Heartland players vow to take club to FIFA over 8 months unpaid salaries

Ahead of the 2021/22 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season scheduled to kick off next week, the players of Heartland FC of Owerri, have threatened to take the Naze Millionaire,  to World Football governing body, FIFA over eight months unpaid salaries.

Before the end of last NPFL season, the management of the Owerri-based side, promised the team, that all their financial entitlement including, the eight monthly backlog of salaries will be paid, but according to the player's nothing has been paid.

With less than a week to start another season, in the Nigerian topflight, Heartland player who pleaded to be anonymous, claimed that the weak League Management Company (LMC) has failed them hence, they have vowed to take the club to FIFA as they seek for justice.

“It’s sad that we are here talking about our unpaid salaries of about eight months after we involved the League Management Company who appear to be very weak and toothless.

“Some of us are family men, breadwinners of our families, we don’t have another profession than football, but it’s sad that after you worked tirelessly for a season, you still have to beg and cry for what is rightfully yours.

“We are highly disappointed with the LMC because by now they ought to have sanctioned Heartland and place an embargo on them, but here we are, Heartland is preparing to start the new season, having completed half of the registration process with the same LMC.

“Since it appears the League body can not help us, then we have decided to report the case to FIFA and see maybe we will get the desired justice.”

Jordan FM dazzle in OWU kits as Lagos SWAN Week continues with the Football event

The much-awaited Sports Writer Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter continue on Monday, ( 6 December 2021) with the football events as Jordan FM squad appears in brand new Jersey kitted by OWU Sports to the admiration of many fans present at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos. 

The Jersey which has a well crafted brown stripe on the left side of the top was laced on a light blue colour, to the admiration of the spectators at the pitch.

Beyond its aestheticism, Jersey is made of high-quality material which was carefully designed by OWU Sports to meet all fabric and sporting standards. 

According to the team Jersey manager, Owolabi Aleshinloye, OWOsports,  

The design and the quality of Jersey meet the high standard the station is noted for, in terms of content production and quality delivery, as OWU lived up to the high quality the premium sports shirt designer is known for".  

Meanwhile, on the pitch, Jordan FM drew 1-1 in their first game with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN and lost the second match to Community Watch by 2-0. 

The need to defeat Multimedia Journalists on Tuesday to punch a quarter-final ticket. 

The match will be played on Tuesday, ( 7 December 2021) at the Legacy pitch. 

Here are all matchday 1 results and goal scorers 

Group A --- Day 1

Day 1 – December 6 (Monday);

• VON 0-0 Pooja Media.

• Unilag Media 1-1 TVC.

⚽ Moses Folarin --- Tope Okundalaye.

• TVC 3-0 VON.

⚽ Tope Okundalaye (2), Lekan Olu-oyinlola.

• Pooja Media 1-0 Unilag Media.

⚽ Lanre Mann. 

Group B --- Day 1 

• Community Watch 1-0 Multimedia Journalist.

⚽ Godswill Nwosu.

• NAN 1-1 Jordan FM.

⚽ Shittu Taofik --- Gbemi Babare.

• Multimedia Journalist 3-0 NAN.

⚽ Martin Ifodo, Sawadinho, Adegbile Michael.

• Jordan FM 0-2 Community Watch.

⚽ Godswill Nwosu, Dada Tobi. 

Group C --- Day 1 

• Complete Sports 4-1 Inspiration/Lasgidi FM.

⚽ Kunle Salawu (2), Michael Ekezie, Julius Ojeagbase --- Felix Egbomuche.

• Radio Nigeria 3-0 Megalectrics.

⚽ Ogunshina Jude, Sunday Sholanke (2).

• Inspiration/Lasgidi FC 0-5 Radio Nigeria.

⚽ Jude Ogunshina (3), Sunday Solanle (2).

• Megaletrics 0-3 Complete Sports.

⚽ Kunle Lawal (2), Nuru Salawu.

Jordan FM tackle News Agency of Nigeria as Bet9ja/Lagos SWAN Cup begins

 

Jordan FM Sports desk will square up against their counterpart from the News Agency of Nigeria as the 2021 Bet9ja/Lagos SWAN Cup begins on Monday.  

The match which is one of the four matches lined up in Group B on an opening day will take place at the Legacy pitch Surulere Lagos by 9 am. 

