Nigerian Football
See Stephen Odey in Action: The GTBank Seed That Has Grown
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
As the 2016/17 Nigeria Professional League comes to a close this weekend, a certain player easily towers above his peers.
Every season the Nigerian Professional football League (NPFL) throws up a new star. In 2017 the man of the moment is Stephen Odey of MFM FC. His striking form has left opposing teams in tears and sorrow.
It is this form that has placed MFM FC as a major contender among the possible league leaders and has earned them a continental ticket next year.
The sudden resurgence of the club appeared to be tied to the magical boots of Stephen Odey whose goal count hit 18. This striker did not just drop from the moon, he is a product of the grass root football development programme of Guaranty Trust Bank.
Steven played in the second edition of GTBank-Lagos State Principals Cup where he was the captain of the winning Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege. He also topped the list of the GTBank 13-man All Star Team of the Year. It is therefore not a surprise that the little mustard seed is fast growing into an oak.
In January 2017, he received the NPFL Bloggers’ Award as the most valuable player of the month. Also, in the current season, he was the first player to score a hat trick among over 200 players in the league.
He scored five goals for the MFM FC in the 2015 season of the Nigeria National League, helping the club to gain promotion into the elite Nigeria Professional Football League.In the Season 2015/16, he scored 9 goals to become his club’s top scorer, inthe current season he has scored a total of 18 goals during the season.
In some instances, 14 goals was what some players scored to emerge the top scorers for the entire season. In the days leading to the last friendly match the Super Eagles had in London in March this year, Odey’s name kept coming up as a domestic league player who should have been employed for the Super Eagles’ assignments. However, his exploit led to his invitation to the Super Eagles CHAN Team double header qualifiers against Benin Republic in August.
The former school boy sensation in the GTBank Principals Cup has a big burden on his neck. He will have to prove that unlike the ‘kings’ before him, he will not be a one season sensation.
Stephen’s impressive performance has now led him to signing a four year contract with Swiss club-FC Zurich, this may not be a big surprise considering the GTBank football tournaments growing profile of football future stars.
The 18-goal mark he set in 36 matches is even higher than what most of his predecessors scored in the entire 38-match seasons in the past. Consider the goal-chart below:
Past Top Scorers of Nigerian League
- 1990-Ishaya Jatau (Iwuanyanwu Nationale), 17 goals
- 1991-Richard Ojomo (Bendel United), 12 goals
- 1992-Arthur Moses (Super Stores), 10 goals
- 1993-Tony Nwigwe (Iwuanyanwu Nationale), 13 goals
- 1994-Olumide Harris (Shooting Stars), 14 goals
- 1995-Ben Agadah (Gombe United), 12 goals
- 1996-Peter Anyiolobi (Enyimba), 9 goals
- 1997-Paul Kpoughoul (Jasper United/BCC Lions), 16 goals
- 1998-Hassan Minda (Gombe United), 14goals
- 1999-Emmanuel Agbo (Iwuanyanwu Nationale), 14 goals
- 2000-Peter Ijeh (Julius Berger), 14 goals
- 2001-Uche Okereke (Enugu Rangers), 13 goals
- 2002-Joetex Frimpong (El-Kanemi), Victor Ezeji (Dolphins), 16 goals
- 2003-Chibuzor Ozurumba (Iwuanyanwu), Endurance Idahor (Julius Berger) 12 goals each
- 2004-Kabiru Alausa (Berger), 13 goals
- 2005-Timothy Anjembe (Lobi Stars), Joseph Akpala (Insurance), Charles Omokaro (Sharks), 12 goals each
- 2006 -Ibenebu Ikechukwu (El Kanemi), 10 goals
- 2007 – Ameh Aruwa (Kaduna United), 10 goals
- 2007/2008 – Abubakar Babale (Wikki Tourist/Sunshine Stars), 14 goals
- 2008/2009 – Akarandut Orok (Akwa United), 17 goals
- 2009/2010 – Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars), 18 goals.
- 2010/2011 – Jude Aneke (Kaduna United), 20 goals
- 2011/2012 – Sibi Gwar (Niger United), 17 goals.
- 2012/2013 – Victor Namo (Nasarawa United) 18 goals.
- 2013/2014 – Mfoh Udoh ( Enyimba) 23 goals
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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