Tag NPFL

NAN-S-1
Strike
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, June 5, 2017 (NAN) Martin Ossy came from the bench to help ABS Football Club of Ilorin FC beat hard-fighting Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna 2-1.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match day 22 2016/2017 NPFL) encounter was played on Sunday in Ilorin at the Kwara Stadium.

Abdullahi Wakili and Samuel Agba started the game brightly for the visitors as they were threatening Ernest Governor and Ibrahim Omolayo in the defence for the Saraki Boys.
The Saraki Boys confidence’ grew gradually into the game as Adeshina Gata became the star of the match whilst his movement forward dangerous on most occasions.

Mohammed Mohammed fired into the roof of the net after a swift turn to put his team ahead 1-0, his 5th of the season and it ended his 17th match goal drought.

After the goal, the visitors responded very well and were almost rewarded for it when Adewale Yinka in goal for ABS had to punch away Shittu Lawal’s free kick to corner kick.

The hosts survived a scare in the 38th minute when they struggled to clear their box and Lawal almost capitalised on it.

With just a few seconds to go for the break, Lukman Hameed tripped Samuel Agba in his own box and the centre referee wasted no time in pointing for the spot kick.

Abdullahi Wakili stepped forward to take it and made no mistake to make it 1-1 in spite of Adewale’s attempt to watch over the ball.

The Saraki Boys responded to half time team talk than their visitors did as they were always bombarding Niger Tornadoes defence, with Gata always giving them a tough time.

The introduction of Martin Ossy and Abubakar Chindo at the restart of the game was the turning point for the Saraki Boys as Tornadoes players found it difficult to cope with the blistering pace of the duo.

Mohammed was wasteful in front of goals in the second half as Gata’s supplies upfront was not wisely utilised by his forwards.

Ossy then arrived at the right time to connect Gata’s pass, dribbling past Kazeem Yekeen before tucking home a beautiful finish.

Speaking after the game, ABS FC coach, Henry Makinwa, said it was a hard earned victory against a very good team.

“You did everything tactically but they are not working for you. I had to send Ossy in to join Mohammed and gave him some instructions which he executed very well.

“I am happy that Mohammed has broken the jinx today, and I hope he can now continue to score” Makinwa said.

His counterpart in Niger Tornadoes, Abubakar Bala, said they were in Ilorin for real business and they almost got a good result.

“We almost got a point but we lost concentration in the late minutes.

“However, we have noticed a few of our mistakes and we are going to work on them before we face Rivers United on Wednesday in Lokoja,” Bala said.

ABS FC will now make a trip to Nnewi for Match Day 23 against FC IfeanyiUbah on Wednesday.(NAN)
OOH/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

NAN-S-10

Mistakes
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, June 4, 2017 (NAN) Coach Augustine Eguavoen of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure on Sunday blamed his team 0-1 loss to the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan on officiating.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sunshine Stars FC lost 0-1 to home team 3SC in an NPFL Match Day 22 fixture played in Ibadan on Sunday.

NAN reports that 3SC got its lone goal through Ibrahim Ajani in the game’s fourth minute, but what would have been the visiting team’s equaliser in the 41st minute was disallowed.

The visiting team had got a goal through Ebitimi Agogo which the centre referee said was scored from an offside position.

Eguaveon, an ex-international, told newsmen that the referee committed several obvious mistakes which were bad for the league.

He stated that such mistakes were not fair, adding that this exercise continued to discourage people from involving themselves in the local league.

“We are all human beings and none is above mistakes, but the referee really made obvious mistakes which were not fair.

“ This discourages me and some of our colleagues from the local league. I have been out of the scene for a while in the local league and this is one of the reasons.

“If you look at the entire league, you will see that only I and Ike Shoronmu remained out of our set.

“People are frustrated with a whole lot of such issues and don’t want to get involved. I think they should try and help our job, particularly, we that are involved.

“If not, I can walk away again and look for other means of fending for my family. I cannot work for a whole week and see someone just come one day to destroy it,’’ the former Super Eagles coach said.

Eguavoen, however, refused to comment on the disallowed goal, saying the decision of the referee was only best known to him.