The team will face Community watch by 10 am later in their second match of the day. 

The team coordinator Olusola Adebayo has given his assurance that the players won't disappoint as they will seek to grab automatic quarter-final tickets on an opening day. 

" The team has prepared for this and I can assure all our listeners and fans that we won't disappoint them. We will go out for victories in the two matches on the opening day which will guarantee a place in the quarter-final of the competition as the players are ready and rearing to explode " said the Nigeria Sports Express presenter. 

12 media houses are participating in the competition which is part of the activities marking the Sports Writers Week of the Lagos State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria.  

The event will be rounded on Friday, 10th of December, 2021.

This year's event is proudly sponsored by Bet9ja with Lagos State Sports Commission, Owu, Nestle Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries, Intercontinental Distillery, Redbull, La Liga, Guarantee Trust Holding Company and Multichoice as partners.

2022 AWCONQ: Lady Elephant's threat is the beginning of wisdom for the NFF

      

The threat posed by the Lady Elephant of Cote d'ivoire is real and NFF has started taking proactive steps towards securing a place for Super Falcons of Nigeria in the 2022 Africa Women Cup Of Nations (AWCON) and the 2023 FIFA Women World Cup. 

           

The Super Falcons rounded off a 9-day training camp on Tuesday 30th November 2021 at Abuja.  

The first of such camp since Randy Waldrum takes over as the coach of the team over a year ago, an exercise the American coach describes as a marvellous experience as it's a rare opportunity to truly assess the players. 

"I am happy we had this training camp as we were able to see the home-based players and the overseas-based, and everyone bonded very well. 

“We will look to have periodic campings like this to be able to put forward the best of Nigeria women players for matches and championships at any time,” Waldrum told the NFF media. 

This is coming after the coach's first two International games against the Black Queens of Ghana in the first round of 2023 Africa Women Cup Of Nations ( AWCON) qualifiers. 

It was a scary 180 minutes as the Super Falcons struggled to break down the Ghanaians in Lagos and laboured to an unconvincing 2-0 victory and the Super Falcons lost the second leg in Accra by 1-0 but qualified by 2-1 on aggregate in October. 

The team's performance on both occasions wasn't good enough and it confirms that the dominance of the Super Falcons on the continent is fast becoming a thing of the past. 

This is a fact the NFF knows and part of the measures in arresting the downward slide of the team is the introduction of the periodic training camps as the team cannot afford not to defend the 2019 AWCON title won in Ghana two years ago. 

Standing between this dream is the Lady Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire as both countries will square up in March next year for a place in place in the competition. 

The General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, knows the threat posed by the Ivorians hence the need for the camping exercise. 

" We are aware of the challenge that Cote d’Ivoire will pose when we confront them for a place at next year’s Women AFCON. We need players who are committed and are proud to dorn the country’s colours and will strive to deliver no matter the circumstances". 

The Ivorians threat is real, as they stopped the Super Falcons from participating at the 2020 Olympic Games and the manner with which the Lady Elephants despatched the Niger Republic in the first round of the 2022 AWCON qualifier scoring 20 goals in 180 minutes.  

No doubt this camp is desirable and timely as its importance cannot be overstated as the task ahead is far beyond just two-legged AWCON qualifiers against Cote'd'ivoire as the 2022 AWCON will also determine the countries that will represent Africa at the 2023 FIFA Women World Cup. 

Hence the threat posed by the Ivorians cannot be overemphasised and camping the team is a good step to ensuring the Super Falcons scale the hurdle, kudos to the NFF for being proactive.

FALCONS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE TRAINING CAMP:

Goalkeepers: Onyinyechukwu Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Ibubeleye Whyte (Rivers Angels); Uchenna Chukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)

Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Maureen Okpala (Nasarawa Amazons); Patricia George (SC Sand, Germany); Ashley Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Miracle Joseph (Bayelsa Queens); Joy Duru (Nasarawa Amazons); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Glory Edet (Bayelsa Queens); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)

Midfielders: Adekite Dada (Watford FC, England); Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Yetunde Aluko (WFC Ramat Hasharon, Israel); Amanda Mbadinuju (Bayelsa Queens); Goodness Onyebuchi (Edo Queens); Grace Igboamalu (Bayelsa Queens); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (FC Sevilla, Spain)

Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint Etienne, France); Mary-Ann Ezenagu (Rivers Angels); Anam Imo (Pitea IF, Sweden); Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels); Gift Monday (FC Robo); Juliet Bassey (Bayelsa Queens); Chinonyerem Macleans (Gonirk Leczna (Poland)  

Ballon d’Or 2021: Results as Lionel Messi beats Lewy by just 33 votes

Lionel Messi beat Robert Lewandowski to the 2021 Ballon d’Or title by just 33 points after football figures the world over cast their vote for the globe’s best player.

