SPORTS
Nigeria’s Number 1 Golf player, Bako Advocates Establishment of Academies
Kamalu Bako, Nigeria’s number one ranked golf player, on Saturday called for the establishment of golf academies in order to develop golf at the grassroots.
Bako, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said being deliberate about grassroots development would influence the quality of players in the amateur and professional levels.
“For golf to develop at the grassroots, we need to ensure that the proper structures are put in place such as having golf academies, where up and coming players are introduced to the sport early enough.
“The idea is to introduce them to golf early enough so they can go to anywhere in world and compete confidently among their peers.
“That’s why some countries’ golf circuits are very competitive; golf is generally perceived as an elitist sport but having an academy will be a leveler,” he said.
Bako said his goal for the year was to play in the Safari Tours to prepare him to participate in the Kenya Open, which is part of the European tour.
“This year has been fair, my focus now is to get into the Safari Tour, play well then play in the European Tour, that is my goal.
“This will enable me to compete with the best, and help me assess myself and develop myself better. Playing in the European Tour is my focus at the moment, by November it will tee-off,” Bako said.
On his challenges so far, the current number one ranked golfer in the country told NAN that he needed sponsorship to fund his participation in this tournament.
“Attaining this set goal will be guaranteed when I get sponsors that key into the vision; getting good sponsors will take financial burden off me so I can focus on training.
“Going for this tournaments is not cheap, so I hope to find sponsors soon,” he said. (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)