He said his team would go back home to prepare very hard for their next match, adding that their target was to escape relegation at the end of the season.

On his part, coach Fatai Amoo of 3SC told newsmen that the team needed nothing but to turn its beautiful play to winning matches.

“Successful football does not have to be by playing beautiful football but by carrying it to a winning level. Our game is not bad and all we have to do is to keep winning to get there.
“People tend not to understand that bringing a team and coach together newly requires lot of efforts and time. Our position on the log is bad and I can’t defend that.

“ All we have to do is to keep working hard and improving on such to get there.

“Our next game is against Kano Pillars and we have to work harder. Kano Pillars are not the same as Sunshine Stars,’’ he agreed.

Speaking on the salaries of the players, he stated that he was not a competent authority to speak on such but added the players have been paid salaries in May.

NAN reports that students of Ibadan City Polytechnic were at the stadium to show solidarity for 3SC.(NAN)
TAA/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

NAN-S-9
League‎
Kano, June ‎4,2017 (NAN) Nyima Nwangwa scored a brace on Sunday for Kano Pillars to beat visiting Lobi Stars of Makurdi 2-1 in a 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture.

Goals in the 29th and 49th minutes of the Match Day 22 fixture played at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano gave Pillars victory.‎

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Uchenna Eze’s 85th minute equaliser was not enough to give the visiting Makurdi-based side any reprieve.

Kano Pillars’ coach Ibrahim Musa told newsmen after the match that his team’s performance was good.‎

Musa expressed satisfaction with the game’s outcome, saying he was happy that his boys played according to instructions.

‎Solomon Ogbede, coach of Lobi Stars, also commended his team for their fighting spirit.

“Although we lost the match today against Kano Pillars, but I can say that my boys played well,” he said.‎(NAN)
MNT/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

NAN-S-18

NPFL
Ilorin, May 21, 2017 (NAN) ABS Football Club of Ilorin on Sunday defeated visiting El-Kanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri 2-1 at the Kwara Stadium Complex in Ilorin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the game was a Match Day 20 fixture in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Kehinde Ayinde scored with a beautiful header to put ABS FC in the lead in the 14th minute, while Dele Olorundare headed home the equaliser in the 40th minute.

Chukwuebuka Anaekwe restored the hosts’ lead in the 71st minute when he won the ball in the middle to go on to score.

Reacting to the match, ABS FC’s coach Henry Makinwa, described Anaekwe’s goal is his goal of the season.

“It was a good game. We planned and worked for it and I thank God we earned the three important points.

“We are working hard on the players so that they can deliver all the time. But we have to take things one by one.

“Anaekwe’s goal is incredible. We never taught him that and that is my goal of the season,” Makinwa said.

He said only one of his new signings who came on as a substitutes did well.

“But I will have to give others time to blend,’’ the coach said.

His El-Kanemi Warriors counterpart, Ladan Bosso, said ABS FC’s second goal was unacceptable to him because his boys lost concentration.

He however said he was comfortable with the performances of his new signings and he was confident the Desert Warriors would finish the season on a high.(NAN)

OOH/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

NAN-S-14
Football
Kano, May 21,2017 (NAN) Kano Pillars Football Club on Sunday defeated visiting Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna 1-0 in a week 20 match of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Kano Pillars opened scoring in the 25th minute through Junior Lokosa in the match played behind closed doors at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.

This had followed the sanction by the League Management Company (LMC) on the hosts for disturbances during their 0-1 home loss to Akwa United.

The home team continued to dominate proceedings and could have, at least, doubled the lead but poor marksmanship upfront was their bane.
‎
The result moves Kano Pillars to 11th on the table with 27 points from 20 games.‎

Speaking during the post-match conference, the Kano Pillars’  coach Ibrahim Musa‎ expressed delight at his team’s victory.‎

“It was a good match. Both teams played very well and I am very proud of the boys,’’ he said.

The coach also commended Niger Tornadoes for their fighting spirit.‎

On the team’s next away match against FC Ifeanyi Ubah , Musa said the team would be worked upon to put up a better performance.‎

Niger Tornadoes’ coach Bala Abubakar also commended his players in spite of losing the game.‎(NAN)‎
MNT/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)