₦airaland Forum

While arguing over who should be in next years Confederation Cup, this years edition is still to be played!

Heartland Storm Lumumbashi For TP Mazembe, Bayelsa Hit Cairo In Batches


igeria will confront the African continent this weekend on three fronts as all the three teams representing the country in CAF inter clubs competitions travel out today for their respective matches.


Kano Pillars are billed to engage Zesco United of Zambia in the CAF Champions League group phase opening fixture for which the domestic champions in 2007/2008 departed the country on Monday to the Southern African country, Zambia.


Similarly, Heartland of Owerri who are also featuring in the group stage of the  continent’s most glamorous clubside competition are set to leave for Lumumbashi, DR. Congo today.
Heartland are to confront TP Mazembe on Saturday.


The Naze Millionaires are expected to travel by Ethiopian Airland.
Emeka Iwuagu, team manger of the club, told Complete Sports on Monday that they are finding it difficult to secure enough seats in the airline.
“We have not secured enough seats in the airline for our contingent.


“We are still sorting that out. Hopefully, this (Monday) evening, we should be able to sort things out because we do not want to travel in batches”, Iwuagun said.
The third Nigerian team on the continental circuit, Bayelsa United will leave for Egypt today.


The 2008/2009 Globacom Premier League champions are to play guest to Egyptian side, El-Hadood in CAF’s second string club competition, CAF Confederation Cup.
Ironically, they are to travel in batches aboard Egypt Air.


“The way it is, I feel that some of us will travel tomorrow (today), I mean the players and the technical crew while the rest will travel on Thursday”, informs spokesman of the club, Ebi Avi.
He said this was informed by  the lack of enough seats on the plane.


However, chairman of the club, chief  Baribote Victor Rumson, is confident that his boys will hold their ground against the Egyptian team.


“The Federation Cup and  the Confederation Cup are  two different ball games altogether”, Chief Rumson sounded.


“The (federation Cup) games served as a preparation for us. Right now we are focused on the continental assignment and the players are determined to excel”, he concluded.

luckiest:
more pics coming, even the guy who stripped himself,

We already have a pic of him!
Now if any of the women at game stripped themselves, I'd like to see pics of that 

THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will address the confusion over which team will pick the Confederation Cup tickets from all its competitions to ensure that teams know the prizes at stake before the commencement of each season.

Warri Wolves, which came fourth in the Globacom Premier League, is said to be laying claims to the last Confederation Cup ticket, which is the property of the Federation Cup winner.

Enyimba, which is one of the finalists in the Federation Cup, by virtue of its third place finish in league, has already picked one of the tickets, and Wolves is said to be angling for the last ticket because of its fourth position in the league should the Aba team win the Federation Cup. Wolves is said to be pushing its case aggressively through a top NFF Marketing Consultant.

But officials of Sharks claim that the ticket is reserved for the Federation Cup, which entails that should it lose the final match of the game, it should still get the ticket since Enyimba cannot pick another slot in the Confederation Cup. A top official of the federation, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian yesterday that the confusion would not have arisen had guidelines to both the league and Federation Cup spelt out the qualification for representing Nigeria in continental competitions.

"This should not have caused any argument if the teams knew the rules before entering competitions. I am surprised at the attitude of some of these clubs but everything would be sorted out once and for all," the source said. "The board has met to resolve the issue and I am sure that the position will become clear after the Cup final."

This is lifted from CAF's Confederations Cup regulations:

The African Football Confederation shall organise a yearly competition called
«The Confederation Cup», open to teams of CUP Winners Clubs of the Affiliated
Associations .The 12 countries obtaining the best results in the clubs competitions
during the previous five years will be allowed to register the Cup Winner's
Club and the club classified third in the National League. If the Cup Winner's
Club is not engaged, the concerned country will be authorized to register only
one club.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reading that, only Enyimba will be in "The Confederation Cup" since that took both spots. But we will have to wait and see.

dominique:
yaaaaaay!!!! UP ELEPHANTS_{told you ow11. . . take heart}

what about the 3rd position match between Lobi stars and Bayelsa utd?

