Goals Galore as the HIFL returns to the Pitch with Week 4 games

Action resumes at the on going 2019 HiFL ,Higher Institution Football League after last week break. 

The break was necessary to pave way for the 'Coaching the coach ' program where the coaches of the participating teams were taught on new tactical and technical aspects of the game .

Andy Smith, the technical director Man city football school led the team of experts in the two day event which was held I  lagos last week.

 The coaches no doubt were eager to apply what they learn and the week 4 matches live up to Expectations as FUTMINNA transformers put five goals past Nile Rovers of Abuja.

The new entrant from Abuja can only reply with one  goal. The match took place at the Nile Phoenix stadium Abuja.

 DVC Administration, Prof. Kayode Adebowale presenting the Man of the Match award to UI Pioneers Defender, Oyesina Emmanuel after the Higher Institutions Football league match between UI Pioneers and ABUAD Stars in Ibadan….

At the Ibadan  centre,LASU Blazers blew off resistance from the Lead City Gladiators as the lagos University team came from a goal deficit to beat their opponent by two goals to one.

In the Opening match at the Ibadan centre, the UI Pioneers failed to take maximum points at stake despite playing in front of their crowd at the University of Ibadan sports company,Afe Babalola University ABUAD stars share the spoils with the boys from UI.

Action continues in both centres tommorrow ,

The league is organised by Pace Sports and Entertainment Marketing in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA). The top 32 Universities from NUGA-member institutions will play over a period of 21 weeks, with the final four billed for the Agege Stadium, Lagos. 

The league is proudly sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Premier cool

AFCON 2019: Nigeria edge Cameroon 3-2 to reach quarter finals . Eagles versus Bafana Bafana on Wednesday

                                                                                          

Nigeria ejected Cup holders Cameroon out of the 32^nd Africa Cup of Nations after a brace by Odion Ighalo spearheaded a spirited fightback at the Alexandria Stadium on Saturday.

 

The Round of 16 clash was not given much of a rating after Nigeria suffered a nightmarish 2-0 defeat by lowly Madagascar in their final group match on Saturday and Cameroon failed to defeat Benin Republic and ended up in second place in their pool.

 

Yet, the rivalry between both neighbouring countries made for a cagey start, with the Super Eagles, who sliced the Indomitable Lions to tiny bits in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying race, showing more urgency and purpose at the fore.

 

Moses Simon had dithered unexpectedly as Cameroon slipped in defence before Odion Ighalo, top scorer in the qualifying race with seven goals, put Nigeria ahead after connecting from a pass by Kenneth Omeruo in a melee that ensued following Oghenekaro Etebo’s free kick from the left. This was in the 19^th minute. The ball deflected off a Cameroonian defender past goalkeeper Andre Onana.

 

Three minutes later, Simon fired a shot that was held by Onana, and at the other end, Stephane Bahoken, Clinton Njie and Choupo-Moting harassed the Nigeria defence as Kenneth Omeruo, William Ekong and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi showed frail nerves.

 

The Cup holders equalized in the 41^st minute when Bahoken lashed home from a pull out as the Nigeria defence ball –watched, and then shot into the lead three minutes later when Njie shook off the feeble challenge of Ola Aina and shot past Akpeyi.

 

Six minutes after the restart, Nigeria nearly conceded an own goal as Omeruo and Ekong faltered at the rear. On the hour, Nigeria introduced former junior international Samuel Chukwueze, and this brought some verve, zeal and energy into the Super Eagles’ attack.

 

Three minutes later, Chukwueze’s brilliant run ended with defender Chidozie Awaziem’s cross, which Ahmed Musa cleverly chested for the better –placed Ighalo to fire home his and Nigeria’s second of the evening.

 

With AFCON legends Nwankwo Kanu and Samuel Eto’o (who played against each other in the 2000 and 2004 finals, with honours even) seated in the VIP box, both teams chased a tie-breaker but it was Nigeria that got it in the 66^th minute. They profited from their ascendancy with a clinical strike by Alex Iwobi from a smart pass by Ighalo.

