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Nigerian Football

All eyes on Aba, Ibadan and Ikenne as battle for continental tickets goes down to the wire!

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A stroll in the park to be followed by victory parade are the anticipated spectacles in Jos when Enugu Rangers face ‘home’ sides, Gombe United this Sunday.

But elsewhere, it could be ‘thunder and blood’ battle as four eligibles fight for two obtainable continental tickets in three venues of Ikenne, Ibadan and Aba.

Remo Stars, Shooting Stars, Enyimba and Plateau United are aspirants jostling for continental tickets.

On the other side of the struggle is also the battle to evade relegation. Coincidentally, Ibadan  provides the venue for both dreams where the hosts, Shooting Stars, will be hoping to pick a ticket to any of the two CAF inter-clubs competitions while the debuting Premier League sides, Sporting Lagos are expected to play the game of their life.

Coincidentally, Shooting Stars were expected to give the Lagos sides the succour last weekend when they faced Bayelsa United.

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 Had Shooting Stars won the match, Sporting Lagos which upstaged Enyimba 2-1, would have been in comfort zone, making Sunday’s duel at the Lekan Salami a ‘merry-making’ venture for both sides.

But a twist of fortunes which saw Bayelsa fighting back to a 2-1 win means Shooting Stars will have to spare no weapon on Sunday to beat Sporting Lagos.

The visitors on the other hand have a mountain to climb to avoid the looming drop.

 Ikenne provides another battle ground, though with lesser gravity than what is expected in Ibadan and Aba. A win of any margin secures CAF Champions League ticket for Remo Stars as they host Katsina United who stay without threat in the middle of the league log.

But the battle will be fiercer in Aba where both hosts, Enyimba and visiting Plateau United have arithmetical and conjectural chances of making the top three and obtaining a continental ticket.

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While the battle at the top of the log is for two teams to join Enugu Rangers in getting continental ticket, so also it is at the bottom as both Gombe United and Heartland await the two others that will escort them to the lower league.

 Battling to avoid the drop are Sporting Lagos, Doma United, Akwa United and Bayelsa.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Nigerian Football

Nigeria’s 2nd tier league opens its new season in  November

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Nigeria’s NNL gathers momentum at Match Day 17 -

The Nigeria National League 2024/2025 season has been announced to kick off on Saturday 30 November 2024.

According to the Groupings, Southern Conference Group A comprises; Sporting Lagos, Madiba FC, 1472 FC, Gateway United, Dakkada FC, Solution FC, Osun United, Warri Wolves and Kun Khalifa.

In the Southern Conference Group B; Inter Lagos, First Bank, Smart City, Beyond Limits, Godswill Akpabio FC, Edel FC, Igbajo United, Rovers FC and Abia Comets.

In the Northern Conference Group C; Sokoto United, Gombe United, Wikki Tourists, Uejele FC, Malatarki FC, Emalex FC, Kada Warriors, Crown FC and Basira FC.

In the Northern Conference Group D; Kebbi United, Doma United, Yobe Stars, Coal City, Sporting Supreme, Adamawa United, Mighty Jets FC, Barau FC and Zamfara United.kun

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Nigerian Football

Nigerian Women coaches bag CAF C-License certificates

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A total of 30 women coaches who began a first-ever, three-module CAF C-License coaching course in the month of July were presented with their certificates at a colourful closing ceremony in Abuja on Saturday.

Organized by the Nigeria Football Federation, the epochal coaching course saw more than a dozen former stars of the Super Falcons involved in the intensive classroom and on-field sessions that saw the coaches proceed on internship with clubs after the each of the first modules, with the third module ending with examinations at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project, MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, President of NFF,  Ibrahim Musa Gusau charged all participants not to rest on their oars and to be more proactive in their quest to effectively utilize and impact their knowledge in the immediate society.

He noted that his dream is to see women coaches pulling their weight with even men’s teams across the land, with accomplishments to underscore the fact that those appointments were well-deserved.

“We are keen to see you utilize the knowledge you have acquired in this programme. The NFF will interface with the States that own Premier League clubs to integrate you into their system, in order that you are able to acquire more technical knowledge on the field.

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“My dream is to see young women coaches standing in the dugout giving instructions in a men’s team. I will do the best I can to see that this happens during my tenure as the NFF President.”

Earlier, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi had tasked all graduands to productively apply the knowledge they have gained while taking part in the exercise, demanding that they should continue to remain as good ambassadors of themselves and the country at large.

“The knowledge you have acquired, please make sure you apply the same. It is not enough to get the certificate. We hope you will be good ambassadors of this country so that the NFF will be fulfilled, and FIFA and CAF will also be excited about this programme going forward.”

Present as well at the occasion were NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen; Deputy Director Technical, Mrs Faith Ben-Anuge; Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Paul Edeh and; Chairman of Lobi Stars FC, Dr. Phillip Nongu.

 

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Former NFF Protocol officer,  Akpenpuun now Comptroller in Nigeria Immigration Services

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Robert Terlumun Akpenpuun, (R) with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume

Robert Terlumun Akpenpuun, a former Nigeria Premier League match commissioner as well as a protocol officer in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who is now on diplomatic assignment at the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire has been elevated to the position of Assistant Comptroller in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

His promotion to the senior cadre of the NIS comes from an unwavering commitment and dedication to duties.

According to a source in the diplomatic circle, Akpenpuun has “shown exemplary and uncommon strides in improving lives as well as upliftment of the vulnerable as well as the emotionally abused and the downtrodden in the society.”

It was gathered that he recently spearheaded the rescue of Tiv girls trafficked from Nigeria to Abidjan for prostitution.

“He has continued to be a good ambassador of his country, a beacon of hope, a restorer of norms, destinies, and dignity of his people, thus bringing pride, and honour to Nigeria,” the diplomatic source told Sports Village Square.

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 “As the Nigerian Immigration Service continues to drive innovations in Passport Issuance, and Corporate relationships, this promotion of Amb. Akpenpuun to Assistant Comptroller of the NIS attests to its dedication to maintaining the highest standards in its operations, at home, and in foreign missions, while achieving sustained excellence, and progress in the ever-evolving travel, and security landscape.

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