Lobi Stars 3 Bayelsa United 1

Enyimba wins!!!!!

Enyimba 1-0 up at the half!

Federation Cup: Lagos saves NFF as Enyimba, Sharks battle
SportsJul 11, 2009
By Patrick Omorodion
Not many people will know that for the Lagos State Government which is footing the bills for the 2009 Federation Cup final (it used to be FA Cup before now), today’s epic match between former African Champions, Enyimba Football Club of Aba and Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt could not have been possible, or better still would have been colourless.

As it is usual with the present Board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under Alhaji Sani Lulu, they had no plans for the competition after its former sponsor, Coca Cola pulled out. A last minute visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola, himself an ardent lover of football, changed the situation.
Lagos State did not only buy the idea of supporting the 2009 final, it asked the NFF to give it the right to host three subsequent editions after today’s final, but surprisingly the NFF turned down the request, Sunday Vanguard Sports gathered.

Sani Lulu Abdulahi, Chairman NFF
So after today’s final, the country may be forced to have an uneventful final next year and beyond, as the NFF may wait until the last minute before looking for another sponsor for the 2010 edition.
So when football fans troop to the Teslim Balogun stadium, don’t be deceived that the carnival-like atmosphere they may see and savour was the handiwork of the NFF. The Lagos State government has budgeted about N6 million to make the final glamorous, like it used to be in the past. Fans are also  expected to win some prizes from the raffle expected to be drawn there.
Aside the entertainment, fans will be thrilled with scintillating soccer artistry from two sides that are not new to this competition. Enymba as former champions while Sharks have always gone so close but missing it on each occasion.
Today’s tie, apart from the fact that it would be a direct fight between players of both teams, it is a test of who’s a better tactician between Kadiri Ikhana, Sharks coach and Austin Eguavoen, Enyimba’s handler.
For experience, it could be said Ikhana would carry the day as he has won laurels with different clubs in the country, including his opponents today, Enyimba who he tinkered to their first Africa Champions League triumph.
But because football is not mathematics, as is fondly said, Eguavoen, who has seen it all at the national level, leading the Super Eagles to a bronze at the 2006 Africa Nations Cup in Egypt, may pull some tricks out of his bag to neutralise Ikhana’s tactics.
On the part of the players, the Aba Elephants are more motivated, so to speak, with the N500,000 cash promise from Abia Governor, Chief Theodore Orji if they bring the trophy tp Umuahia. Sharks are missing the benevolence of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili who could have doubled whatever the Abia government is offering Enyimba. Governor Rotimi Amaechi is not known to be a lavish spender.
Sharks need the trophy more to launch themselves into the continent for the Confederations Cup  next year but Enyimba who have already picked a ticket for the same competition as third place finishers in the Globacom Premier league, want to be champions again.

Does anyone know what happens to Nigeria's second CAF Confederation Cup slot after Enyimba wins tomorrow?

Federation Cup final: a theatre of the absurd
By Olukayode Thomas
July 10, 2009 05:49PMT
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Pity fans that will be at the Teslim Balogun Stadium to watch the final of the FA Cup now christened Federation Cup, because of the ego of the Sanni Abdulaahi Lulu, who prefers to be called president, rather than chairman.

Thus with fiat he changed the name of the Nigeria Football Association to the Nigeria Football Federation.

But it is not just the change of name; the value of the game has dropped below the zero level. Fans today will watch foot-brawl. Not football

The good old FA Cup

Rewind to the 1970's or even the 1980's, the FA Cup final was as big as the presidential election. Then, in any city where the final was played, everything stopped. Days before, the match souvenirs of the finalists would flood the market. Hotels were fully booked in the run up to the final. On match days, woe betide you if you got to the stadium just in time for the match. You would not get a good seat, if you got any.

