Nigerian Football
CARLOS PUYOL IGNITES UYO FANS WITH UCL TOUR BY HEINEKEN
The quiet city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, erupted with ecstasy moments the long awaited UEFA Champions League Tour got underway Tuesday morning when former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol brought the famous Big Ears, the UEFA Champions League Trophy sponsored by Heineken to the public glare.
The symbolic entry first at the Emerald Event center where the World Press conference took place was backed by an ensemble of former Nigeria internationals; Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju Austine Eguavoen and ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, Puyol held aloft the UCL Trophy on stage for the first public view of the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy.
The three-time winner of the Champions League with FC Barcelona,Puyol addressed the gathering that also had in attendance, indigenes of the State explained that his excitement at coming to Uyo and being able to see the Super Eagles legends who he played against as the Star Shine Shine Bobo Team during the Unmissable game at the Uyo International Stadium later in the day.
“I am very happy to be here in Nigeria for the UEFA Champions League Tour and I am very excited for the match tonight,” Puyol remarked.
He also stated that the Champions League always holds great memories for him and he is happy to continuously be associated with the competition.
“The title in 2006 was significant for me because Barcelona had not won the Champions League for a long time. It also has extra significance because my father actually came to the stadium to see me play before he died,” he explained as the audience all applauded the emotional family moment shared.
Nigeria Breweries MD, Jordi Borrut-Bel expressed the delight of the company at bringing the Unmissable match to Uyo in partnership with the state government that had assured of a wonderful atmosphere for the encounter.
Emmanuel Oriakhi stated that Uyo is the perfect place to be
for football in Nigeria and they expected the city to turn out enmasse for the event.
Later in the afternoon before the Unmissable match, the officials of Nigerian Breweries with the Ambassador paid a courtesy visit to the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel and there after it was the turn of the general public to have a fair share of the excitement powered by Heineken when the iconic Big Ear went on road show which afforded the passionate fans to have a view of the trophy before the final destination to the stadium for the football match.
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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