■ Godwin Obaje

The Last season’s highest goalscorer was expected to move out of the country in search of “greener pastures” but a move to Russia failed to materialise and the former Wikki tourist striker joined Ifeanyi Ubah instead, in a deal that made him the highest-paid player in the league pocketing 2 million Naira every month.

However, the striker who scored 19 goals last season hasn’t repaid with enough number of goals as compared to the amount he earns. The Anambra warriors striker have only scored 6 goals so far (penalties inclusive), a certainly poor return for the striker.

■ Rangers

It’s been a below par first stanza for the champions, already crashing out of the Caf champions and confederations Cup at the preliminary stage. On the local scene, they ended the first stanza of the league out of the top half of the table specifically in the 16th position just four points away from bottom placed Remo stars.

The Flying Antelopes’ problems are not only on the pitch as they have had problems off the pitch as well, first it was paying players’ salaries which lead to protest by players before a crucial Caf confederations cup game away to Zesco, and then it was followed by the sacking of their title-winning coach Imama Amapakabo.

The Enugu-based team need to get their acts together in the second half if they are to finish the season in a respectable position.

■ Obinna Nwobodo

The former Nigerian youth international was expected to make a move to Europe after playing a major role in Rangers NPFL title triumph last season. Even after failing to see a move come forward, not many would expect the young midfielder to flop the way he has this season.

He provided 8 assist for Chisom Egbechulam last season and although the latter as since moved to Sweden with Hacken, that cannot be said to be the reason for his below-par performances as the whole Rangers team have fumbled so far failing to make both the Caf champions league and Confederations cup group stages.

Maybe the youngster could still salvage his reputation and stake a claim for a super eagles shirt with improved performances in the second half of the season having scored just 4 goals in the first stanza 2 of which came against Gombe United in a thrilling encounter which ended 3-3.

■ Remo stars

Although the sky blue stars may be excused on the ground of being newbies in the league, the nature of their promotion from the NNL last season had raised hopes of fans for big results and performances from the Sagamu based team.

The team amassed an impressive 8 wins 4 draws and one loss in the division B1 of the NNL last season. They also had the best record for most wins and the least loss across the four division thereby sealing promotions with a match to spare.

However, the team sit rock bottom in the NPFL at the midway of the season and would really need a miracle to avoid relegation back to the NNL.

■ Kano pillars

Sai masu Gidan are always considered as favourites every season alongside their arch-rivals Enyimba of Aba, but neither of the two has performed to expectations so far, Pillars are worse than the latter sitting at the 14th position with 24 points from 19 games.

Although 4 points separate them from Enyimba who sits 7th on the log, the inconsistencies from pillars further in the second half of the season may see them fail to appear in the continental tournament next season for the third season in a row, a bad return for the former champions.

■ Referees

After perceived improvement in the performances of the league’s referees in the previous season which led to the highest number of away wins in a single NPFL season, the match officials this season have walked hand in hand with controversies.

The first case of controversial refereeing this season came in the very first game between Kano pillars and Ifeanyi Ubah where ref, Mrs Folusho Ajayi disallowed a goal scored by the Anambra warriors which subsequently led to the game being abandoned at the hour mark. Other cases have been reported in other matches this season and football lovers can only hope things get better very soon.

As this second stanza of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL ) resume and teams returned from the short break, the excitement starts to build again in fans as to which of their respective team will be NPFL champions.

However, not all wishes work out like a beautiful marriage, NPFL can be a merciless league where last season’s achievements mean next-to- nothing and good form can flip in a moment. Enyimba, Kano Pillar and Ranger’s fortunes have entirely switched around but how do the teams fare in the first stanza?

In our latest article, Cheapgoals.com look at those [teams and players] who have so far failed to live up to the expectations of fan and neutrals alike.

Source : http://cheapgoals.com/npfl-the-flops-from-the-first-stanza-of-the-201617-season/


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Rivers United clutched a lone strike from new signing Ayo Saka at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt to beat Nasarawa United 1-0 in a matchday 20 game in the Nigerian Professional Football League.

Nasarawa United had the first obvious chance of the game in the 25th minute when a pillaging run and hurled pass by Emmanuel Makama finds Ocheme Edoh unmarked at the back post, his shot was spared by Rivers United goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi.

