NPFL
At the current Nigeria National League playoffs in Asaba, Kano Pillars, a former NPFL champion, and Katsina United, a rival team from the northwest, have been promoted back to the top division.
Victor Mbaoma, a talented striker, converted the penalty that gave Katsina a 1-0 victory over the Pillars and guaranteed them a spot in the NPFL. The loss had no bearing on the fate of the Kano Pillars.
With six points and a better goals difference, Pillars led the northern conference, followed by Katsina, which got six points as well.
“We are back to where we belong! Congratulations to our players, coaches, management, fans and the Kano State Government for the support and encouragement,” the four-time NPFL champions posted after the game.
NPFL: Super Eagles Captain Set To Join Kano Pillars
Both Pillars and Katsina were relegated from the NPFL at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Meanwhile, five-time champions of the NPFL, Heartland of Owerri, completed the quartet of the new sides in the topflight after coming back from a goal down to beat Sporting Lagos 2-1.
The Naze Millionaires also returned to the topflight, just one season after their relegation.
Abeokuta side Stormers FC defeated FC One Rocket 4-0 in the other game but it wasn’t enough to earn them a spot with four points as Heartland’s win over already promoted Sporting took their points to seven.
Having finished top of both groups, Pillars and Heartland will face off in the final of the NNL Super 8 on Friday to determine the ultimate champions of the second tier.
Follow us on facebook
NPFL: IMC Will Investigate Incident In Remo And Gombe
According to ANAEDOONLINE Sports Extra, Faith Irabor, the chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation’s referees committee, has hinted that the Nigeria Professional Football League’s interim management committee will look into the incident that forced the match between Remo Stars and Gombe United to be abandoned on matchday 12 in Ikenne on Sunday.
“The game has been cancelled because the referees and match officials refused to leave their locker rooms for the second half. The referee was allegedly assaulted in the locker room, according to sources, Gombe United said on their official Twitter page on Sunday.
Hosts, Remo Stars, however, said, “The match officials have decided not to come out of the tunnel for the second half with reasons best known to them. We can however confirm that there is law and order in place, with the fans enjoying good music and calm at the stadium.”
JUST IN: Appeal Court Faults Malami, Stands Down Case On Nnamdi Kanu
In an official statement that followed from the league organisers, which was signed by the Head of Competition Department, Sunday Obaseki, both clubs were ordered to complete the game behind closed-doors on Monday.
Following the allegations of threats to the match which might not be unconnected to why the game was concluded behind closed doors, Remo will await further actions from the Interim Management Committee of the NPFL.
There was nothing to separate 10-man Remo and Gombe on Monday as both teams stepped out again to complete the abandoned match-day 12 game.
The game eventually ended goalless leaving Remo Stars third in Group A with 21 points while Gombe United remained seventh with 14 points.
Follow us on facebook
FG Discontinues NPFL League Management Company
The League Management Company that oversaw the Nigeria Professional Football League was terminated by the Federal Government on Friday.
The federal government also gave the Nigeria Football Federation instructions to revoke the LMC licence and establish an interim management committee to run the league in order to achieve this goal.
Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, issued a press release on Friday that included the directive.
According to the federal government, the decision became imperative after a competent court of jurisdiction declared the League Management Company an illegal body.
The statement read, “In view of the several unpleasant incidents regarding the management of the Football League, specifically, the declaration of the National Football League (NFL) as an illegal body by the Court; the status of the League Management Company (LMC), the NFL’s successor-in-title being outside the purview of the Statutes of the NFF; the Federal Government is constrained to withdraw its recognition of the LMC as the operator of the Nigeria Professional Football League, with immediate effect.
“This decision has become necessary because of the obvious aberration (which is at variance with our football statutes or the laws of the land) whereby a private company is gifted the mandate to manage or run the league indefinitely, without the full involvement of and leadership by the clubs, and devoid of any process to monitor the progress and development of the game.
NPFL: League Management Company Fines Akwa United
“Sequel to the above, and in order to rescue our domestic football from total collapse, the BOARD OF THE LMC AND THE LMC AS A BODY WOULD NO LONGER BE RECOGNISED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS OPERATOR OF THE NIGERIAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
“To avert further chaos in our domestic football, the NFF is advised to immediately withdraw the Licence given to the LMC and, in the meantime, set up an Interim Management Committee (IMC), to include the current Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the LMC to oversee the affairs of the League until a proper Professional League Board is constituted in accordance with the Statutes of the NFF.”
