the playoffs”.

    In other results of the day Oluyole Babes ensured Immigration were left without a win in Abuja as they rounded off the first phase with a solitary win with a 41-39 points victory.

  • Nigeria remains unbeaten, hits q/final of team event in table tennis

    Nigeria remains unbeaten, hits q/final of team event in table tennis

    Nigeria men and women teams did not drop a match at the ongoing 2015 African Games to qualify for the quarterfinal round of the team event in table tennis.

    From the start, the male team took every match serious by ensuring that they defeated their opponents with same margin of 3-0. Four teams – Tunisia, Botswana, Namibia and Sudan were drawn with Nigeria in group two and true to their rating, the team completed the rout of all the four teams with an emphatic 3-0 bashing of Tunisia to top the group.

    Also, the women team led by veteran, Olufunke Oshonaike took a cue from their male counterpart when they hammered Botswana and Mauritius 3-0 to top the group and berth in the last eight of the championship.

    Debutant Ojo Onaolapo told SportingLife yesterday that he is happy making his final debut at the games but admitted that the best matches are yet to start. “I am happy that I have finally made my debut at the games and I am happy being part of the team’s qualification for the quarter-final. But I must admit that the best matches are yet to start because when it gets to semi-final where Nigeria may likely face Egypt or Congo Brazzaville, that is when we will start feeling the competition. For now, we are just warming up for the big matches,” Onaolapo said.

    Like Onaolapo, another debutant, Rashidat Ogundele described her experience at the games as challenging as she is hoping to make podium in her first outing at the games.

    However, players from Uganda and Angola are being encouraged to aim high with the performance display by Oshonaike.

    Uganda’s Amina Kibone told SportingLife that she is impressed that despite her age, Oshonaike still plays good than other younger players. “I thought I was too old at 23 to play table tennis but when I saw Oshonaike, I now know that I am still young to play. I am really encouraged by her performance,” she said.

    Ruth Alvares and Isabel Albino are fascinated by the style of play of Oshonaike whom they described as a legend of the game.

  • Lobi Stars will spoil Rangers’ unbeaten run – Gbadebo

    Lobi Stars will spoil Rangers’ unbeaten run – Gbadebo

    Lobi Stars central defender, Samson Gbadebo has told Sportinglife that he and his colleagues will send Rangers Int’l back to Enugu empty handed when both teams clash in Sunday’s Week 32 of the Glo Premier League at the Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina Ala.

    The Makurdi Bombers were beaten 3-0 by Sunshine Stars during the mid-week game at the Akure Sports Complex while the Flying Antelopes recorded a 2-1 victory over Bayelsa United at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

    The former Nembe City star told Sportinglife that the team has put aside their 3-0 defeat to Sunshine Stars behind them and are ready to take full points on Sunday.

    “We are in high spirit and we can’t let our fans down at home. The game against Sunshine Stars didn’t go as planned but that won’t stop us from achieving our set objective at the end of the season. In football, sometimes you win and lose some.

    “Rangers have gone six games unbeaten now and they are on top form too. It means they are the team to beat. So we won’t underrate them and we will prepare very hard for the game. But we will hurt their unbeaten run. The lads are rearing to go and nothing can stop us from securing the three maximum points at stake,” Gbadebo told SportingLife.

  • Lobi can end Pillars’ home unbeaten streak, Iorfa vows

    Lobi can end Pillars’ home unbeaten streak, Iorfa vows

    • Craves for better officiating

    Lobi Stars Technical Adviser, Dominic Iorfa says breaking Kano Pillars’ 10 years home records is not an impossible mission.

    The Markurdi-based side will face Kano Pillars in today’s week 18 Globacom Premier League tie at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

    The club’s vice-chairman queried the rationale behind Pillars’ ten years home streak, stressing that it is only in Nigerian league that things like that can happen.

    “Football is all about win, loss or draw. It is only in Nigeria that you will see a club playing for 10 good years without losing a game at home. How can you play for ten years without losing a game at home? No team in the word has achieved that feat. Even, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal and so on. They’ve not played for ten years without losing at home,” Iorfa told SportingLife.

    The ex-international has, therefore, prayed for good officiating in today’s game.

    “Why is it difficult to go to Kano and win. Look at the kind of officiating El Kanemi got in our last game at the Katsina Ala Stadium. I think we can go to Kano and beat Pillars too if the officiating is balance and fair. In Nigeria, if you lose at home or draw people tag you as a bad side. I don’t worry when I lose a game. If you deserve to win, you win.”