Sports
Rangers Optimistic Of Victory Over Nasarawa United
Rangers International FC of Enugu said they are optimistic of picking the maximum points over Nasarawa United FC in rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 14 in Lafia.
Rangers will today battle Nasarawa United in a rescheduled NPFI match day 14 in Lafia.
Speaking to newsmen in Enugu, yesterday the club Media Officer, Norbert Okolie said that the players were ready for the battle.
According to him, “ some players who spoke to me after the match against Sunshine Stars FC were optimistic of good result in Lafia.
“With moral boosting draw in a match day 21 fixture in Akure over the weekend, the Coach Salisu Yusuf tutored side is confident of grabbing the maximum points.
“Though, with the host current resurgence, it seems they have found their range with the return of long time club Chairman, Barrister Isaac Danladi.
“Two straight wins against Jigawa Golden Stars and Enyimba International in Lafia will no doubt make the Lafia faithful wish for a third win on the bounce,” he said.
He said that the club’s stand in Captain Tope Olusesi and other players were in no mood to lay low and be consumed in any venue.
Okolie said that Coach Salisu Yusuf would be having a full complement of players for the game as attacking sensation, Israel Abia was expected to be unleashed on the ‘Solid Miners.
While the club defender, Isaac Loute hope to make a return as Ibrahim Olawoyin, Chinonso Eziekwe and Ifeanyi George look good to help the club picked a win on the road.
“Sure, the host, who are with a full complement of their technical staff with the return of Coach Bala Nikyu will be looking toward the trio of Ikenna Offor, Chinedu Ohanachom and Chidi Solomon to deliver the goods upfront.
“They will also expect good coverage for Danlami Umar from the back four of Abubakar Abdullahi, Ebuka Anaekwe, Moses Tsehuan and Chineme Martins”.
Okolie said that Rangers FC would go for the points despite the sudden up rise of the host in the league.
Currently Rangers is on 15th position on the log with 25 after 18 matches while Nasarawa United 19th position with 22 points from 20 matches played.
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor