SPORTS
NCF Tasks State Associations on Accelerated Growth Programme
Prof. Yahaya Ukwenya, President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation(NCF), on Sunday tasked state associations to embark on accelerated growth programmes to further enhance the sport in the country.
Ukwenya gave the advice during a teleconference developmental seminar organised by the Lagos State Cricket Association (LSCA).
He said such programmes would help to identify and attract budding talents to the sport.
“We should organise accelerated growth programmes which has the objective of bringing in 250,000 new entrants annually for the next four years into the national cricket ecosystem.
“I charged the LSCA to contribute its quota in this respect,” he said.
Kofi Sagoe, Chairman of the LSCA board, while speaking, said the association had presented a five-year strategy document to the Lagos State Sports Commission in April for the development of the sport.
“The LSCA put together a five-year strategy document earlier presented to and approved by the Lagos State Sports Commission in April 2021 for the development of the sport.
“The strategy rests on the pillars of infrastructure, players development, coaches/umpires’ certification, sponsorship, recognition/reward and governance,” he said.
He reiterated the commitment of the board to implementing the development agenda outlined as well as the activity schedule.
The Lagos Cricket Stakeholders (LCS), an NGO set up in May 2021 to support the growth of the sport in Lagos, was introduced during the seminar.
The LCS is headed by David Harper, who is also serving as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The seminar was the first to be conducted since the inception of the new LSCA board inaugurated in March 2021. (NAN)
SPORTS
Results of Match Day 2 Fixtures in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of Match Day 1 fixtures in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday and dates of the remaining fixtures:
Akwa United FC 1-1 Abia Warriors FC
Bayelsa United FC 1-1 Kano Pillars FC
Katsina United FC 1-1 Bendel Insurance FC
Niger Tornadoes FC 0-0 Nasarawa United FC
Shooting Stars FC 1-1 Plateau United FC
El Kanemi Warriors Vs Kwara United FC (postponed )
The following Match Day two fixtures
Would be played on Sept.
25:Ikorodu City FC Vs Enugu Rangers international FC
Enyimba international FC Vs Lobi stars FC .
(NAN)SPORTS
Match Day 1 Remaining Results in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of remaining Match Day one fixtures played on Sunday in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)Heartland FC 1-3 Enyimba international FCKwara United FC 1-2 Niger Tornadoes FCBendel Insurance FC 0-0 Rivers United FCPlateau United FC 1-0 Katsina United FCKano Pillars FC 3-0 Ikorodu City FCSunshine Stars FC 3-0 Bayelsa United FCAbia Warriors FC 0-2 Remo Stars FCNasarawa United FC 1-1 Shooting Stars FC.
(NAN)SPORTS
Morocco 2025: Super Eagles can Beat any Team, Eguavoen Boasts
The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, said his team can beat any team with the quality of players in the team.
Eguavoen stated this after his team spanked the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-0 in the 2025 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.
“We have quality players to beat any team but we respect team anyway.
Any coach can come in and do the same job with the Super Eagles.“It is a mindset, we have the potential and how you perceived your opponent, given the information about them and then go out and do the job,“he said.
Equavoen attributed the victory to the formation adopted by the technical crew, adding that any formation could be used to ensure that the team was successful.
“We can decide to use any system. It is something we discussed and I slept over it. I know with the caliber of players that we have, we can decide to play any formation.
“Football is about you win, lose and draw, I don’t believe we have a poor result,” he said.
He, however, said that the former Super Eagles coach didn’t do a good job but it has to do with believe, what is at stake and what you want to achieve.
“Psychologically as a group, we are agreed, where we are and where we are going to be. We will definitely achieve it,” Equavoen said.
He commended the performance of the defence , describing it as superb, adding that the team had been training together for one week.
The coach said that asking six players to warm up for the second half was to buy time, adding that there was no need to rush to change.
He said the Cheetahs of Benin Republic were a good team, adding that they came with a good game plan.
Report says that Eguavoen was appointed interim coach after the deal between the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and coach Bruno Labbadia failed.
NFF explained in a statement that it failed due to the stringent regulations of German tax authorities.(NAN)