 

AIthough they were hardly spectacular on the night, with most moves rather lumberous and ponderous, Ighalo’s man-of-the-match performance egged on the Super Eagles and eventually landed them in the quarter finals, in which they confront South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday.

 

1996 champions South Africa shocked host nation Egypt 1-0 at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday evening, setting up another clash with familiar foes Nigeria, whom they defeated 2-0 in Uyo but had to force to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg in the qualifying series for this championship.

 

Saturday’s feat was the sixth time that Nigeria would eliminate a defending champion from the Africa Cup of Nations. In 1976, a young squad captained by Christian Chukwu mauled then Cup holders Zaire (now DR Congo) 4-2 in Ethiopia, and in 1984, Nigeria edged Cup holders Ghana 2-1 in Cote d’Ivoire.

 

In 1994, on the way to winning a second title, the Super Eagles sent packing Cup holders Cote d’Ivoire after penalties in the semi final, and in 2004, bundled out Cameroon (winners in Mali in 2002) 2-1 in a quarter final match in Monastir, Tunisia.

 

Two years later, incidentally in Egypt, the Super Eagles ejected Cup holders Tunisia after penalties in an interesting quarter final match in Port Said.

 

NFF partners AITEO, Nigeria’s leading energy solution company, will reward the team with the sum of $75,000, after promising the sum of $25,000 for one goal before the match against Cameroon.  

Soname to Chair Ogun State sports Commission

The foremost Sport enthusiast and financier; and the owner of the largest sport betting company, bet9ja, Mr. Kunle Soname in my office.

Mr. Soname has graciously agreed to Chair the Ogun state Sports Commission once the government puts all the enabling law in place

According to his Excellency, Dapo Abiodun MFR after he hosted kunle soname in his office on Friday

"We assured him of our government's support, adding that  his coming home would inspire other sons and daughters to invest and follow his path."

The Governor continued, 

"As a government, we had challenged Mr. Soname who is a proprietor of a football club in Europe to come home and invest in the state by rebranding an redefining sport in our state as we believed he could also help with the state owned football team that is not really performing well"

In his remark, Mr. Kunle Soname noted that he would partner the state in terms of grassroot development of sports, adding that he would also invite his friends to invest in Ogun State. 

AFCON 2019 Round of 16 : Nigeria and Cameroon renew AFCON rivalry

 

Three –time champions Nigeria and five –time winners Cameroon go toe-to-toe in an Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 match that could well determine the future of new squads being built by both nations.

 

Both teams finished runner –up in their respective groups despite being rated to top, and low fire power is a constant variable in both camps with only two goals in each team’s kitty.

 

Nigeria, winners in 2013 and having reached the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the current AFCON campaign respectively with a match to spare, suffered a nightmarish 0-2 defeat to lowly Madagascar in their final Group B game they were expected to win well without sweat. But Cup holders Cameroon also bombed on bookmakers by drawing blank in their final Group F encounter with the Squirrels of Benin Republic.

 

Cameroon have had the upper hand against Nigeria in AFCON history, although Nigeria has won 13 of 22 encounters in all with the fierce neighbours at senior level, and humiliated the Indomitable Lions in the race to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

 

It is also on record that the Lions have not beaten the Super Eagles in regulation time since 27^thAugust 1989, when an under-strength Nigeria side lost 0-1 in Yaounde in an Italia 1990 World Cup qualifier –two weeks after Samuel Okwaraji died in another World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos.

 

In 1984, in an entertaining AFCON final in Abidjan, Cameroon came from one goal down to defeat Nigeria 3-1, exhibiting the quality and experience that had made them unbeaten at the FIFA World Cup in Spain two years earlier. Four years later, at the same stage in Casablanca, the Lions were less convincing, as Nigeria lost following Mauritanian referee Idrissa Saar’s inexplicable decision to disallow a goal by Henry Nwosu in the first half, and then award a soft penalty to the Lions early in the second half.

