Nigerian Football
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, SAYS PINNICK
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick has assured that the football –governing body is fully committed to bringing innovations and improved packages to the organization of the AITEO Cup competition, following Sunday’s show –stopper at the Agege Stadium.
The football may not have enraptured, but the organization and the general razzmatazz did, leading to CAF President Ahmad describing the experience as ‘exciting.’
Pinnick told thenff on Tuesday: “What we did on Sunday is the beginning of the new level to which we want to take this important competition. When we announced Agege Stadium, several people went public with condemnation of the idea. But we knew what we wanted to achieve and we went for it.
“People berated Agege and the environment and said it would not work. But we set out on an objective and we achieved our goal. We looked at the noted deficiencies and we worked on them.
“The message is that there is nothing that cannot be fixed if there is genuine intention and focus, and with dedication and hard work.”
For the first time in history, the leadership of African football was present right there at the finale of Nigeria’s oldest and most glamorous competition, and in their numbers too.
CAF President Ahmad, CAF Vice Presidents Kwesi Nyantakyi and Omari Selemani, CAF Emergency Committee member Souleiman Waberi were enthralled, alongside Governors Ambode (Lagos), Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Bello (Niger), as well as Pinnick himself, NFF Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, a representative of the Youth and Sports Minister (Nansel Nimyel), the top echelon of sponsors AITEO group, NFF Executive Committee members, members of NFF Management and members of the Lagos State Executive Council.
“I give kudos to the Organizing Committee headed by the NFF 1st Vice President (Sheyi Akinwunmi), with the General Secretary (Dr. Sanusi) as secretary. They did a great job all through the competition and at the finale on Sunday. Come next year, we will bring a few more innovations and even improved packages to make the competition more glorious than ever,” Pinnick added.
Fires hoots from the ground heralded the players of Niger Tornadoes and Akwa United onto the pitch of Agege Stadium for the final, and elaborate fireworks brought a captivating night to a close on mainland Lagos.
Despite the compact nature of the arena, a large VIP tent, conveniences for men and women and adequate security put dignitaries and spectators alike at ease, and though both teams failed to put enough spark into things under floodlight, no one missed the comic relief of a yo-yo penalty shoot –out.
Champions Akwa United pocketed the sum of N25 million, with runners –up Niger Tornadoes going home with N10 million. AITEO also procured a brand new trophy for the champion team.
On Wednesday in Jos, the winner of the women’s competition, between Cup holders Rivers Angels and ambitious Ibom Angels, will smile to the bank with N10 million, leaving the runners –up with N5 million. There will also be a brand new trophy for the champion team to go home with.
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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