Nigerian Football

RIVERS UNITED GUN DOWN FLYING ANTELOPES

Published

5 years ago

November 20, 2019

BY SAMMY WEJINYA.

A gutsy second half performance by Rivers United proved decisive in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Enugu Rangers as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) entered match day four.

Bakary Bamba and Malachi Ohawume scored for United while Ibrahim Olawoyin’s consolation was sandwiched in between the hosts’ goals.

United dominated a largely one-sided first half that saw Rangers manage a single goal attempt, a 30-yard free kick by Isiaka Oladuntoye in the 39th minute, hit more in hope than expectation.

The home side should have taken the lead in the 29th minute after some inspired work by Ishaq Rafiu down the flanks but Fortune Omoniwari’s goal bound effort from eight yards was somehow kept out by the Rangers goalkeeper, Seidu Mutawakilu.

United were not deterred by that outstanding stop by the Rangers keeper and continued to step on the accelerator.

Sustained pressure unsurprisingly led to mistakes at the Rangers rear as a goal-bound Ifenyi Onyeali was brutally upended in the box in the 31st minute with the referee, Nura Abubakar quick to point to the spot.

Reliable midfielder, Bamba is a cool customer from 12 yards and he promptly stepped forward, picked his spot precisely with frightening force into the corner with Mutawakilu going the right way but finding the venom behind the strike too hot to handle.

It represented his second goal of the season, after he scored, also from the spot, against Heartland FC, at the same venue on match day two.

United should have added two more goals before the interval but Fortune Omoniwari and Cletus Emotan wasted glorious identical opportunities when it seemed more difficult to miss.

Rangers made sure United rued those missed chances as they restored parity with their first real attack of the game.

Olawoyin displayed the typical poacher’s instinct as he stabbed home from close range after United uncharacteristically failed to clear their lines from a corner.

That goal acted like a shot in the arm for Rangers who suddenly looked a side reborn, first to ever second ball and menacing on the break while United on their part looked jaded and shell shocked.

Rangers could have taken a shock 2-1 lead moments later when the usually-reliable Abiodun Akande performed an uncharacteristic howler when trying to play out from the back but his blushes were spared by the referee’s whistle for a foul on Rangers’ Chiamaka Madu.

Then came the turning point in the game, a moment of genius from the bench as the technical manager of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma threw on striker, Ohawume in the 73rd minute.

Ohawume scored with his first touch in the Rangers box, less than two minutes after coming on, a deft chip worthy to win any game.

It proved to be a moment of redemption for the attacker who had goals controversially disallowed in Kano against Pillars on match day one and against Heartland in Port Harcourt on match day two.

To their credit, Rangers never gave up as they pushed the hosts hard in the closing stages in search of the equalizer.

United however defended brilliantly while controlling the rest of the game and creating several dangerous moments of their own in a high-octane contest that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it the Yakubu Gown Stadium, Port Harcourt.

Assistant coach of Rangers, Gabriel Ezema said the game was decided in the second half.

“The game was won and lost in the second half,” he said when quizzed, post match by the official Rivers United website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng

“Rangers had an equalizer in the second half.

“We were in control of the game and we had an opportunity to go (2-1) up…it didn’t happen so.

“We lost concentration in the last 15 minutes and we conceded. It was so unfortunate,” he said.

On his part, Eguma said he expected a tough game from the visitors but commended his team for eventually getting their noses over the line.

“It was a tough game but I expected it especially as Rangers lost their last game at home. I knew they were coming (to Port Harcourt) play the game of their lives.

“Their equalizer did not demoralize us and we worked hard to get the winner,” he said.

Rivers United have now climbed to ninth on the log with five points from four matches while Rangers dropped to 12th on the log with four points from the same number of games.

Rivers United will now make the trip to Warri to face Wolves on Sunday as the competition enters match day five.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Remo Stars are coasting to what will be their greatest moment ever, a win of the Nigeria Premier Football League title, as they recorded a 1-0 win over Shooting Stars in Ibadan in a match played behind closed doors.

