Nigerian Football
UGWU, DOGO OPTIMISTIC OF A GOOD SEASON AFTER RANGERS, SUNSHINE CLASH
Managers of Rangers International of Enugu and Sunshine Stars of Akure in separate interviews after their rescheduled MatchDay 1 fixture expressed satisfaction with the progress their players have made so far after two games into the new season.
Rangers won 1-0 in the match played Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, but Kabiru Dogo of Sunshine Stars was of the opinion that his side played very well and were unfortunate to lose the match.
“It is unfortunate that we lost today (Thursday) because we played very well but as you know in football, if you do not take your chances you get punished”, Dogo told www.npfl.ng.
His opposite number on Rangers bench, Benedict Ugwu, while admitting that it was not a stellar performance for his side, explained that most of the club regular starters were dropped due to fatigue from long distance travel.
“After the long trip for the match against Adamawa United in Gombe, we decided to rest some regular players and I am proud with the way the new entrants performed. It’s not easy to make your debut in a stadium like this”.
Ugwu sought to appease fans that apparently were not impressed with the outing even with the win and pleaded that, “I am aware the performance today was not really up to our standards, but I want to appeal to our fans to be patient with the team especially the new players.
It will be unfair to judge these boys just from the first two matches. It’s a gradual process, with time we will blend”, pleaded Ugwu who was nicknamed Surugede by fans in his active playing days.
Dogo attributed Rangers win to luck, noting that his side played very well and would improve in producing results with time.
“Rangers created few opportunities and took advantage of one. It is only a matter of time before things begin to go our way because as you have noticed we have a very good squad”, declared the former Nasarawa United coach.
Rangers made a win and draw from two games as they followed up the 1-1 draw to Adamawa United with the slim 1-0 win against Sunshine Stars at home.
It brings their points haul to four and an unbeaten start to the 2019-20 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. Nnamdi
Egbujuo netted the only goal of the encounter in the second half.
The Flying Antelopes struggled for most part of the match and was lucky not to concede as Sunshine created chances on the counter.
Sunshine Stars will definitely be regretting not taking advantage of the first half during which it dominated possession and created the best chances.
The best chance came on the 35th minute when Sadiq Rilwan broke up play in the midfield and lunched a blistering counter attack which ended up with Anthony Omaka being one on one with the goal keeper. Omaka tried to round the keeper but without success as Seidu Mutawakilu bravely stopped him.
Rangers approached the second half more aggressively with winger Ugochukwu Ugwuke causing all manner of troubles for Sunshine with his quick feet, fancy footwork and trickery.
This proved to be pivotal for the goal, which was scored on the 55th minute.
Rangers held on for the rest of the match to maintain an unbeaten start to the season.
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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