Ask any kid then, they will not only tell you the names of the first 11 players in likely finalists like 3SC, Rangers, Bendel Insurance, Abiola Babes, Mighty Jets, Sharks of Port Harcourt, Racca Rovers, Stationary Stores etc; they will even mention the reserves. But today, even sports journalists do not know the names of the captain of either Sharks or Enyimba, the two clubs playing the finals.

No more surprises

Elements of surprise, one of the ingredients that make FA Cup the darling of football fans worldwide has disappeared from our football.

While smaller clubs like Barnsley, Cardiff, and others are still creating upsets against big boys like Chelsea and Manchester United in the English FA Cup, our own giant killers in the good old days of the FA Cup like Abdulsalam Rocks, Arugo FC, Babanawa FC, Vasco da Gamma, and others, have disappeared, thanks to bad officiating.

It is only teams with deep pockets that get to the final, and small clubs don't have big money, they have been blown away.

Local league

The poor quality of today's final, and by extension our local football, is a reflection of the management skill of the officials of the Nigerian Football Federation and the Nigerian Football League.

As long as our league remains a feeder league to the European nation leagues, and even countries like India, Malta and Sudan, the glamour and competition will not return.

Many football aficionados have argued that the reason why fans don't watch our football is because it is not on television.

But the South African league is on air, how many Nigerians are watching it? Even the Dutch league and the French league are on air, how many Nigerians are watching them?

The truth is: people don't pay to watch football, they pay to watch stars, and if their stars are not playing, they will not watch whether it is live or not.

For glamour to return to our Federation Cup or league, we must be able to retain our stars, and if our football managers cannot, what we will be having year in year out is a theatre of the absurd in the name Federation Cup.

Sharks boast

Meanwhile, the actors in today's final, Sharks manager, Kadiri Ikhana, is optimistic that the Port Harcourt-based team will win today.

Ikhana told journalists shortly after the team qualified for the finals that the Port Harcourt-based team will compensate for the club's inability to clinch the Globacom Premier League title.

"Having reached this stage we are not going to look back, we just have to win the Federation Cup title to compensate for our inability to win the league. There were a lot of expectations from us from the league and this trophy will go a long way to make up for the failed league title," Ikhana told journalists.

Enyimba boast

Also, the chairman of Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, has declared that the club will lift the trophy to compensate for the Premier League miss.

Enyimba beat league champions Bayelsa United to get to the final. "I'm happy that we are in the final," Anyansi said after the excruciating semi-final match in Owerri, Imo State. "We lost the league shield but we are going to the Federation Cup as consolation. The state governor has assisted us greatly this season and it will be nice to hand the Federation Cup to him as our way of saying thank you."

Enyimba will say thank you to the state governor, but what will the football federation say to fee paying fans who watch 90 minutes of foot-brawl, instead of football?

bandely:
Hello House, Has anyone gotten the score of the Beach Soccer African Qualifiers Final Btw Nigeria and Cote D' Ivoire?

NIGERIA ARE AFRICAN CHAMPIONS

Posted: 2009-07-05 18:20

A combination of clinical finishing and solid defence allowed Nigeria to beat Ivory Coast 7-4 in a thrilling Final of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Qualifier Durban on Sunday. 

The win, which crowns Nigeria as the African champion for the second time after their 2007 title, came on the back of a superb defensive performance, most notably by Ogbonnaya Okemirri, who was rock solid in containing the Ivorian strikers.  

Unlike the earlier play-off for third and fourth, which saw Senegal beat Egypt 6-4 in a relatively static encounter, Nigeria and Ivory Coast continued from where they left off in their two thrilling semifinals on Saturday.  

The match was played at a hectic pace and never let up with both teams going all-out to take control as play swung from end to end. With shots raining in on both keepers, either team could have scored numerous times before Ivory Coast got the first breakthrough – but the opening goal came seconds after a missed chance at the other end.  

Didier Kabletchi netted the first for Ivory Coast from a quick break after Nigerian Isiaki Olwale had mis-kicked with a wide open goal in front of him at the other end of the park. From then on Nigeria took command with the front running duo of Olawale and Baba Yahaya combining brilliantly to bamboozle the stressed Ivorian defence. 

In the first period the combination shared the goals with Olawale getting the first and third, both set up by Yahaya, while his partner up front got the second to leave Nigeria in control with a 3-1 lead at the first break.  

The second stanza was almost identical to the first, except Ivory Coast were only able to get on the score sheet again with 40 seconds of the period left when Thomas Ehounou scrambled the ball into the net. Before his strike, it was once again Olawale and Yahaya, this time with Victor Tale when he was on the pitch, who were giving the Ivorian defence a tough time.
 
So it was appropriate that the three of them shared the three goals Nigeria added in the second period to leave the score at 6-2 going into the final 12 minutes of non-stop action.  

The play swung back and forth, but as the clock ran down Ivory Coast 's hopes ebbed away and although they managed to pull back to three with five minutes to go, via Salomon Ouraga's score, their hope was short lived.  

Just over a minute later Olawale netted his fourth for the day, and 14th for the tournament, to extend the lead to four goals again, and with just four minutes left it was going to take a miracle to prevent Nigeria from claiming the title.  

Ivorean Ouraga netted a penalty but that was just a false glimmer of hope and left the final score as 7-4.  

After the match there was some consolation for Ivory Coast as goalkeeper Kevin Enam was named as the Goalkeeper of the Tournament, while Olawale was the Player and Top Goalscorer.

Enyimba!!! Btw, does this mean Sharks qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup

Day 2

Abeokuta


Sharks 5-1 Bussdor
Scorers: Thankgod Amaefula 18min (pen), 62 min (pen)


Friday Nwoga 35min, Chibuzor Ozurumba, 54min, Joseph Tagoe 84min, Joseph Williams 85min (pen)
lBayelsa 1-0 Akwa Utd


Scorer: Manir Ubale 84min

Jalingo


lEnyimba 3-2 Dolphins
Scorers: Obinna Amakor 4min, Captain Ejindu 13min, Andrew Igado 43min, Daddy Bazuaye 70min, Kalu Uche 80min.


lLobi Stars 1-0 Rangers
Scorer: Gabriel Oguche 73min


Ilorin


lOcean Boys 2-1 Nasarawa
Scorers: Shehu Dauda 47min, Charles Omokaro 67min, Ifeanyi Ede

Julius Berger 0-0 BCC


Uyo


l3SC 0-0 Elkanemi
lIla 0-0 Taraba

Ocean Boys

OCEAN BOYS HELD, BAYELSA LOSE

Posted: 2009-06-24 06:45

Ocean Boys began the defence of their Nigeria Cup title in less than sparkling form after being held 1-1 by First Division Julius Berger in the opening game of their round of 16 group fixtures at Ilorin.

Elsewhere, newly-crowned champions Bayelsa United were pegged back 1-0 by Sharks at the Abeokuta centre, where Bussdor also stunned a dispirited Akwa United 3-1.
 
It took well over an hour for the first goal to arrive in Ilorin, and it went the way of the holders, Emma Enize breaking the deadlock for Ocean Boys after 63 minutes.
 
But last year's winners failed to build on that foundation and were made to pay a steep price when Berger found a breakthrough with just seven minutes of time left.
 
That left Nasarawa surprise group leaders following their 2-1 win over BCC Lions earlier in the day.
 
Lawal Hassan put Nasarawa ahead after 26 minutes but the lead lastewd only four minutes before Nyam Terwuweme restored parity.
 
Shehu Dauda was to have the final word for Nasarawa with a quarter of an hour of time left.
 