Each nation was represented in the voting by the national team’s manager, captain, and a leading sports journalist nominated by the country’s association. They selected a top three with three points for the winner, two for second place, and one for third.

It led to Messi being awarded 613 points ahead of the 580 claimed by Lewandowski - a thin winning margin but by no means the smallest claimed by the Argentine superstar.

Messi beat Virgil van Dijk to the 2019 gong by just seven points while Kevin Keegan and Alfredo Di Stefano share the closest near-misses, finishing runner-up in 1972 and 1956 respectively while just three points behind - under previous voting systems.

Finishing third in Monday’s ceremony was Jorginho, who scored 460 points.

Karim Benzema came home fourth with 239 points ahead of Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante on 186.

Cristiano Ronaldo beat Mohamed Salah to sixth place and almost took Kante too, finishing on 178 points. Salah earned 121 points to Kevin De Bruyne’s 73, with 58 for Kylian Mbappe and 36 for tenth-placed Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Outside the top ten were Erling Haaland (33), Romelu Lukaku and Giorgio Chiellini - both with 26 but the Belgian officially ahead due to the weighting of his votes.

Leonardo Bonucci (18), Raheem Sterling (10), Neymar (nine), Luis Suarez, Simon Kjaer (both eight), Mason Mount and Riyad Mahrez (both seven) completed the top 20.

Bruno Fernandes and Lautaro Martinez (both six) shared 21st place ahead of Harry Kane (four), Pedri (three), Phil Foden (two) and the trio of Nicolo Barella, Ruben Dias and Gerard Moreno who all took home a single point.

Cesar Azpilicueta and Luka Modric did not receive any votes and finished tied for 29th.

Culled: The Standard 

Ballon D'or: Lewandowski stands between Lionel Messi's seventh heaven

Robert Lewandowski is the leading favourite to win the 2021 Balon D'or, the first of his career but he has to deal with Lionel Messi's brilliant 2021 exploits in the Argentina shirt as the PSG forward might have done just enough during the 2021 Copa America to win the golden ball award for the seventh time.  

The year 2021 is significant in Lionel Messi's career as he won the first international trophy after several attempts.  

He helped Argentina to end a 28 years wait for an international trophy, a feat Messi described as "the best given all that it cost."

And many considered Messi's performance good enough for the " crazy"  seventh Ballon d'Or.

"If the Ballon d'Or were to arrive, it would be extraordinary for what it would mean to win one more. The seventh would be crazy." Messi told the Catalan Daily Sports ahead of the 2021 award. 

The competition was just for three weeks during the summer but the Argentine put up a performance that would have a lifetime effect on the continent as he scooped all the individual awards. 

He won the MVP as well as the highest goal scorer award alongside breaking the international trophy duck for Argentina despite a filled trophy cabinet for Barcelona. 

He also had a decent personal output with the Blaugrana in the Laliga winning the King's Cup as well as the highest goal scorer award for the 8th consecutive season, before he finally bowed out of the Catalonia club in a record-breaking move to France.  

Though he is yet to hit his best of form since he joined Paris St Germain in the summer, he has nothing to prove in Paris hence not under any pressure to lift the team as the team is loaded with stars to win the French Ligue 1 title once again. 

 

Lionel Messi performance will be judged with the UEFA Champions League, where he has scored four goals already and is still in the race to win the trophy in 2022, with PSG the first in their history.  

But Robert Lewandowski is the uncrowned winner for the 2020 award which the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic didn't allow to hold. 

The Polish international striker has done everything possible football-wise in 2020 with no player so close to rivalling him but the organiser decided not just to hold the award.