Follow us on Facebook
Wike Awards N12 Million To Each Rivers United Player For Winning NPFL
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has awarded each player of the state-owned Rivers United team $20,000 (about 12 million naira) for winning the Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL.
The club’s first triumph in its existence comes after a league season in which they led the league standings for the majority of the season and finished with 77 points, 10 points more than second-placed Plateau United.
The ceremony took place at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt and had the governor personally in attendance where he took photos with the team.
Sports Minister Reveals How The Return Of NPFL Will Boost Economy
The team, as part of the reward, will also embark on two weeks pre-season training in Madrid, Spain.
He also promised a further $40,000 if they make it to the group stage of next season’s CAF Champions League.
Follow us on Facebook
Hero Lager Partners NPFL, Becomes Official Sponsor of Enyimba, Ifeanyi Uba FC, Others
Premium lager, Hero popular known as O’mpa the pride of the East, has entered a partnership with the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to further promote the game of football in Nigeria.
Fan favourites such as Enyimba Football Club of Aba, Heartland FC of Owerri, Rangers United, Ifeanyi Uba FC, and Abia FC all southeastern Nigerian football clubs will enjoy the compliments of being officially sponsored by the premium lager.
This partnership with the NPFL is coming at a time when many clubs within and outside the Nigerian Premier League are struggling to stay afloat as a result of poor funding.
CAF Competition: Enyimba, Rivers United Restore Nigeria’s Pride
Speaking to the media at a press conference to announce the partnership, Marketing Director, International Breweries Plc, Tolulope Adedeji explained that as a culturally-attuned brand that always has the welfare of the people at the heart of its campaigns and initiatives, Hero seeks to elevate the status of the round leather game in Nigeria.
According to Adedeji, “Football is a game that brings people together no matter who they are or where they are located. In a football game, people celebrate as one and they share the win or loss of their team as one, and in this sense Hero Lager is much like the game of football because it unites people. Now that Hero lager is stepping up to promote domestic football, we should expect a lot more development in this area. Our ambition is to see our domestic players get more visibility, career development and love of our people”
Marketing Manager, Hero, Margaret Igabali added that the “These clubs bring joy to many Nigerians across the country and should be supported just the way foreign brands support foreign clubs. Football teams go beyond the game, they are traditions, and we are happy to be the official sponsors of these great football traditions”
Gunmen Murder Chike Akunyili, Late Dora Akunyili’s Husband
The sponsorship deal between Hero and the South-Eastern football clubs will directly benefit the clubs, the NPFL, the players, and indirectly benefit the fans, the club’s communities as their clubs can now focus on winning the league for them. The sponsorship contract takes immediate effect.
Hero is a product of International Breweries Plc who is a proud part of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer with over 400 beer brands.
Follow us on Facebook
NPFL: Akwa United Win First League Title In 25 Years
Uyo based side, Akwa United, have been crowned champions of the 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League title.
The team broke a two-decade jinx after securing five-two victory over MFM FC of Lagos at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Sunday.
This is the first time Akwa United are winning the league title since 25 years of the club’s formation.
BREAKING: Three Injured As Akwa United Players, Engaged In An Accident
The match which started with a tense atmosphere produced the first goal through a close-range header from Charles Atshimene in the 24th minute.
Kennedy Boboye’s men doubled their advantage late in the first half when Alimi Adebayo sent Mfon Udoh’s cross into his own net to make it 2-0.
Udoh added to the lead making the game easier for the home team.
The team pulled a goal by Michael Mbonu in the 68th minute after Dennis Obasi was fouled inside the box.
Atshimene scored his second and Akwa United’s fourth goal five minutes away from the final whistle to widen the tally to 4-0
But MFM FC’s Obasi scored the visitors’ second consolation goal two minutes from the time.
IBOM REPUBLIC: Akwa Ibom Group Storms UN, Demands For Secession (Video)
Atshimene netted his third of the game and the club’s 5th goal in the 90th minute to heighten MFM’s frustration.
Akwa United led the standings with 71 points from 37 matches.
They will be hoping to stretch their nine-game unbeaten run and also end the 2020-21 campaign on a winning note when they visit Lobi Stars on Thursday for their last league game of the season.
In the meantime, the Head Coach of Akwa United FC coach, Boboye, has attributed their success to the players’ determination and the grace of God upon the team.
Boboye, while speaking to newsmen, said the players and officials worked hard for their victory.
