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Nigerian Football

DISCIPLINARY COUNT GIVES NASARAWA UTD’S SANUSI THE EDGE TO BECOME NIGERIAN LEAGUE TOP SCORER

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Ibrahim Sanusi of Nasarawa United has been declared the highest goals scorer in the just ended regular season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

He tied with Akwa United’s Mfon Udoh on ten goals at the completion of matches going into the championship’s playoff to determine the season’s champions.

The League Management Company (LMC), organisers of the Nigerian football league,  in arriving at the decision to declare Sanusi the top scorer of the season relied on provisions in Rule A9.4, A9.5-2 which stipulated considerations to choose the lead scorer in the event of a tie of two or more players.

Disciplinary records, which are the second consideration to break a tie, favoured Sanusi as he only bagged a yellow card all through the season as against two recorded for Udoh.

Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar in making this known, said “from our records, Ibrahim Sanusi of Nasarawa United and Mfon Udoh of Akwa United have ten goals to their credit but the Framework and Rules of the NPFL made provisions for determining the top scorer should there be a tie as has happened”

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We have considered the provisions including Rule A9.4 which prescribed that the player that scored the highest number of goals at the end of the season shall be declared as highest goal scorer”. 

Abubakar further cited Rule A9.5, which states that If two or more players scored the same number of goals, the next consideration as listed on Rule A9.5.1 is that the player with the least number of goals from the penalty spot.

“Again, we have ascertained from the records that both players scored twice for their respective clubs from the penalty spot which led us to the next consideration in Rule A9.5.2 which states that the player with the better disciplinary records in terms of the least number of caution and expulsion cards will be declared as highest goal scorer for the season’, Abubakar clarified further

It would have been the second season that recently married Udoh would finish as top scorer had he clinched the award. He still holds the record of the most goals in the league for a season after he netted 23 goals in the 2013/14 season playing for former Champions, Enyimba International.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Nigerian Football

 Rivers flow to the top!

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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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Nigerian Football

Enyimba’s duel with Katsina United plunges into darkness

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Former Nigerian champions, Enyimba were coasting to a comfortable 3-0 lead before the game got enveloped by darkness.

The game could not be completed after 75 minutes when the floodlights of the arena suddenly went off.

According to a post on Enymba x-handle, the match will resume at 8.00 am on Monday “ as agreed by both teams and the match officials.”

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 1-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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Nigerian Football

Amuneke’s Heartland secures first win this season

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Heartland finally got into winning ways on Sunday after the Owerri side secured a 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.

 The club, under former Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke had gone four matches without a win, finding themselves swimming in the murky waters of relegation.

A brace by Michael Ogu has lifted the club which climbed up to the 16th position. They had begun the season badly losing at home to Enyimba and failing to win any of the subsequent three matches.

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 1-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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