Sports
NPFL Super 6: Stalemate On Match-Day Three
The race for the continental spots and the Nigeria Professional Football League title remains dicey after match-day three following draws in potentially deciding games on Wednesday, Tidesports source reports.
In the first game of the day, Sadiq Abubakar drew first blood for Enyimba after 23 minutes with a beautiful left curler, which left Amas Obasogie helpless in Insurance’s goal.
Down but not deterred, the Benin Arsenal only trailed for 14 minutes as mercurial midfielder Divine Nwachukwu headed home Deputy Echeta’s lofted cross inside the box to level matters.
Insurance almost took the lead a minute later, but Ojo Olorunleke parried Adodo Stephen’s effort from the edge of the area to keep the score level at the break.
Momentum swung either way in the second half and it was Insurance who got on the front foot with the most attempts from second half substitute, Osarenkhoe Imade.
The striker forced a save from Olorunleke with a ferocious right-foot shot after cutting in from the left flank. Minutes later, Julius Emiloju and Nwachukwu let fly over the bar from rebounds.
Enyimba, however, saved their firepower for the last four minutes of the game as they also made three attempts at stealing the lead.
Insurance goalkeeper Obasogie made three crucial saves to deny Imo Obot, Somiari Alalibo and Ekene Awazie at the death as the game ended 1-1.
Sunshine thwart Remo’s ambition
Two goals in either half by Samuel Anaekwe and Lucky Gyan settled the score in the southwest derby between Sunshine Stars and Remo Stars as they played out a 1-1 draw in the second game.
Having drawn their first two games, Remo came off the blocks with urgency and scored the opener in the 15th minute courtesy of Anaekwe.
The striker almost made it two moments later, but Sunshine goalie, Mustapha Lawal, denied him from close range after Seun Ogunribide sent in a sweeping cross into the box.
While his teammates struggled to get their rhythm, Mustapha was the busiest of the goalkeepers as he entered full flight again to deny former Sunshine Stars player, Dayo Ojo from scoring with a pile driver.
Sunshine Stars fought back as soon as the game restarted, getting an equaliser in the 46th minute with a header from Gyan.
The rest of the half was played out with intent and caution at either side and the 1-1 draw left Remo with three points from three games, while Sunshine Stars have two points from as many games.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.