 

Again in the final, in 2000, it was even more controversial. A 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time was followed by a penalty shootout, during which Tunisian referee Mourad Daami controversially ruled out the kick by Victor Ikpeba that television replays later showed to have crossed the line behind goalkeeper Alioum Boukar.

 

Nigeria got some revenge in 2004, when Jay Jay Okocha spearheaded a comeback in a quarter final tie in Monastir, Tunisia that ended 2-1 in favour of Nigeria, and after waiting 13 years, the Eagles dismantled reigning African champions Cameroon 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Uyo before a 1-1 draw in Yaounde days later.

 

Saturday’s encounter at the 20,000 –capacity Alexandria Stadium will be a fight-to-finish, as both teams are undergoing some sort of restructuring in playing personnel and introspection on recent below-par performances.

 

Despite lifting a fifth African title in Gabon 30 months ago, Cameroon failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and were less than convincing in qualifying for this tournament.

 

On their part, Nigeria failed to reach the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, and despite earning a ticket to Egypt with a match to spare, analysts have drawn daggers for Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr on perceived lack of bravery in selection and lack of clear playing pattern of his team.

 

While Nigeria appears to be seeing the last active days of captain Mikel Obi on the international road, Cameroon have excluded big goal-poacher Vincent Aboubakar from this tournament altogether.

 

Yet, all things must fall nicely in place for the Super Eagles on Saturday as they seek a place in the tournament quarter finals, with young horses Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina, Chidozie Awaziem and even the experienced Odion Ighalo aware they cannot afford to falter at this stage in their AFCON debut.

 

With Mikel injured and certain to be on the bench, the burden is on Ahmed Musa’s shoulders to rally the troop from the humiliation by Madagascar and launch offensive after offensive that will break down the traditionally –strong Lions rearguard.

 

While Nigeria’s senior team has not played many games on 6^thJuly in the past, they pipped Tunisia 1-0 in a 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lagos on 6^th July 1985. Other matches prosecuted in the month of July include a 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat of Tunisia (2-0) in Lagos on 12^th July 1980; a 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat of Algeria (4-1) in Lagos on 13^thJuly 1993; a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat of Sudan (4-0) in Omdurman on 1^st July 2001 and; a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat of Algeria (1-0) in Abuja on 3^rd July 2004.

 

AFCON 2019 ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES

 

Egypt Vs South Africa

Madagascar Vs DR Congo

Nigeria Vs Cameroon

Senegal Vs Uganda

Algeria Vs Guinea

Morocco Vs Benin Republic

Mali Vs Cote d’Ivoire

Ghana Vs Tunisia

Bench warrant on four NFF officials abates as counsel fulfils court’s requirements

The bench warrant issued on Monday, 1^st July against four top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja with regards to a case brought by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) has died a natural death, after the defence counsel submitted on Tuesday morning the documents requested by the court.

 

In the covering note signed by Barrister Mohammed Sani Katu and addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, the defence counsel affirmed that “in compliance with the proceedings of 1^st July 2019 wherein this honourable court directed the issuance of a Bench Warrant against the 2^nd– 5^th Defendants (Seyi Akinwunmi, Shehu Dikko, Sanusi Mohammed and Yusuf Ahmed Fresh) which shall abate upon the submission of evidence of participation in the ongoing Total Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2019.

 

“We are thus forwarding, herewith, the Official Accreditation Documents for the tournament of the defendants and travelling documents to Egypt evidencing their participation and official status as representatives of Nigeria at the continental tournament, which necessitated their absence in court on 1^st July 2019.” Also attached were copies of entry visas into Egypt, and Europe, for those of them who travelled direct from the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France to Egypt.

 

The documents were submitted on Tuesday morning and have been duly filed.

 

It woud be recalled that at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday 1^st July 2019, Justice Ojukwu had issued a conditional bench warrantagainst the four officials, meaning that the warrant would die naturally and there would be no need for the defence counsel to ask for vacation of the same by the Judge.

Unseeded Nigerian conquers African champion

Isau Ogunkunle (NGR) in action at the Africa PTT Championships in Alexandria, Egypt on Sunday June 30, 2019..

