Nigeria Sports Arena

The Week 12 encounter of the Nigeria National League, NNL between Kogi United and Adamawa United in Lokoja on Wednesday was not concluded as a result of foul play and politics employed by the away side. The match played at the Confluence Stadium witnessed a strong power play and twists in the rules by the officiating officials. According to a statement from Kogi United media officer, Wale Mustapha, Adamawa United - one of the contenders for the promotion to the Premier League - came with a game plan of claiming a victory against Kogi United but didn't possess the team to do so. Nelson Ukwa scored the first goal that was disallowed by Centre Referee Mohammed Issa Rilwan from Niger in the 24th minute.  The Players and fans of Kogi United were left frustrated again after referee Mohammed Rilwan ruled out another goal for the home side, when Adamawa goalkeeper, Inyakson Andeika, failed to grab John Jerome's bullet shot in 38th minute as he slipped away from his grab before Maya

The League Management Company (LMC) said its operations have been wholly funded from privately generated income and zero government financial contribution. Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the LMC disclosed this and other initiatives of the league body when he appeared as guest on Africa Independent Television (AIT) morning show, Kaakaki and explained that the LMC would love to see government involved in the area of infrastructure upgrade while gradually divesting from club funding. "Since the LMC came on board, our funding has been sourced from commercial partnerships which is the practice globally and while we appreciate the companies that have bought rights from us, we are still not where we should be financially which explains our recent visit with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to the Nigeria Stock Exchange", Dikko said on the program. Continuing on government's role in football, the LMC Chairman said "in the 1990's, the government of Margareth That

  Super Eagles’ Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has invited 18 overseas-based professionals for next month’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.   First –choice goalkeeper and skipper Vincent Enyeama headlines the list that also has defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Leon Balogun and Kenneth Omeruo, midfielders Rabiu Ibrahim, Lukman Haruna and Joel Obi, and forwards Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike and Anthony Ujah.   There are a number of surprises, in line with Oliseh’s earlier pledge to make current form and first –level football key indices for selection.   There are goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, midfielder Izunna Ernest Uzochukwu and forwards Emem Eduok, Sylvester Igboun and Moses Simon.   All the 18 players, who will join up with the 23 home boys who arrived camp in Abuja on Monday, are expected in Abuja on Monday, 31st August, 2015 at the latest.   THE FULL LIST   Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France); Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, Engl

Assistant coach Confluence Queens Football Club of Lokoja, Abubakar Musa, remains confident ahead of his side Federation Cup semi-final encounter with Bayelsa Queens despite the side Week 5 NWPL loss to Ibom Angels on Saturday in Uyo. Confluence Queens suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ibom Angels in the rescheduled match in a controversial way that halt the team's three matches unbeaten run in all competition. Emem Essien put the home team in front in the 26th minute before Celine Ottah doubled the lead from a free-kick position to condemned Confluence Queens to their first defeat in four matches. Mannama, as the gaffer is fondly called insists the defeat in the league will have no disadvantage in his side's ambitious clash with Bayelsa Queens in the Federation Cup. “Its unfortunate we loss to Ibom Angels in the manner we did, the appointed match officials didn't showed up except the centre referee. And like the rules says the F.A can provide referees from a neighboring state

The management of Confluence Queens Football Club of Lokoja, has claimed the Nigeria Football Federation has handed the team a 'not favourable' venue in the semi-final of the 2015 Nigeria Women Federation Cup. The Wada Queens qualified to their first ever semi-final of the competition after edging out favorite and defending champions Rivers Angels at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu, and will now face Bayelsa Queens at the Oleh Township stadium in Delta State. Reacting to the semi-final ticket and venue, the spokesperson of the club, Tosin Ojo, questioned the NFF on why they will fix the match at Bayelsa United temporary adopted state (Delta). "We have come this far in this year's Nigeria Women Federation Cup, though no one gave us a chance against Rivers Angels who are the favorite and defending champions of this competition. I will say our progress was bore down to the hard-work and determination on the part of our players and technical crew," Ojo said. Ojo,

Towards curbing capital flight from the nation’s football industry to overseas, the League Management Company (LMC) has revealed that it intends to work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to push the Federal Government for the enactment of a legislation by the National Assembly that will make it mandatory for Nigerian companies entering into sponsorship deals with European Clubs to pay some percentage of the net worth of the deal to the domestic league.   Chairman of LMC, Mallam Shehu Dikko disclosed this at the inaugural sportspro.ng/Lagos Business School workshops which held at the Pan Atlantic University on Tuesday, August 11 and also re-echoed the LMC’s position at the recent World Leagues Forum inaugural meeting in London which sought a percentage of European Leagues’ broadcast and other commercial partnerships deals secured from Nigerian organizations for the airing of live games and other activations in the territory.   He lam

Kogi United Head Coach, Fatai Osho, has expressed optimism that his side will sail through the storm of relegation in the Nigeria National League, NNL. Kogi United are seventh on the Group A1 table with 12 points with three games to end the abridged league. The Lokoja based fell 1-0 to Yobe Desert Stars in their Week 11 encounter played in Damaturu on Wednesday. Mohammed Choky's controversial 54th minute goal was the decider of the pulsating match at the August 27 Stadium. Kogi United created numerous scoring opportunities, but Destiny Ashani, Amodu Imran, Chindo Babangida and Nelson Ukwa were wasteful in front of goal.   The victory put Yobe - who have an outstanding match against Plateau United - at a better advantage than the Wada Boys among clubs behind the ladder. Osho, who decried his strikers' attitude in front of goal however, believed there is much to fight for in the league adding that Kogi United would give it all to escape relegation. Quoted by the club'