Unknown Gunmen Kill Three Police Officers, Abduct Four In Akwa Ibom
He also promised that Akwa United FC would do well in the 2021/2022 CAF Champions League, which they have now qualified for by virtue of their league success.
https://youtu.be/HFhx5qUYha8
Follow us on Facebook
Rivers United Coach Laments Over Tight NPFL Fixtures
Rivers United coach, Stanley Eguma, has lamented the club’s tight fixtures as the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League draws to a close.
Anaedoonline.ng had reported that with draws for the 2021/22 CAF club competitions planned for August 15, the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Professional Football League increased the number of games per week, with some clubs having to play as much as three games per week.
According to Eguma, the fixtures caused his team a lot of fatigue.
“That’s the fixtures, we have lamented on the fixtures right from the beginning and as you can see, it’s taking its toll on the team, we don’t have any option now than to respond to the fixtures,” he said.
He also said despite the team placing fifth – eight points behind leaders Akwa United – with three games to go, they won’t give up on winning the league title until the last day.
Read Also: Coaches Express Disappointment Over The Unstable Calendar NPFL
“Those games are very important, we cannot write ourselves off because it’s a competition. We need to work hard till the last day, we are not too far from the team in the first position, so it’s very possible that we can catch up. If not the trophy, we can also get a Champions League ticket from that, but we are working hard towards our objective of picking a trophy,” Eguma added.
Follow us on Facebook
CAF Competition: NPFL Clubs Face Heavy Fixtures
With the draws for the preliminary round of matches for the 2021/22 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup less than a month away, clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League are faced with a heavy fixture schedule.
The Confederation of African Football at the end of its Executive Committee meeting, which was chaired by its president, Patrice Motsepe, on Friday in Rabat, Morocco, said the draws for both competitions would be held latest August 15.
“The kick-off will be September 10, 2021. The draw for the preliminary rounds will be made on August 15, 2021 at the latest. Bids to host the interclub finals will be open in November 2021,” CAF said in a statement on its website.
With Nigeria needing to present representatives for both competitions, NPFL clubs will have to play more than two matches per week to meet up.
While the NPFL is in week 33, with five games to the end of the season, the Aiteo Cup is in the quarter-final stage.
NPFL clubs still in the Aiteo Cup are 2019 winners Kano Pillars, Sunshine Stars and Nasarawa United.
Sunshine Stars midfielder Kehinde Adedipe said as football players they were used to the stress of the game.
“There is nothing we can do about it, they have done it already, it will only cause fatigue to players and you know everybody is not the same. So, it will affect the performance of some clubs and players. Even the journey will be tedious for us.
“We left Gombe for Jos after we finished playing last night (Sunday), and we had to move early in the morning from Jos to Akure because we have a league game on Wednesday.
Read Also: Nigerian Professional Football League: To Be Or Not To Be?
After the league game, we will travel the next morning for the Aiteo Cup on Friday, and then we travel back again to play a league game on Sunday. You can see that fatigue will set in, but there is nothing we can do about it, they said they have to meet CAF’s deadline, so we have to go by what they prepared for us,” Adedipe told newsmen.
Follow us on Facebook
TRANSFER: Ahmed Musa To Complete Turkish Move From Kano Pillars
Ahmed Musa is in line to make a departure from Kano Pillars in Nigeria so as to complete his summer transfer to a club-side in the Turkish Super Lig in the new week.
Anaedoonline.ng reported last month that a Turkish Super Lig club offered Musa a mouth-watering one-year deal that is worth €2.2m (1.05 billion naira).
According to an American-based agent, Justus who failed to disclose the identity of the Turkish outfit, “the club first offered Musa €2m a year but he turned it down.
“The president of the club said that they could not go above that amount due to the coronavirus-induced financial problems every club in Europe is facing,” Justus told CS.
“However, the club’s president has said that they are desperate to have Musa on their pay-roll next season and have come back with a final offer of €2.2m a year,” he said.
But it appears Musa has finally reached an agreement with the Turkish side and the 28-year-old attacker will travel to the European country this new week to sign the deal.
Super Eagles captain, Musa on April 13 sensationally made his return to Kano Pillars for the reminder of the 2020/21 Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
Read Also: Ahmed Musa’s Interesting Message Before His Move To Kano Pillars Revealed
Amongst the contractual agreement reached between Musa who left Al Nassr in October and Pillars is that anytime he receives any offer from abroad, he would be released.
Follow us on Facebook