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TITANIC CLASH AS RIVERS UNITED AND KANO PILLARS CLASH
BY SAMMY WEJINYA.
Two of the grand football institutions in Nigerian football, Rivers United and Kano Pillars go toe to toe in a special place in a matter of days as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) enters match day 21.
The timing could have been better for one of the two sides whose indifferent form hardly lends this credence to their case as regards collecting a creditable result at an extremely difficult place.
However, the permanent class of these two sides lends this fixture substance.
Panache and style, the grandeur of the stage and a sense of occasion which could potentially be near intoxicating on Sunday, February 23, 2020 as the Pride of Rivers go toe to toe against Sai Masu Gida in one of the stand out fixtures of Match Day 21 of this weekend’s NPFL offering.
The size of the task is massive for Sai Masu Gida – no club has managed to defeat Rivers United FC at their own stately patch, the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt, this season but Pillars’ head coach, Ibrahim Musa is confident his charges can force down the bitter pill of defeat down the throat of their ultra-consistent hosts.
“We are well-prepared. We arrive in Port Harcourt with confidence and I am sure we will amass the three maximum points at stake,” Musa told the official Rivers United FC website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
If Kano Pillars are to succeed and pull off a result which no side has managed to do so far this term (defeat Rivers United in Port Harcourt), one man – club captain, Rabiu Ali – will have to shine like a million stars and play his best game of the season as United are notoriously shrewd, defensively, especially when they play in front of their own supporters.
Ali is not the only man who can hurt the Port Harcourt darlings though.
Joshua Enaholo, on his day, is one of the finest shot stoppers in the division and has the talent to keep the marauding hosts at bay.
Victor Dennis, Nasiru Sani, Ike Chinedu, Emmanuel Anyanwu, Abdullahi Musa, Auwalu Ali, David Ebuka, home boy, Nwagua Nyima and Dosso Saib whose exquisitely-taken free-kick in the colours of Niger Tornadoes famously knocked Rivers United out of the 2019 AITEO Cup, are also important talent capable of holding sway at any venue.
Pillars are extremely strong on the road. They have lost just three times in ten away fixtures and have the fifth best away record in the division next season.
Sai Masu Gida have scored in seven of their ten away fixtures this term and have conceded an average of not more than one goal a game, at most, in their away games.
Rivers United however appear to be in fine fettle.
The Port Harcourt club is still riding the crest of a wave following their gutsy 1-1 draw in Ilorin against the Kwara United club match day 20.
Technical manager, Stanley Eguma knows Pillars will represent sturdy opposition but as always, the experienced trainer is looking to paying attention to the minutest of details as he looks to deliver a positive result for the high-flying hosts.
“It is a big game, any time, any day. We are not going to underrate Kano Pillars because of their position in the log (Pillars are currently in ninth place while Rivers United sit in third).
“We know that they are a big club in Nigeria so we are going to prepare very well, work on our lapses and pick up the three points which will be very important for us,” he said.
Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD had targeted their Group F opener as their best chance to get a win on the board at the Club World Cup, with Brazil’s Fluminense and German side Borussia Dortmund expected to advance from Group F.
South Africa’s Sundowns took all three points with a 1-0 win over the South Koreans and went top of the group after Fluminense drew 0-0 with Dortmund.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
African and Asian teams are not expected to make much of an impact at the new-look 32-team Club World Cup so points are like gold dust for the likes of the Sundowns and Ulsan.
KEY QUOTES
Miguel Cardoso, Mamelodi Sundowns coach: “We prepared tactically and strategically very well, and then we found a commitment between everybody. I think it was clear we made a very wonderful first half. It was important that we could keep the pace and not stray from the game plan in the second half, so that we could score a second goal that for little details or little centimetres, we could not do.”
Kim Pan-gon, Ulsan HD head coach: “We had targeted this game to win because we understand the other two teams in the group, Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund, are favourites. Our players gave their best efforts in this game and we’re very proud of their efforts. Now we need to recover quickly for the next game.”
