GALLANT SUNSHINE OUT OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Gedo guides Al Ahly into the Champions League final

A first-half goal from Gedo was enough to send Al Ahly through to the final of the African Champions League, as the Egyptian giants defeated Sunshine Stars of Nigeria.

Ahly were 1-0 winners on the night, marching through 4-3 on aggregate and on to a meeting with North African rivals Esperance next month.

A deflected shot past goalkeeper Moses Ocheje after 28 minutes settled the second leg of the semi-final after a 3-3 draw in Nigeria two weeks ago.

Ahly controlled most of a match that rarely rose above the ordinary. The contest was played behind closed doors as part of security measures, in place following deadly riots in February.

Gedo could have finished the return match with four goals as the woodwork denied him twice in the opening half and once after the break while Sunshine substitute Harrison Egbune rattled the crossbar in the latter stages.

Sunshine were featuring in the Champions League this season for the first time. Their preparations ahead of the second leg were not without incident, as protesters gathered outside their hotel.

Cairo-based journalist Aaron Ross said: "They were holed up in their hotel for a while and got to the stadium quite late.

"The match was delayed for half an hour but - even then - they had been through quite an ordeal before they ever made it to the match."

Six-time African champions Ahly will face Esperance of Tunisia over two legs during November, with the Egyptians having home advantage first.

LBA 2012 ;MEET ALL THE NOMINESS AND THE WINNERS

All is set for the outstanding actors in the Nigeria premier league to be honored. The event that will give honour to whom honour is due in the just concluded Nigeria premier league season, is the League Bloggers Awards,LBA,which wiill take place on the 28th 0f october,2012 at the Etal hotel in oregun lagos by 4pm.

Honours will be given to outstandings actors in twelve categories,which include the player of the year,a category which is already a sold out and the league followers are eagerly awaiting the winner of the prestigious category where top league performer like the Super Eagles dependable duo of Godfrey oboabona (sunshine fc),Rueben Gabriel (Kano pillars) will slug it with the league veteran David Tyavkase,(Lobi stars), and the league hotshot Sibi Gwar (Niger Tonardoes)

we present to you list of all nominees and the categories

LBA Nominees & Categories

1. Rookie of the Year

•Solomon Jabason (Akwa United)

•Austin Amutu (Warri Wolves)

•Andrew Abalogu (ABS)

•Bright Esieme (ABS)

2. Best Goalkeeper

•Femi Thomas (Akwa United)

•Moses Ocheje (Sunshine Stars)

•Theophilus Afelokhai (Kano Pillars)

•Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)

3. Best Foreigner

•Ousmane Pape Sane (Sharks/Senegal)

•Tamen Medrano (Sunshine Stars/Cameroon)

•Pierre Coly (Sharks/Senegal)

•Adama Coulibaly (Warri Wolves/Mali)

•Owusu Addae (Dolphins/Ghana)

4. Club of the Year

•Kano Pillars

•ABS

•Lobi Stars

•Enugu Rangers

5. Best Designed Club Jersey

•3SC (OWU)

•Warri Wolves (NOMIS)

•Kano Pillars (Cone)

6. Highest Goal Scorer Award

•Sibi Gwar - 16 goals

7. Manager of the Year (NPL)

•Okey Emordi (Enugu Rangers)

•Dominic Iorfa (Lobi Stars)

•Baba Ganaru (Kano Pillars)

8. Manager of the Year (Africa)

•Maurice Cooreman (Warri Wolves)

•Gbenga Ogunbote (Sunshine Stars)

•Lodewijk de Kruif (Heartland)

•Stanley Eguma (Dolphins)

9. Best National Team Player

•Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers)

•Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)

•Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars)

•Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves)

10. Player of The Year

•Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars)

•David Tyavkase (Lobi Stars)

•Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars)

•Sibi Gwar (Niger Tornadoes)

11. Best Referee

•Benjamin Odey

•Gabriel Adigwe

•Jelili Ogunmuyiwa

•Mohammed Sani

12. Club Administrator of the Year

•Dominic Iorfa (Lobi Stars)

•Abba Galadima (Kano Pillars)

•Amaju Pinnick (Warri Wolves)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

•Dubic Beer

•ULO

•SuperSport

•Lucozade Sport

•ROBB

•Marina Medical Services (HMO) Limited

The LBA is the initiative of three Nigerian bloggers - Naijapremierleague.net (run by Aikhoje), Naijaligue.blogspot.com (run by George Akpayen) and Naijafootball247.com (run by China Acheru).

