Nigerian Football
Asamoah turns the corner at Rivers United
Godbless Asamoah is an attacker who knows his way to goal.
During his days at Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt, he almost single-handedly saved the side from relegation in his first season with crucial goals on a consistent basis.
It was no surprise that the Rivers United technical manager, Stanley Eguma, his coach at Dolphins, saddled him with the responsibility of leading the line for the ‘Pride of Rivers’ in the NPFL and Federation Cup last season.
It was a poor season for the Ghanaian marksman as he failed to hit the heights for the Port Harcourt club.
Injuries slowed him down and he was restricted to a handful of substitute appearances last term.
Eguma did not lose faith in the striker and gave him another chance to prove his worth this season.
He made his first league start of the season on Wednesday, February 22 and showed he had lost none of his sharpness with a cracking goal on the stroke of half time against Kano Pillars at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium.
It was a goal of exceptional quality and the moment the ball left his foot, it was clear it was destined for the top corner, as the Pillars goalkeeper, Danladi Isah watched on in consternation.
It was however a sad day for the attacker and his teammates as United dropped points following Amos Gyang’s stunning headed equalizer for the visitors in the second half.
“I was very happy to have scored that goal. I have a good goal scoring record against Pillars.
“In my first season at Dolphins, I scored three times against them home and away.
“Before the game in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, I prayed to God to give me the grace to score against them and when I did, I was very happy,” he said to www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Lofty dreams and big predictions
From his days at Ghanaian side, Medeama Sporting club, Asamoah had a dream to pull the storied strips of the Black Stars of Ghana.
Playing for the country of his birth at the Africa Cup of Nations and the Fifa World Cup is a dream the attacker believes can still be achieved.
“On several occasions, I was invited by the national selectors for the country’s U17 and U20 teams but I never made the final squads.
“In 2014, I finally got the chance to represent my country at international level.
“I was invited to play at the 2014 Africa Nations Championships (Chan) in South Africa but I got injured on the eve of the tournament.
“I cried so much because I honestly felt that was the moment to make my mark at the big stage.
“I travelled with the team to South Africa and stayed on till the end of the tournament but my place was taken by Kennedy Boateng; my teammate at Medeama Sports club,” he recounted.
The Champions League and Rivers United
Asamoah has rediscovered his best form and believes it is only a matter of time before he achieves set objectives.
He believes that success with Rivers United will translate to even bigger rewards in the long term and has predictably set his sights quite high.
“I am still hopeful of playing for my country (Ghana) at the highest stage and I believe it is still possible.
“Rivers United is a big club playing in the Caf Champions League and I believe that if I continue to do well here (at United), I will get the call to represent my country.
“I may have scored just once in the league but I am still very confident of finishing the current NPFL season as top scorer because Rivers United still has 31 more matches to play,” he said.
To achieve this, he must first win a regular spot in the United first team – a side teeming with extravagant attacking talent like Bolaji Sakin, Bernard Ovoke, Emeka Ogbugh, Lukman Mohammed, Guy Kuemian and Maduabuchi Okereke.
Asamoah however has implicit confidence in his abilities and insists he can keep his place in the star-studded squad.
“Everybody knows Rivers United has one of the strongest squads in Nigeria today but I have no fear over getting a regular spot in the team.
“The competition is intense, no doubt but I am certain that if I am fit, I will get a fair chance to prove myself,” he said.
Story: Courtesy Sammy Wejinya
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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