In Abeokuta, Akwa United had barely taken the kickoff when they fell a goal behind. Saad Folorunsho converting a penalty on 2 minutes to give Bussdor the lead.
 
Onyekachi Okoye then worked a fine opening, which was finished by Iniobong Jackson on the hour mark.
 
And as Akwa pressed for the win, they left wide open spaces at the back which Bussdor took full advantage of to plunder two late goals. The first poked into his own net by Marshall Johnson under pressure, and the cheese on top a spectacular volley from 20 yards from Adeboye Adesola.
 
Idowu Olaiya's goal seven minutes shy of the hour gave Sharks a 1-0 win over League champions Bayelsa, but the triumph was soured by a horrific leg break on defender Kelechi Uroh.
 
Uroh had pushed up for a corner, and as he chased the clearance, he was tracked by Ifeanyi Onwuatu, who went in hard.
 
Not only could the crack of the bones be heard high up in the stands, the unnatural angle of the foot could be seen as well.
 
Preliminary prognosis is that he will be out for at least a full season.
 
Ibadan warlords 3SC lead the way in Uyo after a 1-0 win over Ila, courtesy of Ado Mohammed's late goal.
 
The earlier game saw FC Taraba and El Kanemi cancel each other out with a 1-1 draw.
 
Loveth Akubo gave Taraba a 5th minute lead, which they looked to be going home with when El Kanemi sneaked a late late effort on the stroke of time.
 
And in Jalingo, ten-man Dolphins drew a line in the sand with a 1-0 win over Lobi Stars.
 
Solomon Bitrus saw a speculative effort creep in on 20 minutes, and the four-time champions held on for the win, despite seeing left back Hussein Adaji dismissed for a second bookable offence.
 
It could have been worse, as Austin Festus later escaped a straight red for kicking a Lobi player in the face.
 
In the other game of the Champions Pool, Enyimba and Rangers played out an entertaining scoreless draw.
 
Abeokuta
Sharks 1-0 Bayelsa United
Bussdor 3-1 Akwa United
 
Ilorin
Nasarawa United 2-1 BCC Lions
Ocean Boys 1-1 Julius Berger
 
Jalingo
Dolphins 1-0 Lobi Stars
Enyimba 0-0 Rangers
 
Uyo
Taraba 1-1 ElKanemi
Shooting Stars 1-0 Ila

FEDERATION CUP REACHES GROUP STAGE

Posted: 2009-06-19 22:06

Three former champions will light up the Jalingo Centre as the Federation Cup enters its group stages next week.

Dolphins, Enyimba and Rangers are joined by Lobi Stars in what is undoubtedly the group of death, to be played in the Taraba State capital.
 
Only two teams progress to the quarterfinals.
 
The other centres are Ilorin (Kwara State), Uyo (Akwa Ibom State), and Abeokuta (Ogun State)
The group matches will take place between 22nd and 28th June, 2009.
 
All the teams are expected to arrive at their respective centres on Sunday, 21st June 2009.
 
Two teams will qualify from each group for the quarter finals scheduled for the 1st of July, 2009.
 
