Nigerian Football
Shooting Stars, Ifeanyi Ubah Set Ibadan Agog
BY JUBRIL AROWOLO
Some fresh legs are expected to be injected into the Shooting Stars side as they face IfeanyiUbah in a reversed fixture of the last match of the first phase of the league.
Such new boys include Adamu Abubakar, Tambe Charles and Uweru Michael all part of the new signings during the break. Expectations are high from the ever demanding supporters of the Shooting Stars.
Already, Ibadan, the homestead of the club is bubbling with excitement to herald the resumption of the second stanza of the Nigerian Professional Football League after a break.
As such the excitement is in the air in expectations of one of the week 20 fixtures involving the Shooting Stars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Sunday afternoon.
Both teams closed the first round with the visitors’ 2-1 win in Nnewi few weeks ago.
The recess has afforded both teams the chances to reassess their set up with necessary amendments and that’s what will be on display as they slug it out for the three maximum points.
For Shooting Stars, it is much more than three points as they must put to a stop to the continued dominance of FC IfeanyiUbah in their last five meetings in Nnewi and Ibadan.
Freshly in mind was the manner in which the Ibadan team lost 1-2 in Nnewi during the week 19 tie despite Sunday Faleye’s early minute goal before a red to Ayobami Junior and two penalty kick awards changed the tide in favour of Anambra Warriors!
Many believed that the outcome of the match did not justify real situation and time is now for Fatai Amoo and his technical crew to prove that in front their ever reliable home fans!
The team is fortified with five new players and with the bulk of the first team players still intact, the coaches have full arsenal to fight this battle of Warriors!
“We have our old players back and they are blending with the team. Full house now and we only need to take our chances and Ifeanyi Ubah will be in for it”, quoting Technical Adviser, Fatai Amoo, ahead of today’s game.
A check by www.3sc.com.ng reveals a team in high spirit and buoyed by the Friday event inside the University of Ibadan courtesy of 3SC-UI Supporters Club, the players must give the teeming home fans sweet victory!
On the other hands, FC IfeanyiUbah are in Ibadan making a loud noise about their determination not to leave the stadium empty handed!
However, it a make or mar for the two teams but Shooting Stars should give it all to emerge victorious and swim out of its current 17 position with just 22 points after the first round!
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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