Nigerian Football
Covenant University @ 20: Team CUALA finishes third at alumni novelty football tournament
Team CUALA narrowly missed out of the final to finish third as Bells University emerged champions of the Alumni Novelty Football tournament to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.
The event which took place at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos was organized by the Covenant University Alumni Association (CUALA) had six university alumni teams namely; Afe Babalola University, Bells University, Covenant University (host), Landmark University, Redeemers University and University of Ibadan.
The event kicked off with three knock-out rounds. In the first knock-out match between Redeemers University and Afe Babalola University, Redeemers won 2-1 to advance.
The second knock-out match between Landmark University and the University of Ibadan ended in a 1-1 draw at full-time. UI won the penalty shoot-out 3-2.
In the local derby, a clash to determine who rules Ota, Covenant University took on Bells University of Technology. also ended in a penalty round after a 1-1 draw. Fifteen minutes into the game, Bells opened scoring from open play and took the lead into the break.
When second half action resumed, Team CUALA pumped up the heat. Their efforts paid off when Leroy Datuowei scored with a fantastic header.
After regulation time, the result stayed 1-1. Unfortunately, Bishop David Oyedepo boys lost 4-3 in the penalty shootout.
Both teams met again in the semis and the result didn’t change. Bells University beat Covenant University 1– 0 to reach the final.
In the second semi-final match, University of Ibadan beat Redeemers University 3-2 via penalties to book a final place after they played 1-1 at full time.
In the third place match, Covenant University beat Redeemers University 1 – 0 courtesy of another fine goal by Leroy Datuowei. Bells University took their fine form into the final to beat the University of Ibadan 2-1.
President of the Covenant University Alumni Association (CUALA), Kemi Onabanjo-Joseph said the novelty match has produced the right mood to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the institution.
“In commemorating the 20th anniversary of our beloved alma mater, Covenant University, we thought it would be important to extend the celebration to the broader society, including other alumni communities.
“Football is a unifying game, despite how competitive it can get, and we decided to leverage the novelty tournament as a platform to bring communities together for value exchange.
“The event turned out even better than we expected. All the teams brought their A-games, new friendships were formed and we are sure that the connections made yesterday will be value-adding.
“We are grateful to the alumni associations that accepted our invitation and look forward to an expanded tournament next year and beyond,” she concluded.
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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