Nigerian Football
SUPER FALCONS THANK NFF
Players and officials of the Nigeria women national team, Super Falcons, have given big kudos to theNigeria Football Federation for fulfilling all the promises made to them before and during the 11th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals inGhana, where they emerged triumphant to third successive time and ninth time overall, returning home with the glittering continental silverware.
All bonuses and allowances due the team, from the qualifying matches against Gambia as well as entitlements camp allowances pre-AWCON and match bonuses and allowances during AWCON, plus the $10,000 –a –player promise made by President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, have been duly delivered to the players and officials.
It was a very happy Super Falcons’ contingent that left camp during the week to await word on the planned reception by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The nine- time African champions, following their penalty shoot –out defeat of South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in Accra on 1st December, were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on arrival the following day by the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Alhaji Abba Kyari and the General Secretary ofNigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
Speaking after the camp was declared closed, both captains, Rita Chikwelu and Onome Ebi appreciated the NFF for taking care of their welfare and fulfilling all financial obligations.
Chikwelu said: “I want to use this opportunity to thank the Nigeria Football Federation for their support throughout our preparation and participation at the Women AFCON. They were there all through the pre-tournament camping programmes in Epe and Abidjan and all through the competition in Ghana and since we returned to Nigeria.
“We also want to appreciate the NFF for fulfilling their promises, paying all our bonuses and allowances and doubling our match bonus for the Final. I want to say a very big thank you to the NFF President, the Board and the Management, and we pray thatGod will bless them and all Nigerians for their support”.
Ebi, on her part, said: “I just want to say a very big thank you to the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, the Board members and the Management and Staff for fulfilling their promises and paying all our bonuses, including the special winning bonus that the President promised us for the Final match. All have been paid. I also want to thank Nigerians for their love and support”.
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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