Nigerian Football
PRESIDENT GEORGE WEAH TO FEATURE IN AMBODE TESTIMONIAL MATCH AT AGEGE STADIUM
The Akinwunmi Ambode Testimonial game to send off the outgoing Governor of Lagos State has now been moved from the construction site of the remodelled Onikan Stadium to Agege Stadium. The match holds on May 18.
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The change of venue was confirmed by the General Coordinator of the event, Waidi Akanni a former Super Eagles’ player who is also a former chairman of the Lagos FA. He made the clarification on Tuesday saying that the construction work at Onikan Stadium may not be fully completed by the date.
A major attraction for the match will be George Weah, the only man to have won the World Footballer of the Year, The European Footballer of the Year and African Footballer of the Year in one season.
He achieved the feat in 1996, becoming the only African to have ever won the title in Europe and also that of the world. He is currently the president of Liberia as the highest profiled footballer to hold a political office.
Other former footballers expected include Samson Siasia, Mutiu Adepoju, Daniel Amokachi, Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke and Victor Ikpeba – all members of the famed Class of ’94 Super Eagles.
The invited foreign former footballers include Ghana’s Michael Essien, Samuel Eto’o, Abubarkar Titi Camara, El- Hadji Diouf, Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure
According to a media release, the trio of Waidi Akanni, Siasia and Adepoju noted that, the VIP tickets will go on sale on Sunday at various outlets to be announced soon.
The team of African legends will play against ex-Super Eagles stars. A three-man coaching crew for the Nigerian legends comprises: Augustine Eguavoen, Joe Erico and Henry Nwosu.
The Match, which is a fusion of sports and entertainment, will witness first class performances by popular Nigerian artists. Spectators at the event, according to the organisers will win jerseys, soccer balls and other gifts at the raffle draws at half time.
The General Coordinator, Waidi Akanni, disclosed that part of the proceeds of the event will go to charity and scholarships for underprivileged kids in Lagos State.
Already, over 1000 kids have benefited from the Ambode Testimonial Soccer Clinic held a month ago at the Campos Square, Lagos.
These kids will be brought back to meet with the African legends hours before the kick off of ‘The Match’ on May 18.
The Governor Ambode Testimonial Match is obviously going to be the biggest gathering of former African football stars on the planet in Lagos.
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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