 

The 2020 FIFA best needs to keep his 2020 form and probably better it in 2021 to be counted among the winners of the prestigious award.  

He did just that. His 53 goals in the calendar year is a feat that shows he has not slowed down a bit from where he left off in 2020. 

The 33-year old striker consistency in the last three years shows he gets better with age and the sentiment is rife for his glorious Bayern Munich and Bundesliga career need a personal award to crown the feats as he gets better and better every passing season. 

Winning the  2021 Balon D'or might just be a cool compensation for his efforts of the last three seasons and the 2020 miss when he deserved it all alone.

"'Lewy' has to win the golden ball Monday when you see the way he is playing at the moment," Mueller said of a player who has already scored 25 times in 20 appearances this season. 

Other players in the mix are Jorginho of Italy and Chelsea, the midfielder who won the European Player of the year after helping Italy to win the Euro and guiding Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2021.  

He is a real threat to coming from behind to scoop the award off Lewy or Messi but historically it's been a tough one for a defensive midfielder to win the award as strikers are always first considered by the voting experts.  

As the time ticks and the countdown to Monday,29 November 2021 continues, will Lewandowski 2020 performance be compensated for or Lionel Messi's Copa America brilliance be appreciated with the award for the seventh time?

SportsFlames Name Police DIG Moses Jitoboh As Sports Man Of The Year

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of South-East and South-South, Moses Jitoboh has received the Command Secondary School and SportsFlames Sports Man Of The Year Award.

Jitoboh a member of the 1987 Set received the award on Saturday in Lagos after his secondary school classmates defeated the 1984 Set (their seniors) 3-0 in a novelty football match played at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium in Surulere Lagos.

According to DIG Jitoboh after receiving the Award at the Legacy Pitch inside National Stadium Surulere, he expressed joy and excitement.

In his words," I'm delighted and honoured to have received this award. The only way I can show my appreciation to the organizers of this award is to do more for sports with which I have a passion.

" Anything that is done for the promotion of sports is never small. We plan to upgrade the Command Secondary School football pitch. We are working on it and at the right time, works should commence on it."

The DIG thinks that the youths can use the Police Force as a platform to achieve their dreams in Sports.

" Recall I was a former national basketball player,  I slammed and dunked at the highest level in Nigeria as I was the captain of the Police Team. Sports drives me and not just me but my family. My two kids are in the United States playing basketball.  

" I was also formerly in charge of Police Sports, if you look at the different sports in Nigeria, you will find an athlete (male or female) who is in the force and have gone ahead to win laurels for the country.

As regards the 1987 Set, who have gone four novelty matches unbeaten, "One unique thing about the 1987 Set is the camaraderie amongst ourselves and sure a few present for the novelty match have come from far as Europe and America. I flew into Lagos from Abuja and others from Port-Harcourt not just for the game but to see ourselves.

" The meeting is not just about sports, which of course is the unifying factor, life and helping ourselves to greatness."

Captain of the winning 1987 Set, Femi Barry after the game said: "Our team was and still the only side that has played in the quarter-final round of the Lagos Principals Cup, losing to MBHS at the Onikan Stadium (now Mobolaji Johnson Arena).

" The previous novelty matches we have played were against our juniors, while this is first against our seniors. We were too fit for them, Dele Awoshika, Eniola and I scored. In the second half, we were just doing the passing. I think we have to pause our play as any set that wants to play against the 87 Set must go four games unbeaten before they think of challenging us, as we are true champions.

Reacting to the 3-0 defeat, David who led the 84 Set teams out said, "I knew we will lose as when I saw them, the 87 Set team looked fit unlike us. Some of us were meeting ourselves again for teams 30 or 35 years. The novelty game was fun, I used to be the captain of the school football team, did not pursue a career in football as I chose to do God's work." 

Also, Managing Partner  Sportflames Communications and Football Events Consultant to Command Secondary School Ipaja, 

Olawale Olatoye said: " It's a well-deserving award to DIG Moses Jitoboh who has contributed to sports in Nigeria as a former boss of Police Sports.

" Sportflames objectives is to always encourage and support exceptional personalities, put smiles on faces by contributing to sports Development, we love giving back to the industry by appreciating and embracing hard work with massive efforts, not in competition with anyone, just doing what we love to do."