Nigerian Football
RIVERS UNITED TAME HIGH-FLYING RANGERS
BY SAMMY WEJINYA
Rivers United produced a devastating performance – their best in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this season –to overpower high-flying Enugu Rangers 3-0 on Thursday.
It was the first time Rangers would lose in the league by more than a single goal margin and much of it was down to a performance that encapsulated verve, energy, finesse, professionalism, passion and deadly efficiency at its apex from the home side.
Rangers actually started the stronger of the two sides and should have taken the lead inside the opening five minutes when some intricate passing opened up the United rear guard which left captain, Godwin Aguda Wanbe face to face with the hosts’ goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande.
The forward struck a goal bound effort firmly enough but a heroic goal line clearance by Kunle Odunlami had the collective hearts of the home faithful beating rhythmically again.
United then began to make important inroads as they grew in stature and confidence.
Malachi Ohawume came agonizingly close to opening the scoring for the home side on 14 minutes with a header that flew narrowly wide off a precise Ossy Martins cross.
Wasiu Jimoh also came close to making the net bulge, two minutes later but his effort was far from accurate with a gaping goal at his mercy.
Nine minutes before the interval, United deservedly took the lead through Ohawume who struck with guile and accuracy from a tight angle to set the tone for a brilliant and assured second half display which was to produce two brilliantly-taken goals.
Jimoh scored the game’s second goal, a well-taken finish from close range following an exhilarating team move that left the visitors’ defence in sixes and sevens.
Nelson Esor netted a sumptuous third which mirrored the second in terms of quality and build up, with a quarter of an hour remaining on the clock as the hosts proceeded to entertain the spectators with some outrageous bit of showboating to run down the clock.
The highlight of such moments arrived in the 87th minute when goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande kept out a Rangers free kick with a stunning flying header in Rene Higuita-esque fashion which had the supporters erupt in a standing ovation.
It was, by far, the best performance of a resurgent United side this season after they were controversially denied a win in their last home fixture against Sunshine Stars.
Technical manager of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma discussed the performance with the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“It was a good game and a good performance against a very strong Rangers side that are top of the league (Group A) standings.
“We studied their games, mapped out the strategy to clip (their wings) in Port Harcourt.
“My players were very focused to get the job done and this result is a very motivating one for the football club,” Eguma said.
Head coach of Rangers, Gbenga Ogunbote also voiced his sentiments on his post-match assessment with assembled media.
“We had a bad day and sometimes, you cannot explain (things like this). We had a couple of chances (through which) we could have taken the lead, but it did not happen,” he explained.
Rivers United have now moved up to fifth in the NPFL standings with 23 points from 16 matches while Rangers remain at the summit of the division with 23 points after navigating the same number of fixtures as their conquerors.
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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