Nigerian Football
AITEO CUP: RANGERS/LOBI CLASH HEADLINES ROUND OF 32
The pairing of 2018/2019 CAF Champions League campaigners Lobi Stars of Makurdi and CAF Confederation Cup contenders Rangers International of Enugu is the pick of the Round of 32 fixtures of this year’s AITEO Cup men’s competition.
Both heavyweights lock horns at the Bako Kontagora Stadium, Minna on Wednesday.
There is another all-NPFL tie, between Rivers United and Akwa United (in Enugu), as well as mouth-watering encounters between Gombe United and Niger Tornadoes (Lafia), Katsina United and Shooting Stars (Abuja) and Kogi United and Plateau United (Abuja).
A total of 14 matches in the men’s competition are up across the Federation on Wednesday, while there will be two men’s games on Thursday alongside all the eight matches in the women’s Round of 16.
In the women’s event, Cup holders Rivers Angels tackle Adamawa Queens in Makurdi, FC Robo are up against Sunshine Queens in Osogbo and Nasarawa Amazons will contend with Pelican Stars in Enugu.
Fortress Ladies must negotiate matters with Confluence Queens in Ado-Ekiti, just as Osun Babes must against Delta Queens in Ijebu-Ode and Abia Angels have to against Ibom Angels in Abakaliki.
AITEO CUP MEN’S ROUND OF 32 FIXTURES
- Rangers Int’l Vs Lobi Stars (Minna, 19 June, 4pm)
- Gateway FC Vs Abia Warriors (Warri, 19 June, 4pm)
- Ambassador FC Vs Warri Wolves (Lokoja, 19 June, 2pm)
- Ekiti United Vs Insurance FC (Lokoja, 19 June, 4pm)
- Rivers United Vs Akwa United (Enugu, 19 June, 4pm)
- Delta Force Vs Cynosure (Port Harcourt, 19 June, 4pm)
- Gombe United Vs Niger Tornadoes (Lafia, 19 June, 4pm)
- Port Harcourt City Vs El-Kanemi Warriors (Abuja, 19 June, 2pm)
- Katsina United Vs Shooting Stars (Abuja, 19 June, 4pm)
- EFCC FC Vs Sunshine Stars (Edo University Iyamho, 19 June, 4pm)
- Smart City Vs Enyimba FC (UNIBEN, 19 June, 4pm)
- Crown FC Vs Kwara United (Osogbo, 19 June, 4pm)
- Aklosendi FC Vs Nasarawa United (Makurdi, 19 June, 2pm)
- Calabar Rovers Vs Wikki Tourists (Makurdi, 19 June, 4pm)
- Kogi United Vs Plateau United (Abuja, 20 June, 4pm)
- ABS FC Vs Kano Pillars (Lokoja, 20 June, 4pm)
AITEO CUP WOMEN’S ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES
- Rivers Angels Vs Adamawa Queens (Makurdi, 20 June, 4pm)
- FC Robo Vs Sunshine Queens (Osogbo, 20 June, 4pm)
- Osun Babes Vs Delta Queens (Ijebu-Ode, 20 June, 4pm)
- Vera Gold Angels Vs Bayelsa Queens (Enugu, 20 June, 2pm)
- Nasarawa Amazons Vs Pelican Stars (Enugu, 20 June, 4pm)
- Edo Queens Vs Olori Babes (Neros Nanka, 20 June, 4pm)
- Fortress Ladies Vs Confluence Queens (Ado-Ekiti, 20 June, 4pm)
- Abia Angels Vs Ibom Angels (Abakaliki, 20 June, 4pm)
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
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!