Nigerian Football
PEOPLES’ ELEPHANT, ENYIMBA DROWNS IN RIVERS TO END 12-MATCH UNBEATEN RUN
BY SAMMY WEJINYA
Ossy Martins struck early as an impressive Rivers United side snapped ‘People’s Elephant’, Enyimba’s 12-match unbeaten run in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Wednesday with a richly deserved 1-0 victory.
United could have won more handsomely but for some impressive goalkeeping heroics by the Enyimba goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai who produced a stunning double save late on to keep the score respectable.
The win at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt keeps United in the hunt for a playoff ticket as they now sit just two points behind the third placed MFM FC who have amassed 28 points from 18 matches.
Enyimba started Wednesday’s contest on the front football and should have opened the scoring in the second minute when an unmarked Chinedu Udechukwu rose highest to head Stanley Dimgba’s cross narrowly wide.
It was a premonition the hosts failed to heed as the irrepressible visitors, seemingly buoyed by their assured start to the contest, continued to step on the accelerator.
Former national U20 star, Simon Zenke was the next to ask an attacking question, from an Enyimba perspective as his fierce strike off a defence-splitting Chinedu Udeagha pass skimmed across the face of the United goal with goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande well-beaten.
The hosts then took over, creating the better chances for the rest of the half.
It was therefore no real surprise when they took the lead on 12 minutes through Ossy Martins’ simple tap in, following good work, off a thrilling team move, by Wasiu Jimoh and Malachi Ohawume.
Wasiu, Martins and Kehinde Adedipe all had gilt-edged opportunities to score before the game hit the may way stage as the ‘Pride off Rivers’ looked to rapidly put the game to bed.
United continued to boss proceedings and enjoyed two more excellent opportunities on the stroke of half time through Martins and Adedipe as they looked to put daylight between themselves and the visitors.
Enyimba improved after the break and enjoyed fleeting moments of joy.
Their best chances at restoring parity against a badly flagging United side arrived 14 minutes from time when Udechukwu produced two great efforts in about a minute – the first from a freekick and another with a great turn – but the United rear guard stood resolute.
Moments earlier, Akande saved Faourk Mohammed’s free kick brilliantly as the visitors desperately looked to preserve their unbeaten run which was, at that stage, hanging by a thread.
The introduction of pint-sized Esor Nelson, in the second half breathed new life into the United side that finished the game on the ascendancy.
Only an extraordinary double save by Afelokhai in the 85th minute prevented Nelson and Martins from adding to United’s advantage.
Afelokhai was again, in outstanding form to deny the nifty Nelson whose pinging effort from a tight angle, late on, seemed destined for the far corner.
It was a richly deserved win for the hosts who can now afford to dream of a place in the playoff places.
Head coach of Enyimba, Usman Abdalah was quick to offer words of praise to United as he saw his side’s long standing winning run come to a shuddering half.
“Rivers United gave a very good account of themselves and they deserved to win,” Abdallah said.
United’s technical manager, Stanley Eguma also voiced his sentiments as he spoke to the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“There is improvement in our team as we have been playing some great football recently. We played better than Enyimba today and we will continue working harder,” he said.
Rivers United now sit in fourth place on the NPFL standings with 26 points from 18 matches.
The Port Harcourt club will now embark on a length trip to Illorin where they will face Kwara United on Sunday.
The Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday inaugurated its Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee ahead of elections into its Executive Committee for the 2026–2030 term.
NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau performed the inauguration at the federation’s secretariat in Abuja, charging members to carry out their responsibilities with integrity, neutrality and professionalism.
Gusau urged the committees to discharge their duties without bias, stressing the importance of credibility in a process that will shape the future leadership of Nigerian football.
Speaking on behalf of the committees, Matthew Burka’a assured stakeholders that the exercise would meet the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
“We will approach this task with the seriousness it deserves. On behalf of all the members, I assure the NFF, football-loving Nigerians and the world at large that we are going to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable election,” Burka’a said.
He added that the committees were mindful of the global attention on the process, including from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football, and pledged to deliver what could become a benchmark for future elections within and beyond football administration.
Committee Composition
The Electoral Committee comprises Matthew Burka’a (SAN), Alhaji Babagoni Grema, Bature Musa, Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie and Akogun Olugbenga Omole, with Arinze Azubuike Anughele and Abayomi Akin Omoyimi serving as alternate members.
