SHARKS FC OUT OF RELEGATION ZONE

Sharks of Port Harcourt are out of the Glo Nigeria Professional Football League relegation zone after a hard fought 1-0 win over city rivals Dolphins on match day 31 at the Sharks stadium on Sunday. Super Eagles defender Chima Akas scored the only goal of the match in the 7th minute in a fixture that saw very few clear cut chances at goal from both sides. The home side Sharks played most of the first half as the better team but later lost the initiative to 2011 champions Dolphins, who put many men forward in search of the equalizer in the second half,  but to no avail. Sharks then had a chance to score a second in added time when Chima Akas was again put clear on goal but his left footed shot went just inches wide of Sunday Rotimi’s goal post. Sharks coach Festus Allen was a happy man but admitted Dolphins gave his side a good fight. 

For Dolphins coach Stanley Eguma, his frustration was the wasted time as a result of a persistent injury to Sharks goal keeper Henry Ayodele who had to be treated on 3 different occasions during the second half. 

With the victory Sharks have now risen to the 16th spot on the table with 36 points from 31 matches while Dolphins are now in the relegation zone in 17th place with 34 points.

NIGERIA IN GROUP OF DEATH.-- TO PLAY EGYPT, ALGERIA AND MALI

The draw for the group stage of the CAF U-23 Championship was held in Cairo this morning and saw North African rivals Egypt and Algeria placed together in Group B.
The junior sides for the Pharaohs and Fennec Foxes are joined by West African rivals Nigeria and Mali.In Group A, hosts Senegal were pooled with South Africa, Zambia and Tunisia.
The U-23 Championship will be held in Dakar and M’Bour from 28 November to 12 December.
The top three teams at the tournament will qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Brazil.  

Meanwhile, Nigeria U23 team, Dream Team VI, will slug it out with fellow West Africans Burkina Faso for a place in the gold medal match of the 11th All Africa Games football event on Tuesday in Brazzaville, Congo.
The match will be played at Stade Massamba Debat and kick-off time is 6.30 pm on Tuesday.
Nigeria are seeking a second gold medal in men’s football event of the AAG after their first gold on home soil in 1973.
Burkina Faso, on the other hand, qualified for the last-four after they proved the luckier team in a drawing of lots after they tied on all statistics with Sudan at the end of action in Group A.Coach Samson Siasia led team are yet to lose a game in the competition and hope to crush the Burkina Faso to cruise into the final.the coach also noted that his team is working hard for the game and solving the goal scoring problem of the team.
Warri Wolves forward Etebor Oghenekaro said they are ready for Tuesday’s semi-final because their target is to win gold in Congo.The other semi-final is between hosts Congo and Senegal. 

SUPER EAGLES TO PLAY CONGO, CAMEROON IN OCTOBER

The Super Eagles will play friendly games against Congo and Cameroon in Brussels, Belgium next month, according to the Nigeria Football Federation.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President, Amaju Pinnick, Nigeria would play Congo on October 8and Cameroon three days later. Pinnick also said the NFF are working on a friendly match   against Tunisia or Algeria ahead of the Eagles’2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Egypt on March 23, 2016.

NFF president, Amaju Pinnik with Super Eagles gaffer, Sunday Oliseh

The Eagles played a goalless draw against the Tafia Stars of Tanzania in Dar es Salam on September 5 in their second Group G 2017 AFCON qualifier match. Nigeria had defeated Chad 2-0 in Kaduna in their first match of the qualifiers, but the Pharaohs of Egypt lead Group G with six points, followed by the Eagles, who have four points.

Earlier Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh said the importance of playing friendlies during next month's FIFA international break cannot be overstated. According to him, he has been on the neck of the NFF to get these Friendlies sorted out

GIVE OLISEH MORE TIME-- John Fashanu

Ex Wimbledon star and former English International John Fashanu has appealed to Nigerians to show support to current super eagles coach Sunday Oliseh and  give him time to succeed. Fashanu said Oliseh himself has publicly come out to tell Nigerians during his unveiling that he is not the messiah hence the need for Nigerians to exercise patience. Fashanu while speaking against the backdrop of the eagles goaless draw  at an AFCON 2017 qualifier against Tanzania in dar as salam.

   

 He said things are looking good for the eagles and with the right amount of support he believes the former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder will lead the nation to great heights. According to him he said the job  of coaching the super eagles is the second most important job in the country after that of the president and hence the need for oliseh to be given ample time to get it right. Speaking on the Amaju Pinnick led NFF, fashanu said he was impressed with what they were planning but urged them to try and avoid the limelight as much as possible so as to enable the technical crew to nfunction effectively.

EMMANUEL EMENIKE TO END 20 MONTH GOAL DROUGHT?

12 months make a year, but its been more than a year since Emmanuel Emenike last scored for Nigeria Super Eagles.

It's actually 22 months since Emmanuel Emenike last scored an international goal for Nigeria.

Many still remember that Emenike, a power –playing forward was Top Scorer of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa. His four goals (against Burkina Faso, Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali) famously helped Nigeria to a third African title.

