Nigerian Football
NPFL PLAYOFF: OUR FITNESS OVERWHELMED FC IFEANYIUBAH, SAYS LOBI’S OGENYI
BY FISAYO DAIRO
For the thousands of
spectators that watched the last fixture on Day 1 of the 2019 NPFL Championship
Playoffs between last season winners, Lobi Stars and 2018/19 season’s surprise
package FC Ifeanyiubah, the Benue side stood out for the incredible
fitness level of their players
Lobi Stars recorded the highest score margin of the opening match day at the
Agege Stadium in Lagos on Tuesday, winning 3-1 over the dazed Anambra Warriors
in a game played under floodlights.
Right from the very beginning when Samad Kadiri raced clear to finish Kelly
Kester’s pass with just about ninety seconds on the clock, Lobi’s players did
not stop running even until the final minute.
Right back John Lazarus was at his overlapping best, midfielders Kester and
Alex Aghahowa harassed their opponents with incredible sprints throughout the
contest while Kadiri and his strike partner Sikiru Alimi ran across the front
with gusto and verve.
FC Ifeanyiubah’s young side responded at some point but in the end could not
match the physicality and high tempo pressing of the 2018/19 CAF Champions
League campaigners.
Head coach Evans Ogenyi believes that his team’s display should not be
unexpected considering the level they came from at the CAF Champions League.
“You know we just came back from the continent even though it’s
unfortunate that we couldn’t go beyond the group stage but then we’ve been able
to restore Nigeria’s second slot in the CAF competitions and the experience was
valuable,” said Ogenyi to www.npfl.ng
“If you’re not fit, you cannot play at that level. So we’ve been servicing
all areas of fitness because we know that at the end of the day, it will
actually take us far.”
In “servicing” their fitness, Lobi Stars had camped in Ijebu-Ode,
near Lagos for the past twelve days and the closed camping system has helped
them to condition their players in the right frame of mind for the
season-ending competition.
Ogenyi, who served as the first assistant coach under the late Solomon Ogbeide
and is now in his third stint as head coach of his state club, also praised his
players for the victory over FC Ifeanyiubah, insisting that the 2016 Federation
Cup winners were not easy to deal with.
He continued: “It’s not an easy win. Any team that has qualified for this
stage is not a pushover.
“For you to qualify for this playoff, you should be congratulated and I
told my players at half time that we needed to up our game because at the end
of the competition, goals permutations can come to play.
“I saw 2-2 (between Pillars and Akwa United) and I saw 1-0 (Enyimba vs
Rangers) so if you have the opportunity to win, you need to win convincingly so
I give kudos to my boys for raising the bar in the second and we scored two
more goals to record the biggest win today (Tuesday).”
Lobi’s second game in the round-robin tournament will come up against Rangers,
a fellow continental campaigner on Thursday. The Flying Antelopes from Enugu
have found Lobi Stars a tough nut to crack in recent matches and Ogenyi is
hoping his side builds on Tuesday’s win.
“You must take each match as it comes, we have played ourselves before and
at this stage the result could go either way but then we hope to build on what
we have started on Tuesday,” said the former Bayelsa United and Jigawa
Golden Stars head coach.
One of the high points of the Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday in Asaba is the endorsement of the body’s immediate past president, Amaju Pinnick to retain his position as a FIFA Council member.
Pinnick was elected into FIFA Council at the CAF Congress in Rabat, Morocco on 21 March 2021. He seeks re-election next year and has already secured the backing of the Nigerian president.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has budgeted N17.6 billion for next year. The body’s Congress approved the budget, which sat in Asaba on Friday.
By the current exchange rate, the approved budget is $10,591,610. The figure is higher than the N12 billion that Nigeria budgeted for the Paris 2024 Olympics where no medal was won.
Next year, The NFF programme includes the six remaining qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations which will be held in December if the Super Eagles qualify.
As football leagues across the globe resumed fully last month, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced the launch of NFF Monthly Awards, a celebration of the outstanding performances of Nigerian football players across various Football Leagues including Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL.
With the football calendar in full swing, the NFF Monthly Awards aim to honour the brilliance, dedication and passion that Nigerian football players bring to the game, recognizing the top players who have left their mark on the pitch.
Award Categories:
- Player of the Month (Male & Female)
- Goal of the Month
- Discovery of the Month
Nomination Process
According to the NFF, the nomination process for the awards is scientific, ensuring a fair and accurate selection of nominees. An independent organization will collect and analyse players’ statistics throughout the month, ensuring that the best performances are highlighted.
“This unbiased, data-driven approach guarantees that the nominations reflect the top-performing players based on their contribution to their teams”, an NFF statement signed by its director of communication, Dr Ademola Olajire disclosed.
Nominations for the first round of awards will be announced on Thursday. From there, voting will be opened to fans and journalists alike, making this a truly inclusive and engaging event for the Nigerian football community.
Voting Process
Fans and journalists will have the chance to vote for their favourite players via the official NFF voting portal on the website www.thenff.com.
The voting period will run for one week following the announcement of the nominations.
Fan Votes will account for 40% of the final decision, enabling supporters to have their voices heard and directly influence the outcome of these prestigious awards.
The remaining 60% will be determined by journalists and industry professionals, ensuring a balanced and well-rounded selection process.
Speaking on the launch of the awards, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said:
“The NFF Monthly Awards are a key part of our efforts to further elevate Nigeria football, not only by recognizing outstanding talent but by engaging with fans and the media in a way that brings the football community closer together. We believe that this initiative will encourage excellence on the field and foster a deeper connection between players and their supporters.
“The NFF Monthly Awards are a step forward in celebrating the rich and growing talent pool, and we look forward to the excitement that the awards will bring to fans, players and the media.”
Key Dates: Nominations Announcement: 3rd October, 2024; Voting: 3rd October – Midnight of 7th October 2024.
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