The Electoral Appeals Committee is made up of Hon. Justice C. J. Aneke, Benjamin Sati and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal, with FIFA Emmanuel Dada Obafemi and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam listed as alternates.
In line with NFF statutes, the General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, will serve as secretary to both committees.
Election Date Fixed
The NFF also confirmed that elections into its Executive Committee will take place on September 26, 2026, in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by key stakeholders, including Philip Shaibu, NFF First Vice President Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Executive Committee members Silas Agara and George Aluo, alongside senior management and staff of the federation.
With preparations now formally underway, attention will turn to the electoral process as stakeholders await what has been promised as a transparent and credible exercise to usher in a new leadership era for Nigerian football.
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Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, will rekindle rivalries with Poland and Portugal in high-profile international friendlies scheduled for June, marking only the second time the Nigerian team will meet the two nations at the senior level.
The fixtures come on the back of Nigeria’s recent international outings in Antalya, Turkey, where they defeated Iran and held World Cup-bound Jordan to a 2-2 draw, signalling renewed optimism within the squad despite missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, the Super Eagles will first take on Poland on June 3 at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, before travelling to Portugal for a second clash on June 10 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Renewing Rivalries
Nigeria’s previous encounter with Poland remains a positive memory. On March 23, 2018, the Super Eagles secured a 1-0 victory in Wroclaw, courtesy of a 61st-minute penalty converted by Victor Moses after he was fouled in the box. The match served as preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
However, their only senior meeting with Portugal tells a different story. On November 17, 2022, Nigeria suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the European side in Lisbon, with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice, while Gonçalo Ramos and João Mário added further goals in a dominant display.
That result remains one of Nigeria’s most crushing defeats the Super Eagles have ever suffered since the 1998 5-1 loss to the Netherlands.
Portugal’s World Cup Tune-Up
The upcoming clash will also serve as a crucial preparatory fixture for the Portugal national football team, who will head into the game as part of their final build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
For Nigeria, however, the matches represent an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition and rebuild confidence after missing out on the global showpiece.
Beyond the June friendlies, the Super Eagles are also scheduled to participate in the Unity Cup Tournament in London from May 26 to 30, where they will defend their title. The traditional teams of the tournament include Ghana and Jamaica.
The combination of competitive fixtures and high-level friendlies is expected to provide the head coach and technical crew with a broader platform to assess players and refine tactics ahead of future international engagements.
With mixed results in recent outings but flashes of promise, the upcoming matches against Poland and Portugal could prove pivotal in shaping Nigeria’s next phase on the international stage.
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The Lagos Legends Club has called on the Federal Government, state governments and key stakeholders in the sports sector to support the burial of former Nigerian international Henry Nwosu, describing him as a national icon deserving of a dignified farewell.
Nwosu, a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), is scheduled to be laid to rest in Owerri on May 16, 2026.
In a press release, the Lagos Legends Club—a fraternity of former Nigerian footballers—said it had taken initial steps to ensure a befitting burial for its departed member, but stressed that the responsibility should not be left to ex-players alone.
The group described Nwosu as more than just a footballer, noting his historic contribution to Nigerian football, including scoring the country’s only goal at the 1980 Olympic Games in a 1-1 draw against Czechoslovakia.
“For decades, he served as an inspiration to millions and a mentor to countless players who followed,” the statement read. “Yet, like too many of our sports heroes, his final years were marked by struggle rather than comfort.”
The club urged government authorities, particularly the governors of Edo, Lagos, Abia, Anambra and Enugu states, to recognise that Nwosu’s legacy transcends regional boundaries and belongs to the entire nation.
It also called on the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and corporate organisations to rise to the occasion and support the burial arrangements.
“We have witnessed remarkable gestures from individuals who understand that a nation is judged by how it treats its heroes,” the statement added. “We now urge all stakeholders to emulate this and ensure that Henry Nwosu is honoured in death as he was in life.”
The Lagos Legends Club emphasised that the approaching burial date presents an opportunity for Nigerian football and the nation at large to demonstrate unity and gratitude.
“The clock ticks toward May 16, 2026. Let this not be a testament to neglect, but a statement of national appreciation,” the group said.
Nwosu, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s finest midfielders of his generation, remains a celebrated figure in the country’s football history, with his legacy continuing to inspire both players and fans.
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