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Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte says it is vital to have players who have the joy to remain at the club as serious speculation persists over the fates of his team superstars.

Chelsea second Premier League title triumph in three seasons has done little to suppress growing rumours surrounding Thibaut Courtois, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and inform Belgian forward Eden Hazard with moves away from Stamford Bridge

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Barcelona superstar Gerard Pique has been pulled over by Spanish police as he headed down the runway in Barcelona for alleged over speeding.

As he was professedly fined for speeding and heedless driving, which is probably going to bring about six points fine on his driving permit.

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Harry Kane’s first historically four-goal haul pushed him to the top of the Premier League scoring chart, as Tottenham assumed control over former EPL champions ( Leicester City ) the King Power Stadium with the England international boosting his odds of finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer.

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Ex-Super Eagles assistant coach Daniel Amokachi has been named as the Technical Director of a Finnish club, JS Hercules and his appointment is to produce quick results, the club announced via their official site

In April 2007, he quit his part as Super Eagles assistant coach before he renamed to Super Eagles as an assistant coach to Shuaibu Amodu on 10 April 2008, and after that to Stephen Keshi.

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Monaco have clinched the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title interestingly for the first time since 1999-2000 to end Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance of the French top flight, following their 2-0 win over Saint-Etienne at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday

Leonardo Jardim’s side came into Wednesday’s match with Saint-Etienne knowing they just required getting a point to be sure of glory, having pounded Lille 4-0 last time out to everything except seal the title.


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Monaco won their first title since 2000, and it appears they’re prepared to party, with Monaco known for its quick autos and luxurious lifestyle Just like the US rapper 50 Cent.

The two have consolidated in a strange, yet unsurprising path, as the 25-question crooner will play a special show to celebrate Les Monagesques amazing season


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Super Eagles’ proposed training camp in Paris, France after the May 26 friendly game against Corsica has been called off, a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Also the friendly against Togo has also been cancelled due to logistics.

The three-time African champions were scheduled to hold a training camp in Paris but an official in the NFF disclosed that the plan has been shelved and the players and the officials will now return to Abuja after the Corsica friendly.

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France and Los Blancos striker Karim Benzema has lashed out on national teammate Mathieu Valbuena, laying the fault for the aftermath of a sex tape scandal decisively on the shoulders of the alleged victim on Tuesday.

Valbuena and Benzema both missed the Euro 2016 competition on home soil after an investigation was propelled into the alleged blackmail in a sex-tape outrage which is probably going to go to court in France not long from now.

Investigators speculate Benzema of going about as an intermediary between the assumed blackmailers, including one of his adolescence companions, and Lyon midfielder Valbuena.

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Comedian Funnybone lavish praise on Leicester and Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi for grabbing the Leicester City Young Player of the Year honour.

The 20-year-old who joined the Foxes in January taking after a £18m move from Belgium side Genk, had a wonderful campaign for the Craig Shakespeare’s side as they battled out of relegation water with the Nigerian international scoring twice in 15 appearances for the former Premier League champions.


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News has just reached Bayern Munich that Arsenal will not be in champions league next season.

Brazilian and Barcelona superstar Neymar Jr believes he has produced his best season in a Barcelona shirt after his superb hat-trick fixed an insistent triumph over Las Palmas on Sunday night.

The 25-year-old first hat trick away from NouCamp help secured a 4-1 win over Los Amarillos that ensured LaLiga’s title race go down to the last day of the season.

Neymar has scored 19 goals and contributed a further 20 assist for his club in 2016-17 and thinks this season has been the best of his four campaigns at Camp Nou since his arrival from Santos.

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Former Bayern Munich and Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis who now carries out his speciality with La Liga side Malaga in an enthusiastic and emotional statement on Monday affirmed he will retire from football at the end of the season.

The Argentine international left Manchester City last summer and joined Espanyol, before beginning his second spell at Malaga in January. His last game will be in Sunday’s home match against Real Madrid.

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■ Chigozie Obasi- Osun united

He may not be playing in a top flight league but the 2013 u17 world cup winner us still playing league football with the Bet9ja National league team, Osun United.

The forward who scored one goal at the world cup is currently a starter at the promotion seeking club and his prospect and potential are still achievable if he keeps on improving himself and makes good use of the chances he is being given.