GROUP A: ILORIN CENTRE
Ocean Boys
Julius Berger
Nasarawa FC
BCC Lions
 
GROUP B: UYO CENTRE
3SC
ILA FC
EL-KANEMI
FC TARABA
 
GROUP C: ABEOKUTA CENTRE
BAYELSA UNITED
BUSSDOR
SHARKS
AKWA UNITED
 
GROUP D: JALINGO CENTRE
LOBI STARS
DOLPHINS
RANGERS
ENYIMBA
 
ROUND OF 32 RESULTS
OCEAN BOYS 2-0 NIGER TORNADOES
JULIUS BERGER 2-0 AJIYA BABES
VOM VET FC 0-1 NASARAWA UTD
PLATEAU UTD 0-3 BCC LIONS
POLICE MACHINE 0-1 3SC
F/FLAMINGO 3-4 ILA FC 4
BIDA LIONS 0-3 EL-KANEMI (WALK-OVER)
RISING STARS 0-1 TARABA FC
KWARA FEEDERS 0-1 BAYELSA UTD
BUSSDOR FC 2-0 B/INSURANCE 0
GATEWAY 0-2 SHARKS
HEARTLAND 0-1 AKWA UTD
AKWA STARLETS 0-1 LOBI
IGBINO BABES 0-1 DOLPHINS
KANO PILLARS 1-1 RANGERS (Rangers win 5-4 on penalties)
ENYIMBA 2-2 GOMBE (Enyimba win 6-5 on penalties)

dominique:
i think it is possible for one country to have more than 2 reps in the continental competitions. . .if Kano pillars happen to win it _{not impossible} and they dont make top 4, wont they be eligible to play as defending champions?

I would guess it's possible, but has it ever happened?

2 teams to CL (champs and runner-up)

2 to Confederation Cup (third place and FA Cup winner)

Also, CAF rules state only the league champions and runners up are eligible for CL play, so Enyimba will just have to wait until they finish top 2. This rule prevented Zamalek from playing when Ismaily decided to opt out of this years CL.

Dis Guy:
wow where did you get information about the lower division?

I think they are called A[b]f[/b]onja Warriors

I've always wondered why four teams get relegated from the premier league- i hope they bounce back
3SC's promotion will definitely make the league interesting again in a way considering their past

complete sports will throw a D1 bone every now and again (that's where that story came from)

News From Division One League (which is at the business end)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permit me to shift attention to the National Division One League today at the expense of the Nigerian top flight, the Globacom Premier League.

The reason is to analyse the chances of the front runners in the second string league to beat the rest of their competitors to join the big boys next season.

Followers of the National Division One League will agree with me that there are a whole lot of talents and quality in the hitherto down-throden second tier league.

Some of the nation’s foremost teams or the ones my Editor Dare Esan use to call TRADITIONAL TEAMS are languishing there. Some of them are labouring assiduously to swim out of the turbulent waters of the tough lower league.

Did I hear you mention 3SC? Or could it be Dolphins, Insurance Kwara United or Plateau United?
Anyway, no matter which side of the divide you stand, there are only four matches remaining on the fixtures before the curtain will be drawn. And it is only after this four round of matches that boys will be separated from the men. Here we go:

Kwara United
The Atonja Warriors, as the Ilorin outfit are called by their fans, look set to emerge tops in the National League Division One A group.
They were relegated last season and coach John Obuh was called in to salvage things. Like the old Stationary Stores were said to be guided by the spirit of their late founder, Israel Adebajo, Kwara United appear to be enjoying protection and guidance of a host number of spirits – AD Okafor, Abdullahi Bebe and Kafaru Alabi.
Don’t ask me why. But Kwara United currently top the group with 48 points, five points clear of second FC Taraba. .
In the remaining five games, Kwara United will play two at home (see fixtures above). Three of the games are on the road.
Mathematically, they may win all two home games to make a haul of 54 points.
Out of the three away matches there is a mathematical possibility two points on the road (probably vs NAF and Unicem Rovers).
If this eventually comes to pass, they would have stretched their total points haul to 56. Jalingo and Vola may not be a fertile venue for Kwara United to hunt for away points.
Reason is that FC Taraba and Adamawa United are actively involved in the promotion race and will be out to make things difficult for the Atonia Warriors. But before the trip to Vola for Adamawa which is the last game of the campaign, Kwara United would have had their promotion ticket signed, sealed and delivered, presumably after the trip to Calabar.