-Reuters
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With a year until Mexico makes history as the first three-time World Cup host, the dream of a spectacular showcase is colliding with the practical challenges of modernising the iconic Azteca Stadium for global soccer’s premier event.
Beneath the imposing silhouette of Mexico’s football cathedral – where Pele dazzled with Brazil in 1970 and Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ propelled Argentina to glory in 1986 – construction crews tackle the formidable task of bringing one of the sport’s most storied venues into the 21st century.
The stakes are magnified as the ‘Santa Ursula colossus’ will host the tournament’s opening match, a global spectacle that will focus the world’s attention on Mexico from day one.
Renovations will expand the stadium’s capacity from 87,000 to 90,000, with upgrades centred on meeting FIFA standards through new changing rooms, enhanced hospitality zones, revamped VIP areas and additional seating in spaces previously occupied by boxes and lounges.
While government officials and football administrators envisioned the project as a symbol of national pride, the renovation process has eroded trust between developers, local residents and other stakeholders.
Stadium administrators announced in February that they had secured a 2.1 billion peso ($110.19 million) credit line from local financial group Banorte – along with a controversial new name: Estadio Banorte.
FIFA regulations mean the stadium will be referred to as “Estadio Ciudad de Mexico” during the World Cup, yet the rebranding has sparked a fierce backlash from some fans, who view it as sacrificing football heritage for commercial interests.
HARSH REALITY
The backlash over the stadium’s new name represents only one facet of the mounting tensions. Box and suite holders – some with relationships spanning decades – have threatened legal action after FIFA announced it would commandeer their seats during the tournament, overriding established contracts.
One member of the Mexican Association of Box Holders has already filed a legal challenge to defend access rights.
Beyond the stadium walls, frustration runs equally deep. Residents of Santa Ursula and surrounding neighbourhoods fear that promised infrastructure improvements like pedestrian bridges and transit lines will fail to address fundamental issues including inadequate lighting, water shortages and persistent traffic congestion.
“We’re not the stadium’s backyard,” one local resident told Expansion Politica. “But we’re always treated that way.”
By contrast, Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico’s other two host cities, face fewer obstacles.
Guadalajara’s 48,000-seat stadium, opened in 2010, has already hosted major events including the 2011 Pan American Games, while Monterrey’s 53,500-capacity venue, inaugurated in 2015, needs only minor upgrades – primarily new turf and a pitch ventilation system.
“We’ll install a system to ventilate and oxygenate the pitch before replacing the grass,” said Alejandro Hutt, Monterrey’s Host City Manager. “That will be an important legacy from the World Cup and beyond.”
As construction continues, Javier Aguirre’s Mexico squad are building towards a crucial summer, with a Gold Cup title defence ahead and friendly matches against Turkey this week, followed by Japan and South Korea in September.
After failing to advance beyond the group stage at Qatar 2022 – their worst World Cup performance since 1978 – Mexican fans crave more than just a well organised tournament. They want to see Mexico break the ‘fifth-game‘ curse and reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986, the last time they were World Cup hosts.
-Reuters
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All contenders are now known for this year’s President Federation Cup grand finale, following Saturday’s elimination of Edo Queens and Ibom Angels in the women’s semi-finals.
Multiple-winners Rivers Angels saw off the stiff challenge of Ibom Angels of Uyo 1-0 in Aba, while Nasarawa Amazons bumped Edo Queens 2-0 in Ayingba.
Cup holders Rivers Angels, who have won the competition nine times, will have their hands full against 2005 and 2019 champions Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia.
In the men’s competition, Abakaliki FC of Ebonyi are getting set to tackle Kwara United FC in the final.
Results of Semi Finals (Women)
- Rivers Angels (Rivers) 1-0 Ibom Angels (Akwa Ibom)
- Edo Queens (Edo) 0-2 Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa)
Results of Semi-Finals (Men)
- Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi) 0-0 Ikorodu City (Lagos) – Abakaliki FC win 5-4 on penalties
- Kwara United (Kwara) 1-0 Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
WOMEN’S FINAL
- Rivers Angels vs Nasarawa Amazons
MEN’S FINAL
- Abakaliki FC VS Kwara United
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