SPORTS
Akwa United Win 2020/2021 NPFL with One Match Day to go
Akwa United Football Club of Uyo on Sunday won the 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), with one round of matches to go in the 38-week competition.
The 25-year-old club, who were winning their first premier league title, beat MFM FC of Lagos 5-2 in their week 37 match.
Akwa United have now moved to 71 points to take an unassailable lead in the competition, with one match day one week away.
They won on Sunday with a flourish, with Charles Atshimene grabbing a hat-trick in the 24th and 85th minutes, and the second minute of final added time.
Alimi Adebayo’s own goal in the second minute of first half added time, and Mfon Udoh’s 62nd minute goals added to their goals’ haul.
The 2013 Federation Cup and 2018 Aiteo Cup winners however conceded twice during the game, from Michael Mbonu’s 68th minute penalty kick and Dennis Obasi’s 89th minute goal.
They have so far won 19 matches, drawn 14 and lost four, while scoring 52 goals and conceding 22 for a goals difference of +30 to stay miles away from their rivals.
The competition which began on Dec. 27 of 2020 is scheduled to end on Aug. 8.
But Akwa United’s win on Sunday has taken them nine points ahead of second-placed Nasarawa United of Lafia and third-placed Enyimba International of Aba who have 62 points each.
But they are one game ahead of their closest title rivals , who are playing their week 37 matches on Monday.
While Nasarawa United host Rangers International of Enugu, Enyimba host Sunshine Stars of Akure in their own fixture also on Monday.
If both sides go on to win, and then still win on Match Day 38, they will end up with 68 points each.
Nasarawa United will be away to Abia Warriors of Umuahia and Enyimba up against hosts Dakkada FC of Uyo.
This will still be three points each behind Akwa United, and this is even if the new champions fail to get a point from their own game.
Akwa United will be up against hosts Lobi Stars in Makurdi.
Meanwhile, in other week 37 matches played in the league on Sunday, Katsina United won 1-0 against Abia Warriors while Plateau United beat Dakkada FC 2-0 in Jos.
Warri Wolves also beat Heartland FC of Owerri 2-0.
Three other fixtures, apart from those in Lafia and Aba, were moved to Monday, and these include Adamawa United of Yola versus Kwara United of Ilorin in Gombe.
The others are Rivers United of Port Harcourt versus Lobi Stars and Kano Pillars versus Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.
The tie involving Jigawa Golden Stars of Hadeija and FC IfeanyiUbah of Nnewi in Kaduna has been postponed.
CURRENT STANDINGS AT A GLANCE
Position Team PL GD PTS
1. Akwa United 37 +30 71
2. Nasarawa United 36 +16 62
3. Enyimba International 36 +6 62
4. Kano Pillars 36 +9 61
5. Rivers United 36 +11 60
6. Kwara United 36 +15 59
7. Rangers International 36 +13 59
8. Lobi Stars 36 +5 55
9. Plateau United 37 +12 51
10. Dakkada FC 37 -4 50
11. Katsina United 37 -4 49
12. MFM FC 37 -2 48
13. Heartland FC 37 -9 45
14. Abia Warriors 37 4 44
15. Wikki Tourists 36 -8 42
16. Sunshine Stars 36 -12 41
17. Warri Wolves 37 -14 41
18. Jigawa Golden Stars 36 -18 40
19. FC IfeanyiUbah 36 -16 36
20. Adamawa United 36 -31 25
N.B: PL — Played, GD — Goals Difference , PTS — Points(NAN)
Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Saturday defeated Lobi Stars of Makurdi 1-0 in a pulsating North Central derby.
The matchday 16 fixture of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiere Football League (NPFL) was played at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State capital.
The Makurdi side had adopted the Lafia Township Stadium as their home ground for the 2024/2025 NPFL season.
The only goal of the match was scored by Qamar Adegoke in the 12th minute of the match to give all three points to the Lafia side.
Adegoke’s goal, who joined the Lafia team recently, was his second in four matches.
The Nasarawa attacker capitalised on a defensive error by the opponent’s backline and hit the back of the net to give Nasarawa United the advantage.
In a post-match interview, Kabir Dogo, Technical Adviser of Nasarawa United, hailed his players for taking all three points.
He explained that his team had improved by scoring five goals in their last three matches and expressed optimism that they would do better in subsequent games.
“We had a problem in the area of goal scoring in the past, but this has changed in our last three games,” he said.
With the win, Nasarawa United climbed to 14th on the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars remain on 17th position. (NAN)
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organising a two-day National Coaching Seminar, with the theme: “Leadership and Management Skills”.
The event will take place from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18, at the Additional Sports and Entertainment (ASEP) Pro Limited, in Mowe, Ogun State.
The seminar will enhance the capabilities of Nigerian table tennis coaches, with a particular emphasis on female coaches, aligning with the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Initiative.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, on Tuesday, said that the seminar was part of the one-week sports and leadership boot camp titled “Awaken the Giant, She Can 4.
0,” proudly supported by NTTF.“This seminar will also represent the third stage of the 2024 “My Gender, My Strength” programme, which has table tennis star Abosede Akinsete, as a beneficiary.
“NTTF President,Tikon Ishaku, Vice President, Adesoji Tayo, and other board members are dedicated to initiatives that support the development of coaches.
“Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, ITTF Executive Vice President, and President of ITTF-Africa, reaffirms his commitment to empowering women in sports, in line with the GEDI Initiative.
He explained that the seminar would feature people, who would speak on leadership and management skills, to enhance the abilities of coaches to identify and develop talents, as well as encourage the development of high-performance table tennis players capable of competing globally. (NAN)
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday returned to the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) summit as strong rivals Remo Stars FC faltered on Match Day 13.
Report says that Rivers United beat visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia 1-0 after an Ndifreke Effiong 58th minute goal from the penalty kick spot.
Effiong’s goal in the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium helped them to move to 25 points from 13 matches, after seven wins, four draws and two losses.
Former leaders Remo Stars dropped to second with 23 points from 13 matches after seven wins, two draws and four losses, following a 0-2 loss to hosts Katsina United.
Plateau United of Jos beat visiting Nasarawa United of Lafia 2-0 to bolster their position.
Shooting Stars Sports Club also struggled to a 1-0 win over visiting Bayelsa United of Yenago.
A 15th minute goal by Anthony Okachi at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan gave them the win.
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri had on Saturday beaten Akwa United of Uyo 1-0 to move into third place on the table with 22 points from 13 games.
Enyimba International of Aba remained in fourth place with 20 points from 12 matches, with their week 13 game against Sunshine Stars of Akure on hold.
Rangers International of Enugu are in fifth place with 20 points also, after a goalless draw with hosts Heartland FC ain Owerri on Saturday.
Bendel Insurance of Benin had also beaten Kwara United of Ilorin 3-1, while Lobi Stars of Makurdi drew 2-2 with visiting Kano Pillars in Lafia.
NAN reports that the league will enter Match Day 14 on Wednesday.(NAN)
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