Nigerian Football
Nigeria hitman Osimhen scoops Italian Player of Year honours
Nigerian Victor Osimhen capped a remarkable year by deservedly being crowned Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) Player of the Year on Monday night.
The Napoli striker plundered 26 goals in 32 Serie A appearances last season to propel the Neapolitans towards a first Scudetto since 1990.
By landing this prestigious peer-voted award previously won by icons like Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Osimhen’s stock continues rapid ascent.
Osimhen claimed the individual gong during a ceremony where the AIC Team of the Season featured four of his triumphant team-mates.
Despite reported interest from several clubs in the summer, the 24-year-old remained in Naples and is repaying that loyalty emphatically.
Osimhen has already netted another six league goals this term to help Luciano Spalletti’s entertainers to be among the Serie A’s pacesetters once more.
Recognition amongst Italian football’s modern greats represents just reward after a year establishing the Nigerian among Europe’s hottest striking talents.
With Napoli hunting further glory, more achievements likely await to reinforce Osimhen’s dramatic elevation into global superstardom.
Rivers United have closed up an initial five-point gap that Remo Stars established at the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after a hard-won win in a table-topping contest in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The duel was drawing into a barren draw before Boluwaji Sholumade scored five minutes into regulation time, offering Rivers United a 1-0 win. But Remo Stars still hold on to the first position, even with an outstanding match against Lobi Stars.
The contest for the third position is still very tense. Abia Warriors still hold on to the third position with 50 points to peg Shooting Stars at the fourth position. Shooting Stars had the opportunity to claim the third position, but they were denied the chance by Ikorodu City who held them to a 0-0 draw in Ibadan.
Abia Warriors could have consolidated on the third position after taking an initial 1-0 against former multiple champions, Enyimba in an Abia State derby.
Enyimba fought back gamely to snatch a 2-1 win. Just as the contest at the top is keen, so also it is at the backwaters. Sunshine Stars thought they could navigate their way upstream after taking a 1-0 lead over fellow backwaters team, Lobi Stars, but the latter fought back to snatch a 1-1 draw that keeps both sides in the murky waters of relegation.
Both teams are kept at the bottom with Lobi Stars taking the 20th position while Sunshine Stars are 19th.
RESULTS
- Rivers United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Lobi Stars 1-1 Sunshine Stars
- Enyimba 2-1 Abia Warriors
- Plateau United 0-0 Kwara United
- Niger Tornadoes 2-0 El Kanemi Warriors
- Nasarawa United 2-0 Akwa United
- Katsina United 1-1 Bayelsa United
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The Nigeria Premier Football League is on the home stretch this season with direct confrontations of table toppers and also those battling against relegation. The teams have all to fight for as their destinies are still within their hand reach.
For the table-topping battle, second-placed Rivers United will be hosting leaders, Remo Stars. Former African powerhouse, Shooting Stars are hoping to return to the continental competition for the first time in 26 years.
After recent fluctuating fortunes, they hope to regain steam as they face former battler against relegation-turned top four aspirants, Ikorodu United. A win for Shooting Stars will see them in top contention to return to the continent where they last featured in 1999.
Remo Stars, even with a match still outstanding will remain on top if they lose their away match to Rivers United. But losing may not be an option for them as a win will put them at the cusp of their first elite national success since bringing the first NPFL match to the now sportingly bubbling Ikenne on 26 December 2021.
The clash with Rivers United will undoubtedly be the most challenging in the remaining five matches in the season.
Abia Warriors who started the season with a home loss are now seeing a silver lining in the possibility of picking a continental ticket which they missed last season after losing in the President Federation Cup. This Sunday, they face Enyimba in Aba in an Abia State derby.
A win will secure their current third place. But a loss could see them losing the spot to Shooting Stars who are hosting Ikorodu City in a Southwest derby. A win by Enyimba could see the former multiple champions bouncing back into the reckoning to get a top-three slot as the season winds down.
Just as the battle is fierce at the top, so also is it tough at the backwaters as teams fight for a lifeline against relegation.
The 19th-placed Nasarawa United host fellow relegation battler, Akwa United. It is a relegation battle that could save or make a team sink deeper into the abyss. Nasarawa will be banking on home support. But Akwa United has shown resilience in recent times and could come out of the battle with at least a point.
Matchday 32 Fixtures:
- Bendel Insurance 0-0 Enugu Rangers
- Heartland FC 2-0 Kano Pillars
- Rivers United vs Remo Stars
- Shooting Stars vs Ikorodu City
- Plateau United vs Kwara United
- Lobi Stars vs Sunshine Stars
- Katsina United vs Bayelsa United
- Niger Tornadoes vs El-Kanemi Warriors
- Nasarawa United vs Akwa United
- Enyimba vs Abia Warriors
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The Surulere Centre of Crest Football Academy will resume its training of aspiring young footballers on Saturday. According to the proprietor, Godwin Dudu-Orume, the training will be held at Iponri Secondary School, behind the Leadway Assurance office in Iponri, Lagos.
The session begins a 7.30 am with the physical registration of participants on site.
Physical registration will be done on-site. This also affects those who registered online as they are expected to produce proof of payment.
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