Nigerian Football
NPFL: TOP 3 SEEK CONSOLIDATION ON MATCH DAY 23
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
Plateau United travel 130 kilometers to Bauchi hoping to preserve their leadership position while Rivers United and Lobi Stars – both one point behind – will hunt for points at home.
There is already a gulf between the top three and the rest of the field with Plateau United as well as Rivers United and Lobi Stars seven and six points better than Akwa United and Sunshine Stars, in fourth and fifth.
Wikki Tourists v Plateau United
Two seasons ago, this fixture ended in favour of the hosts who won 1-0.
November 17 when Plateau United hosted this evening’s opponents, it ended 2-1, advantage the home side.
Twelfth placed Wikki walloped Lobi Stars 4-0 and pipped Nasarawa United by a lone goal in their last two home games, while Plateau played goalless with Lobi Stars and Dakkada FC in their recent trips.
Rivers United v FC Ifeanyi Ubah
Current runners-up Rivers United welcome ninth placed FC Ifeanyi Ubah to Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt with a mission to repay the Nnewi-based side in their own coins.
The reverse fixture four months ago had the Anambra Warriors scoring the only goal of the match.
In four previous visits to Port Harcourt, FC Ifeanyi Ubah had managed two draws losing the others.
Rivers United returned from their last match victorious in Okigwe against Heartland to preserve their second spot. They had beaten their last two guests, Kano Pillars 2-1 and Kwara United 1-0.
FC Ifeanyi Ubah, on their part, lost their last two away games to bottom placed Adamawa United 1-2 and Sunshine Stars 0-2.
Lobi Stars v Kano Pillars
For Lobi Stars, the focus is on achieving a season’s double over their visitors, who suffered a lone goal setback at Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano last November 17.
That result was payback for the Ortom Boys who were beaten by the same scoreline in Makurdi five months earlier at the closing stages of last season.
Like Rivers United, Lobi Stars also triumphed in their trip last Sunday by pipping Kwara United 1-0 in Ilorin.
At home however, it has been only one victory in their last three outings – 2-1 over Wikki Tourists in between goalless (versus Plateau United) and 1-1 against Rangers.
Last Sunday, Pillars defeated Dakkada FC 2-0 in Kano to make up for three away losses on the bounce.
Sunshine Stars v Abia Warriors
While Akwa United in fourth spot will rest today as their opponents Enyimba engage in continental assignment in Guinea, the team next on the log Sunshine Stars receive Abia Warriors in Akure.
June 2, 2017 was the last time the Stars played host to the Warriors, and the home team picked maximum points via the only goal.
Sunshine Stars were dimmed 0-3 at Warri Township Stadium by Warri Wolves last Sunday and played goalless with Rangers in their last home game after beating FC Ifeanyi Ubah 2-0 two Matchdays earlier.
Abia Warriors meanwhile lost their last six away matches.
MFM v Rangers
Both teams only two points above the bottom four, although the Flying Antelopes have two games in hand.
Inconsistency at home has been the undoing of the Olukoya Boys this season, their last outing at Agege Township Stadium ending barren against struggling Heartland.
That was after they fought back from a goal down to beat Kano Pillars 3-1 and make up for their lone goal setback against Enyimba.
MFM appear to have Rangers’ number though going by their lone goal victory in the first leg in Enugu last November.
Rangers, 2-0 victors over Adamawa United last Sunday in Enugu, recently lost 1-2 away to Nasarawa United and played goalless with Sunshine Stars in Akure.
Rangers had also been defeated in their two visits to MFM in the top flight.
Bottom Four
In a relegation faceoff, Jigawa Golden Stars host Kwara United; the latter just two points and a step ahead.
Jigawa are themselves three points and a spot better than Adamawa United, who occupy the last place on the table.
Nasarawa United, who have visiting Katsina United to contend with, complete the bottom four.
Matchday 23 fixtures:
- Wikki Tourists v Plateau United
- Jigawa Golden Stars v Kwara United
- Lobi Stars v Kano Pillars
- Dakkada FC v Heartland
- Rivers United v FC Ifeanyi Ubah
- MFM v Rangers
- Adamawa United v Warri Wolves
- Sunshine Stars v Abia Warriors
- Nasarawa United v Katsina United
- Akwa United v Enyimba (rescheduled)
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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