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Nigerian Football

NFF/ZENITH U13 & U15 TOURNEY: SOUTH WEST, SOUTH SOUTH EMERGE CHAMPIONS

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South West U13 Boys and South South U15 Boys have emerged champions in this year’s edition of Future Eagles U13 and U15 tournaments organized by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) sponsored by Zenith International Bank.

The three-day youth football event which was held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium was concluded on Sunday night. The NFF Youth Football Committee headed by the NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi introduced a new format for the two categories, with the positive implication that the League format ensured all the zones played more games compared to the previous editions.

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Zenith Bank’s Ita presenting trophy to the South West U13 team.

The six geo-political zones produced two teams (U13 and U15) respectively for the championship to make it 12 teams that participated in the National finals after the Zonal events was held few months ago. Over 200 youth players featured in the tournaments.

“We found out that it breeds more competitiveness among the teams in every match and it helps the players to play more matches. For the first time all matches were played in one venue to implement this new format,” Akinwunmi told thenff.com.

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NFF VP1 Seyi Akinwunmi with other NFF Executive members and Zenith Bank officials during the championships.

“The objective is not only to ultimately identify and nurture the best Nigerian young players in the U13 and U15 categories each year, but also to encourage Boys Clubs and Academies to register with their respective State FAs in order to enable their players participate in this competition, to address the alleged scourge of age cheating, to expose the children to other cultures and teach them new social skills.

“We will not rest on our oars but instead continue to improve the program. We have this year invited the National U17 chief coach Manu Garba to witness the tournament, make his observations and give advice. We intend to include a female version of the program,  and have the trainers program and certification for our youth coaches which will take place prior to the next edition.

“I am impressed the tournament is getting more competitive, the adults are gaining more understanding about youth tournaments, there is more technical input at the U15 and the U13 levels and we have talented boys who can express themselves brilliantly in match situation.

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“I was particularly impressed with the officiating by the young referees. I have a lot of hope for the future of football in Nigeria, and I want to appreciate the Akwa Ibom FA and the State Government for their efforts.”

South West U13 Boys spanked North Central U13 Boys 5-0 in the final game to finish top of the U13 event group with 15 points from five games, three points ahead of second-placed South South who finished second with 12 points. Light Chijioke’s hat-trick and two goals from Francis Ajibola and Oyedeji Segun sealed the title for the South West Boys.

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The U15 final produced a photo-finish between South East U15 Boys and South South U15 Boys in the final game.

Before the final game South East were top of the table with 12 points while South South had 10 points and placed second.

First half of the encounter was cagey and ended goalless, but two quick second half goals from Isaac Ekom and Joseph Atie propelled the South South Boys to a 2-0 win in the final game, as they emerged champions in the U15 event with one point ahead of South East.

Officials of Zenith Bank led by Assistant General Manager and Akwa Ibom Zonal Head, Asuquo Ita were impressed by the performance of the boys as the two final matches recorded seven goals.

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Ita, who took the official kickoff and was honoured to meet with the players of the four teams, presented the medals and trophy to the winners and applauded the idea behind the Future Eagles project while commending the Federation.

“We are impressed with the level of football development at this grassroots stage and the abundant of work the NFF has put into organizing this amazing programs for youth football.

“I am a lover of football and I do follow all Nigeria national teams, we are happy to associate with football at this grassroots level and we’ll continue to work with the NFFto improve the project yearly.

“Obviously, there are talents in this country and it’s important we create an environment for competition and exposure for the kids to explore,” Ita told thenff.com.

NFF Executive Member and Akwa Ibom FA Chairman, Emmanuel Ibah; NFF Executive Member and Enugu State FA Chairman, Chidi Ofo Okenwa; NFF Executive Member and Ogun State FA Chairman, Ganiyu Majekodunmi and; Golden Eaglets head coach, Manu Garba witnessed this year’s edition in Uyo.

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U15 Category – Day 1 Results

North West 1-3 South East 

South South 3-0 North Central 

North East 2-4 South West

North Central 0-2 North West

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South East 2-1 South West 

South South 1-0 North East

South West 1-2 North West 

North Central 3-4 South East

U13 Category – Day 1 Results

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North East 0-0 South East

North Central 0-3 South South

South East 0-2 South West

North East 1-0 North West

South East 5-1 North Central

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South South 5-0 North West 

South West 2-0 North East 

North West 1-1 North Central

South West 1-0 South South

U15 Category – Day 2 Results

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South South 2-1 North West

North Central 0-3 North East

South West 1-1 South South

North East 0-2 South East

North Central 0-8 South West

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North East 0-2 South East

North West 3-1 North East

South East 0-2 South South

U13 Category – Day 2 Results

South South 2-0 South East

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South West 3-0 North West

North Central 0-2 North East

North West 0-7 South East

North East 0-2 South South North Central 0-5 South West

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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.

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Nigerian Football

Season’s first win for Akwa United and Ikorodu City

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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.

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Nigerian Football

Behold! Nigeria Football’s October 8 Magic

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Nigeria’s Godwin Iwelumo terrorising Egypt’s goalmouth 47 years ago in an October 8 match. Nigeria won 4-0 inflicting the worst ever defeat on Egypt in a World Cup qualifier.

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.

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 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!

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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.
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Nigerian Football

 Rivers flow to the top!

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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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