FC Taraba
The sleepy town of Jalingo is almost set for its first feel of Nigerian top flight football courtesy of FC Taraba.
FC Taraba are currently second five adrift of leaders, Kwara United, (see table). With five matches to the close of the season, FC Taraba know they have to tightly screw their heads onto their necks tightly if hopes to actualise their dream.
With three away matches to honour (see fixtures) FC Taraba could pick points in Jos (vs Jets) and Calabar (vs Unicem Rovers). May be, just maybe, they can reap two points on the road and ensure that they make the maximum six at home against Kwara United and Sokoto United.
Mathematically, FC Taraba can a mass eight points from the matches. Then add this to the 43 points already in their kitty and you get 51 points.
Adamawa United
Adamawa United currently lie on third spot on the table with 42 points with Rauch Bees. The two sides have massive goals advantage of +15 and +11 respectively unlike FC Taraba with just +8.
This may count in their favour especially if FC Taraba fail to make their one point advantage count.
Dolphins
Dolphins are clear leaders in group B with 52 points as they have not been generous at home to visiting teams.
Before now they have won all previous home games. This makes their Liberation stadium a slaughter slab for visitors on points voyage.
Interestingly too, the Stanley Eguma squad have impressive away record which includes three victories on the road and four draws.
It could be suggested that, based on current form and record, Dolphins can win their two remaining home ties against ambitious sides - Delta Force and First Bank (See fixtures).
If one consider their away record, it is possible that they could earn one point away to Ila FC ( they last 0-1) mathematically they can garner seven points from a possible maximum of 15.
Add six points to 52 and the answer is 58 points.
With 58 points (possible) Dolphins are safely through to the Premier League after emerging tops in National Division One League group B.
Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan have spent a couple of seasons in the lower league. There is no better time for them to advance to where they rightly belong in Nigerian football than now.
With 47 points in the kitty, the fixtures of the remaining four matches indicates that they have two of the matches at home.
At this point, it is difficult for any visiting team to expect good result in Ibadan. And should the Oluyole Warriors get the six maximum points in their two home ties versus leaders, Dolphins and Anambra United, that would take their points haul to 53.
How good the Frank Howard men are will be put to test when they travel to Delta Star Insurance and First Bank of Lagos.
Unfortunately, all two away foes have their eyes on the promotion ticket which makes it difficult to permute any possibility of the Ibadan side earning any point on the road at this point.
And with 53 points, 3SC will be pretty sure of featuring in next season’s Premier League.
First Bank
First Bank of Lagos have an outside chance to make it to the Premier League. They have 44 points with just five matches to end the season.
Their remaining three away matches (see fixtures) are such that it is easier to squeeze out water from stone than for the bankers to earn the needed points that could over haul 3SC’s promotion ambition.


National League Standings
Group A
Teams P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Kwara Utd 25 14 6 5 39 15 +24 48
FC Taraba 24 13 4 7 22 17 +5 43
Adamawa Utd 26 13 3 10 34 20 +14 42
Ranch Bees 25 14 - 11 32 22 +10 42
El-Kanemi 25 12 2 11 25 27 -2 39
Dallatu Utd 26 11 5 10 30 27 +3 38
Unicem Rovers 26 12 - 14 26 27 -1 37
Plateau Utd 25 10 5 10 26 22 +4 35
Babanawa 25 11 2 12 24 30 -6 35
Supreme C. 26 8 6 12 20 22 -2 34
BCC Lions 26 10 3 13 21 29 -8 33
Jigawa Stars 24 10 2 12 18 27 -9 32
Mighty Jets 24 9 4 11 20 29 -9 31
Makwada 25 9 3 13 23 27 -4 30
Sokoto Utd 23 7 4 11 18 26 -8 25
NAF Rockets 24 6 7 11 19 28 -9 25