PS; YOURS SINCERELY WAS AT THE AWARD PRESENTATION VENUE ,THEN DECIDED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THIS POST,WATCHOUT FOR ACOMPREHENSIVE REPORT OF HOW IT WENT DOWN AT THE AWARD NITE............the behind scenes, never been told stories etc

THE AWARD WINNERS ARE THE FOLLOWING

Rookie of the Year                                               Andrew Abalogu (ABS)

Goalkeeper of the year                                     Theopheolus Afolokhai (kano pillars)
Best foreigner                                                        Tamen Medrano (sunshine stars and cameroon)
club of the year                                                     kano pillars
Best Designed club jersey                                3SC OWU
Highest goal scorer                                             Sibi gwar   Niger tornadoes 16 goals
Manager of the year NPL                                 Dominic iorfa          ( lobi stars) 
Manager of the year (AFRICA)                       Gbenga ogunbote  (sunshine)
Best national team player of the year          Reuben Gabriel        (kano pillars)
Player of the year                                                 Reuben Gabriel         (kano pillars)
Best Referee of the year                                    Gabriel Adigwe





By olusola adebayo

CAF CL; Sunshine looking for rain at the desert

This weekend in the caf champions league,sunshine fc of nigeria will be faced with the audacious task of climbing a rough and tall mountain in the desert in the 2nd leg of the caf champions league semi-final, having played a 3-3 draw in Ijebu Ode Ogun state Nigeria with Ahly of egypt,for them to survive they need more than a miracle as they have been promised hell by oppossition coach and that the desert may be hotter than expected for the Akure based club,little wonder the management of the team seek and got  the blessings of  Bishop David Oyedepo at the cannan land in ota before embarking on the journey to the city of the pyramids,as they attempt to emulate kano pillars'  feat of  2009 when pillars eliminated the africa giant,against all odds, from the competition with a 2-2 draw.

Ahly are firmly in the driving seat. They know that Sunshine Stars will have to attack because they need an outright victory to advance out at least a 4-4 draw and that could leave the Nigerians exposed and vulnerable at the back.

Ahly coach Hossam Al Badry is preparing for Sunshine to come forward, he told  BCC sport that he expect sunshine to attack from onset so that his team can benefit from their defensive frailities

"I expect our opponents to attack from the start as a draw does not favour them. Sunshine have not lost hope of reaching the final and I anticipate they will fight to the end."

The match will be played at the June 30 stadium, a venue the Cairo club will be using for the first time and which will be virtually empty with the team forced once again to play behind closed doors.

No spectators have been permitted at Ahly home fixtures after more than 70 died in post-match rioting after the Cairo club lost a domestic league match against bitter rivals Al Masry last February in Port Said.

Sunshine coach Gbenga Ogunbote blames a pre-first leg strike over unpaid signing-on fees for a below-par showing in which his side constantly played catch-up, wiping out 2-0 and 3-2 deficits and hope for a better show in cairo

"We trained for only four days and that is not enough when you are facing Ahly. My boys were unable to raise their game at crucial periods and I hope for a much better showing in Cairo." 

The winner of the match will face the winner of the TP Mzembe/ Esperance,the other semi final clash in tunisia,both teams have plenty to play for as both team end it in a goalless draw  

The final will be staged over two legs during November with a two-week break between fixtures and the champions pocket $1.5m plus a place at the 2012 Club World Cup in Japan.

 words by olusola adebayo with additional report from the Bcc sports

WORLDCUP 2014 ;South America Groups and Standings

South America

• Round 1

Group Matches

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Argentina	9	6	2	1	20	7	20
Ecuador	9	5	2	2	12	9	17
Colombia	8	5	1	2	14	6	16
Venezuela	9	3	3	3	8	9	12
Uruguay	9	3	3	3	16	18	12
Chile	9	4	0	5	14	18	12
Bolivia	9	2	2	5	12	14	8
Peru	9	2	2	5	10	15	8
Paraguay	9	2	1	6	6	16	7

world cup 2014 Oceania ; Groups and Standings

Qualifiers

Oceania

• Groups and Standings

• Round 3

Group matches

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
New Zealand	4	4	0	0	13	1	12
New Caledonia	4	3	0	1	15	4	9
Solomon Islands	4	1	0	3	5	17	3
Tahiti	4	0	0	4	0	11	0

WORLD CUP 2014:North, Central America and CaribbeanGroups and Standings

Qualifiers

North, Central America and Caribbean

• Groups and Standings

• Round 3

Group A

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
USA	6	4	1	1	11	6	13
Jamaica	6	3	1	2	9	6	10
Guatemala	6	3	1	2	9	8	10
Antigua and Barbuda	6	0	1	5	4	13	1

Group B

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Mexico	6	6	0	0	15	2	18
Costa Rica	6	3	1	2	14	5	10
El Salvador	6	1	2	3	8	11	5
Guyana	6	0	1	5	5	24	1

Group C

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Honduras	6	3	2	1	12	3	11
Panama	6	3	2	1	6	2	11
Canada	6	3	1	2	6	10	10
Cuba	6	0	1	5	1	10	1												Team MP W D L GF GA Pts Costa Rica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Honduras 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jamaica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The match schedule will be announced at a later stage. The matches for Round 4 will be played as of February

WORLDCUP 2014; ASIA GROUPS AND STANDING

Qualifiers

QUALIFIERS; ROUND 4

Group A

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Korea Republic	4	2	1	1	9	4	7
Iran	4	2	1	1	2	1	7
Uzbekistan	4	1	2	1	4	4	5
Qatar	4	1	1	2	2	5	4
Lebanon	4	1	1	2	2	5	4

Group B

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Japan	4	3	1	0	11	1	10
Australia	4	1	2	1	4	4	5
Oman	4	1	2	1	3	5	5
Jordan	4	1	1	2	4	10	4
Iraq	4	0	2	2	3	5	2