EMMANUEL EMENIKE AND KENNETH OMERUO IN SUPER EAGLES CAMP

However, the Imo State –born Emenike, who recently moved from top Turkish club, Fenerbahce to Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, has not scored for Nigeria since his two goals against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa in October 2013 virtually ensured Nigeria’s place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

The Super Eagles, on the same three points with Egypt, however have one goal less than the Pharaohs, and will seek a handsome win in East Africa to shoot clear at the top. The Pharaohs of Egypt are away to Chad in N’djamena in the other match of Group G.

VICTOR MOSES TO WEST BROM; TAIYE TAIWO BACK IN ACTION.

Nigeria winger Victor Moses has been linked with a move away from Chelsea to West Brom but the Baggies face competition from West Ham.

Moses is Tony Pulis’s latest choice as he seeks to further strengthen his side before the transfer window.

West Brom have reportedly enquired about taking £10 million-rated Moses on loan, or permanently at a lower price.

Prior to this link, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and West Ham had all been linked with Moses who so far this season has not featured for Chelsea.

Super Eagles invitee, Anthony Ujah, was in action for Werder Bremen but failed to find the back of the net despite posting an impressive performance as they beat visiting Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1.

Ujah who played for 90 minutes against Moenchengladbach, opened his Bundesliga goal account last weekend against Hertha 

Nigerian duo of Godfrey Oboabona and Raheem Lawal were in action for Rizespor and Eskisehirspor respectively in a game which 

ended 1-1.

Both players saw 90 minutes of action while Lawal was yellow-carded in the 75th minute.

In the Netherlands, Abiola Dauda was on target for Vitesse in their 4-1 win against Bartholomew Ogbeche’s Cambuur.
Dauda was later replaced by Chelsea on-loan player, Dominic Solanke, who also scored in added time.

Former Flying Eagles skipper, Abduljeleel Ajagun, was an unused substitute, as Panathinaikos thrashed Kalloni 4-0 in the Greek 

Super League.

In Finland, Nigerian defender, Taye Taiwo, was in action for HJK Helsinki in their 1-0 away loss to Ilves. Taiwo saw 90 

minutes of action.

Also in Finland, Rovaniemi striker William Oluremi John featured for 90 minutes in the club’s 2-0 away loss to Inter Turku in the Finish Veikkausliiga round of 26 matches.

Rovaniemi are now third on the log with 43 points.

In the Swedish league, Dickson Etuhu, was in action for AIK in their 1-0 win against John Owoeri’s Atvidaberg. Owoeri 

was booked on 35 minutes.

NIGERIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE UPDATE

Nigeria Professional Football League update

Match Day 26 Results

Sharks 0-0 Enyimba

FC Ifeanyiubah 1-0 Bayelsa Utd‎

Giwa FC 2-0 Lobi Stars

Dolphins 2-0 Akwa Utd

El-Kanemi 2-2 Rangers

Wikki 2-1 Sunshine Stars

Heartland 1-0 Warri Wolves

Shooting Stars 2-0 Abia Warriors

Nasarawa Utd 3-0 Kwara Utd

FC Taraba 1-0 Kano Pillars

                   

Matchday 26 produced 19 goals with two away draws, let's start our reviw of the matches in portharcourt where league leaders Enyimba fc held hosts sharks fc to a goalless draw.

Still in portharcourt, goals from omo Johnson and Oghogho Oduokpe in the 45th and 75th mins gave Dolphins a two nil win and all three points against Akwa united .

Fc Ifeanyi Ubah pipped Bayelsa united to a one nil win at the rojenny stadium in oba courtesy of a Meshack Chukwubuikem 8th min strike.

Fc taraba also picked up a one nil win over the visiting league defending champions Kano pillars, through a min strike.

Stephen Adah's 31st min strike proved to be the difference in the match.

‎Bright Ejike was also on target for heartland fc in the 30th min of their one nil win over Warri wolves in owerri.

In ibadan, a sunday adetunji brace in the 29th and 90th mins gave shooting stars a two nil win over visitors Abia Warriors.

Goals from Hassan Abubakar and Aminu mbai‎ in the 83rd and 88th mins gave Giwa fc a two nil win over Lobi stars in Jos.

‎Chinedu Ohanachom scored twice in the 14th and 90th mins for El-kanemi warriors to ensure they avoided defeat at home at the hands of Rangers intl who took the lead in 7th min  through Godwin Aguda and got a second in the 17th min through Enete Chebem.

‎The match ended in a two all draw.

Goals from Victor Yakubu in the 13th min and Mubarak Umar in the 16th min ‎sent the hosts Wikki tourist on their way to victory with a two nil lead,

Dele Olorundare pulled one back for Sunshine stars just before the halftime break but the Akure gunners failed to get something from that encounter as Wikki tourists ran out two-one winners.

An ugochukwu Leonard brace in the 40th and 44th mins after an Esosa Igbinoba 16th min strike had opened the scoring for Nasarawa united, ensured the Lafia boys picked up a three nil win over visiting Kwara united.