Group B
Teams P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Dolphins 26 16 4 6 36 20 +16 52
3SC 26 14 5 7 29 20 +9 47
First Bank 26 14 2 10 32 35 -3 44
Delta Force 26 14 1 11 30 27 +3 43
Insurance 26 13 3 10 32 21 +11 42
Bussdor 24 13 3 8 29 19 +10 42
Prime 25 11 5 9 27 18 +9 38
Crown 26 10 6 10 22 20 +2 36
Julius Berger 26 11 3 11 31 30 +1 36
OUK 26 11 3 12 25 25 - 36
Anambra Utd 25 11 2 12 24 26 -2 35
Gabros 25 10 4 11 29 30 -1 34
ILA 26 9 5 10 21 28 -7 32
Union Bank 26 7 5 13 27 36 -9 27
FC Ebedei 26 5 8 12 17 34 -17 23
Kolu Utd 25 3 6 16 13 41 28 15

3SC are in the Division One League (battling for promotion)

CAF Champions League 1st Round, 1st Leg

HEARTLAND FC 3 FAR Rabat (Morocco) 1

AS Douanes (Senegal) 1 KANO PILLARS 1

CAF Confederation Cup 1st Round, 1st Leg

Club 57 Tourbillon (Congo) 0 BAYELSA UNITED 0

Red Arrows (Zambia) 2 OCEAN BOYS 0

The Weekends Results

Gateway FC 2 - 1 Sharks FC
Warri Wolves FC 2 - 0 Wikki Tourist
Kano Pillars FC 0 - 0 Niger Tornadoes FC

Sunday 1 March
Gombe United FC 1 - 0 Enugu Rangers International FC (Rangers crying foul over this (see kickoffnigeria.com)
Heartland FC Owerri 3 - 1 Lobi Stars FC
Sunshine Stars FC 1 - 0 Akwa United FC
Bayelsa United FC 1 - 0 Juth FC
Kaduna United FC 2 - 1 Ocean Boys FC Brass
Zamfara United FC PSTP FC Abuja
Enyimba International FC 2 - 0 Nasarawa United FC (Hells Yeah)

Log
1. Bayelsa 25 47
2. Heartland 24 45
3. Enyimba 26 41
4. Rangers 26 41
5. Wolves 24 38
6. Sharks 25 38
7. Pillars 24 37
8. Sunshine 26 37
9. Niger 26 35
10. Ocean 25 34
11. Gombe 26 33
12. Kaduna 24 31
13. Lobi 26 30
14. Akwa 26 29
15. Wikki 24 29
16. Nasarawa 26 29
17. Gateway 24 28
18. Zamfara 22 27
19. Abuja 24 27
20. JUTH 25 26

Ineligible Player may Eliminate Heartland

By Norbert Okolie in Enugu
Despite humiliating Liberian Black Stars by 4 - 0 in the first leg, preliminary round of CAF Champions League at Owerri — Nigeria, Heartland FC might be eliminated from the competition by default, GoalNigeria.com reports exclusively.
Investigations by GoalNigeria.com revealed that Heartland fielded an ineligible player (names withheld) who was alleged to have moved over to the ‘Naze Millionaires’ from neighbours, Enugu Rangers International without proper clearance.

The investigation further revealed that the Liberians have got wind of this and have been making frantic effort to corroborate the news with concrete evidence so as to file a protest against Heartland with CAF.

A Rangers’ official who confirmed the development exclusively to GoalNigeria.com, but pleaded anonymity, said that a Liberian official called the club to ascertain the truth in the story, ‘but of course he was rebuffed’.

The Rangers’ official added, however, that Heartland were now making concerted effort to regularize and pay the N4 million transfer fee of the player who, though sat out the duration of the game on the bench.

In reaction, Heartland’s Media Officer, Cajetan Nkwopara denied any wrong doing and said to GoalNigeria.com: “There is no truth in that allegation because the Liberians who are still in Owerri are very happy with us as they have been playing friendly games with some teams here (in Owerri).

“They might even play a friendly game with us before travelling back. The player was not improperly cleared. The Nigeria Football Federation gave him a temporal clearance to play for us pending when we resolve financial terms with his old club, Rangers.

“So, I believe that this is an unfounded rumor by those just trying to destabilize our resolve to represent the nation well in the CAF Champions league.”