Nigeria’s Isau Ogunkunle announced his emergence at the Africa Para Table Tennis Championships holding in Alexandria, Egypt, as the 33-year-old humbled African Champion - Egypt’s Mohamed Sameh Eid in the men’s singles Class Four in the first round.   Isau Ogunkunle may not a familiar name in Africa but the Nigerian has made name for himself at the 2019 Africa PTT Championships in Alexandria, Egypt, when he caused the biggest upset at the tournament after beating the Egyptian 3-2. Ogunkunle who is competing in Class Four as one of Nigeria’s representatives was set up against his idol - Egypt’s Mohamed Sameh Eid and he knew that for him to prove a point in Africa, he must surmount the world number 11 and Africa’s number one. As Nigeria’s national champion, Isau Ogunkunle did the impossible in front of the Egyptian fans when he humbled the home hero in the first round of the Class Four singles event. From the start of the encounter the unseeded Nigerian was full of confidence against the tournament’s number one seed by winning the first game at 11-8. But Mohamed Sameh Eid had to rely on experience with a lot of topspin from the backhand to win the next two games at 8-11, 6-11. Having discovered the weakness of his opponent after losing the second and third games, Isau Ogunkunle decided to play more to the Egyptian forehand and this worked for him as he won the fourth game by 11-2. The final and deciding game went the way of the Nigerian who led from the start to the end to win at 11-7. The excited Nigerian did not hide his joy after the big win when he said, he would be unstoppable having surmounted his biggest challenge in the competition with the victory. “In 2011 when I first played against Mohamed Sameh Eid, he defeated me 3-0 but after the match he came to me to comfort and encourage me not to give up. Since then we have been friends and we communicate with each other regularly. He became my idol in the game,” Isau Ogunkunle said. However, the romance for table tennis for Isau Ogunkunle did not come by leisure but by sheer determination to make it big in life. “I was in school in 2005 when I lost my father and it was difficult for me to continue schooling so I dropped out. I decided to embrace shoe-making as a vocation. But it was in 2010 that somebody who came to patronize me invited me to table tennis hall and that was how I started playing table tennis,” the Nigerian said.

Egypt’s Eid Saleh sets new record in Africa

Egypt’s Eid Saleh sets new record in Africa Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh (EGY) makes it to fifth Pralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 in Alexandria, Egypt on Monday July 1, 2019...

At 41, Egypt’s Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh becomes the first Africa para table tennis player to be featuring in five Paralympic Games after the world number 11 avenge her group loss to Nigeria’s Isau Ogunkunle in the final of the men’s Class Four on July 1, 2019, to secure the continental sole slot to Tokyo 2020. From the group stage of the 2019 Africa Para Table Tennis Championships holding in Alexandria, Egypt, where he lost 2-3 to the Nigerian, Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh who is current African champion knew that it would not be an easy ride to Tokyo. Having put the group stage defeat behind him, Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh went to work to ensure he set another clash against the unseeded Nigerian. Being the last match of the session, Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh and Isau Ogunkunle gave the fans something to cheer as both players sized up each other to the admiration of the fans. Even when Isau Ogunkunle was trailing Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh, it was clear that the match would go into full length. With applause greeting every point won by the Egyptian, the final game made some of the fans to sit at the edge of their seat and without any doubt the win received a rousing applause from the home fans. For five minutes every activity at the Olympic Club Hall was standstill as the victory was celebrated in a big way by the home fans including the President of Egypt Table Tennis Federation (ETTF), Moataz Ashour. An elated Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh admitted that this has been the toughest qualification for him having featured in previous four Paralympic Games. “I am so excited that I will be going to my fifth Paralympic Games in Tokyo but I must admit that it was a difficult route for me this year. My opponent is a good player and I think he is still young and can still make it to the Paralympic Games. But generally, this has been the toughest qualification for me and I am so happy that I will becoming the first African para table tennis player to compete in five Paralympic Games,” Mohamed Sameh Eid Saleh said. From the 14 athletes that qualified for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Egypt picked eight slots, Nigeria picked five while Tunisia secured one slot.