■ Akinode Moses – Heartland

The heartland of Owerri forward has four goals and one assist so far in the NNL this season, the highest score on the team so far as they sit atop of the southern conference table.

■ John Chukwudi – Gateway united

John has scored double braces already in this season’s NNL. The first of the braces came in Gateway’s home match against Osun united on April 12 at the gateway stadium, Ijebu ode.

He also scored another brace against Unicem Rovers on April 26 to make his tally 4 goals out of 4 games he has played this season for the promotion hopefuls

■ Isah Saadu – Crown FC

The Ajilete warrior’s striker has set a target to emerge the highest goal scorer in the NNL, and the forward is doing his ambitions little harm having scored 4 goals so far.

He might need to increase the frequency of his goals In order to meet his personal goal as Jude Aneke leads the score chart with 6 goals.

■ Tony Wilson (Midfielder) Kogi united

The Kogi united midfielder is known for his ability to score from set pieces and as such, he is referred to as “free kick expert”.

He scored the winning goal for his team in a 2-1 comeback win against Jigawa golden stars in April, curling a magnificent free-kick into the top corner of the opposing goalkeeper.

As the Bet9ja National League is quickly picking up the audience, and as always it’s been an exciting campaign so far. We’ve seen thrills, skills, lovely and unforgiving side of the national league, and in between, there are about dozen teams playing some exceptional exciting football.

The greatest surprise has been the number of relatively unknown footballing talents in the NNL this season, who have quickly matured into potential NPFL product and also helping their various teams.

But, on these team we take a look at the top ten players who have been the most impressive in the NNL this season.

■ Isah Ismail (Goalkeeper) Delta force

The delta force goalkeeper has been fantastic for his side so far in the NNL keeping 8 clean sheets out of 12 games this season.

He has also scored a goal albeit from the spot against Papilo FC owned by the Former super eagles Skipper Kanu Nwankwo while saving another against Akwa starlets as they fight for promotion into the NPFL sitting 2nd in the 12 match days old league.

cc:lalasticlala,seun,mynd44

Source :http://cheapgoals.com/the-top-players-in-the-bet9ja-national-league-this-season/

Real Madrid set one foot in the final of the UEFA Champions League as they exhaustively and heartlessly wrecked Atletico Madrid 3-0 at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to achieve 400 goals with Los Blancos and lead the defending champions to a 3-0 win over city rival Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal round on Tuesday.

Real Madrid had a greater amount of the possession of the first half and they took a merited lead before adding the other two in the second half. Atletico found it hard to create a chance, they could only make few all through the game. Karim Benzema could have scored a wonder of a goal with his bicycle kick which went narrowly wide

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Syria has been in a long considerate war which has seen hundred of thousands innocents soul slaughtered in recent years.

The 29-year-old has been a Unicef Ambassador since 2010 and has already called for an end to the war in Syria and depicted himself as “heartbroken” by the impact, it is having on the Middle East kids. and wants an end to the conflict in the Middle East.

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http://cheapgoals.com/lionel-messi-empowered-1600-syria-kids/

John Obi Mikel has served a clue on where he would do his recovery program in the wake of experiencing an effective and successful surgery over the weekend in England.

Officially precluded for the May games to be played by the Super Eagles, Mikel is in a race against time to be fit for Nigeria’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa in Uyo on June 10.

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John Obi Mikel has served a clue on where he would do his recovery program in the wake of experiencing an effective and successful surgery over the weekend in England.

Officially precluded for the May games to be played by the Super Eagles, Mikel is in a race against time to be fit for Nigeria’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa in Uyo on June 10.

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Chelsea were out of control at Goodison Park as they devastatingly, pulverised and pounded hapless Everton 3-0. Yet, Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs cut the gap back to four points with an exciting 2-0 win over Arsenal.

Everton man-marked Eden Hazard and put Diego Costa into a pressure chamber, rendering him a bundle of repressed disappointment, so Pedro ventured forward to settle the problem,

Destroying a third attacking power demonstrated excessively for Everton, as there is just so much watchfulness 11 men can fulfil. A 29-year-old who has won 20 noteworthy honours with Barcelona is a significant individual to call upon.

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