In doing so, they achieved their sixth double of the season, having earlier beaten Shooting Stars in the first stanza of the league.

They maintained the seven-point lead over second-placed Rivers United, who also beat Sunshine Stars 1-0 in Port Harcourt.

After a ding-dong affair, Alex Oyowah scored the vital goal for Remo Stars from a right-wing cross from Ismail Sodiq.

In another match, Ikorodu City continued to work tenaciously to obtain a continental ticket as they held El Kanemi to a 1-1 draw.

SUNDAY RESULTS

El Kanemi 1-1 Ikorodu City
Niger Tornados 1-1 Bayelsa United
Heartland 0-0 Kwara United
Plateau United 1-0 Akwa United
Rivers United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
Shooting Stars 0-1 Remo Stars
Bendel United 1-1 Nasarawa United

SATURDAY

Katsina United 0-0 Abia Warriors
Enyimba 2-1 Kano Pillars
Lobi Stars 2-4 Enugu Rangers

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Nigerian Football

NFF, NPFL pay condolence visit to family of late match commissioner, Mohammed Sani Abdul

Published

5 days ago

April 18, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Gbenga Elegbeleye (middle) and Babagana Kalli (first from right) at the family house of late Abdul on Thursday.

Top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Premier Football League on Thursday paid a condolence visit to the family of deceased NPFL match commissioner, Mohammed Sani Abdul, who died on Wednesday, 9^th April 2025, on his way back to Maiduguri from Jos, where he had gone to commission an NPFL match.

Abdul, who was also an auditor at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, had served as match commissioner at the game between Plateau United and Kwara United in Jos the previous day.

Gbenga Elegbeleye, 2^nd Vice President of the NFF and also Chairman of the NPFL, was led to the family house of the late Sani Abdul, located inside the Staff Quarters of the University of Maiduguri, by Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman of the NFF Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee, Babagana Kalli.

After commiserating with the family and praying for the repose of the soul of the departed, Elegbeleye presented a cash donation of the sum of two million naira to the family. The Association of Match Commissioners of Nigeria also contributed the sum of five hundred thousand naira.

Elegbeleye expressed gratitude to all those who accompanied him to the family house of the deceased and affirmed the commitment of the NFF and the NPFL to supporting the families of individuals who lose their lives in the course of service to the game.

The eldest son of the deceased expressed appreciation to the gesture by the NFF and NPFL, and especially thanked Kalli (who is also Chairman of the Borno State Football Association) for the support provided to the family since the passing of their beloved father.

Also present were the chairman and members of the board of NPFL side El-Kanemi Warriors FC, members of the Club Owners Association and supporters of El-Kanemi Warriors FC.

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Nigerian Football

NFF, NPFL and Nasarawa United found negligent for player’s death, says FIFPRO

Published

5 days ago

April 18, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Nasarawa United, the Nigeria Premier Football League and the Nigeria Premier Football Federation (NFF) were found negligent for the death of player Chineme Martins after he collapsed during a game in March 2020, players’ union FIFPRO said on Thursday.

Martins, who played for Nasarawa United, died aged 23 when he collapsed during a match where the medical services were deemed insufficient.

According to FIFPRO, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled the club “breached their duty of care” towards Martins and they must compensate his family.

The court also said the league, the NFF and the match commissioner had a duty of care to ensure the club complied with relevant regulations, and they breached it.

FIFPRO added that an NFF report concluded that there was neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist at the game, while there was “no functional ambulance at the stadium” when he collapsed.

“The court’s ruling stated it was ‘reprehensible’ that Martins was allowed to play without complete medical tests,” FIFPRO said in a statement.

“An echocardiogram was never conducted on Martins at the start of each of his three seasons with the club – and without the provision of adequate medical facilities at the Lafia Township Stadium.”

FIFPRO said its lawyers had helped the player’s family pursue the claim of negligence.

“I hope that the appropriate medical provisions are put in place for Nigeria’s footballers going forward, so that no family has to endure the pain we have suffered,” Martins’ brother, Michael, said.

Reuters has contacted the NFF and the Nigeria Premier League for comment.

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