Confluence Queens Football Club of Lokoja, on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium came from behind to knock champions Rivers Angels out of the 2015 Women Federation Cup in Enugu. Rivers Angels opened score in the 8th minute through veteran Ugo Njoku, with Rivers Angels gaining more possessions in the first-half that finished with the lone goal. Underdogs Confluence Queens fight back so hard in the second half and were rewarded with Aluko Mariam, 49th minute strike to put her team back into the game. Substitute Ikeh Ginika, who came in for Aishat Bello, sealed the win for Confluence Queens late in the 87th minute against all odds to dump favorites Rivers Angels. While speaking after the match, the head coach of the team, Suileman Adamu, says his girls gave it all and deserved to win. “Rivers Angels are a good side but Confluence Queens looks better and deserves to win. We played against more of a Super Falcons side, more experienced but our halftime pep talk helped a lot. “This

Supreme Court FC Wednesday evening defeated Spotlight fc of Kastina in one of the week 11 matches decided in the Nigeria National League, NNL. Being the second meeting for both sides, Supreme Court fondly known as Apex Boys successfully completed home and away victory over their visitors in Abuja after they convincingly grabbed vital win in newly built Karkanda stadium in Kastina. It was Johnson Michael’s lone header in the 82nd minute of the encounter that separated the two NNL club sides in the return leg played on the Area 3 astro turf. The first leg ended in Kastina ended 3-2 in favour of Supreme Court fc. “I want to thank God for been able to come in late and to make a difference, I give him all the glory. My team mates played up to expectation and the goal is our joint effort. It’s a collective  effort of my team  mates. It’s just a normal game. We hope to do more so we can meet our target”.  “Our target has been to play in the professional league. its been our dream and our

  Glo NPFL side, FC IfeanyiUbah has been thrown out of this year’s Federation Cup competition after a tough duel with Nasarawa United at the Kwara Sports Complex, Ilorin on Wednesday.   The Lafia kings reached the semi finals with a 1-0 win, and will now play fellow Glo NPFL side Akwa United in the semi finals.   Akwa United were stretched to the rubber by surprise packets Niger Tornadoes Feeders. Feeders had booted out top division club, Dolphins FC on penalties in the Round of 16 and again came close, before losing 3-4 on penalties after a battling 2-2 draw at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.   In Lokoja, Lobi Stars also shoved out another surprise package, BJ Foundation of Benin 2-1. A tantalizing semi final is on the cards as Lobi get set to battle Enugu Rangers.   In Abuja, Enugu Rangers’ march to a sixth title was sustained with a 3-0 thrashing of El-Kanemi Warriors.   In the women’s event, champions Rivers Angels were eliminated by Confluence Queens in an interesting

The races for the top scorer in both men’s and women’s competitions of the 2015 men’s Federation Cup competition hot up on Wednesday when the quarter final games hold in eight centres.   In the men’s event, Friday Obong of Akwa United FC of Uyo leads with five goals. He scored three of those goals in the Round of 64 against Dallatu FC, and two more in the Round of 32 match against Peacemakers FC.   Three other players have scored three goals each. Bobby Clement of Enugu Rangers, Junior Osaghale of BJ Foundation and Chinedu Iheanacho of FC Taraba. However, FC Taraba has been eliminated.   Osaghale scored one each against Kurmi Market (Round of 64), Sportlight FC (Round of 32) and Heartland FC (Round of 16). Clement netted two in Rangers’ clash with Kukuruku Dragons in the Round of 32 and another one against Kwara United in the Round of 16.   Iheanacho bagged a brace for FC Taraba against Akpamkpa (Round of 64) and one against Papilo in the Round of 32.   All of Obong, Clement

Delighted Kogi United Head Coach, Fatai Osho has said his side's slender margin victory over his former club, Supreme Court was as important as a 10-0 victory. Osho, who joined Kogi United in the mid-season in the ongoing Nigeria National League, NNL faced his former employer for the first since leaving the Abuja based club. The entertaining match which lived up to the billing and expectation of close to 5000 spectators was decided by the 53rd minute spot kick converted by Captain Afolabi Abiodun which gave the home side the total victory. The former Remo Stars' handler who described the encounter played at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja as a game of two kids of the same father noted that the Wada Boys would build on their dominant form ahead of the trip to Damaturu. "I'm the happiest human being earth, because its like you have two kids, and you have guests then you called those kids to come and entertain your guests, at the end of the day, the guests were so impr

Head Coach of Confluence Queens Football Club Mallam Suleiman Adamu has saluted the courage and determination of his players in their 3-0 impressive victory over Adamawa Queens. Following their week 10 walk-over of FC Robo at their Onikan Stadium in Lagos last weekend, the Wada Queens returned home to consolidate on the away points with a comfortable whipping of the Yola side on Sunday. Ageless defender, Emmanuel Tosin broke the deadlock in the 32nd minutes with a deceiving header from corner kick, registering her first goal ever for the club. Falconets left back, Famuditi Oluwakemi stepped forward to convert a 69th minute spot kick before lanky striker Lola Philips took the game beyond the reach of Adamawa Queens with a fine finish in the 71st minutes. Coach of the Lokoja based side, Adamu also known as “ Zico ” praised his girls for their improved performance while also confident about his team chances against Rivers Angels in the Federation Cup “Our performance today was super

The League Management Company (LMC) has formally charged FC Taraba for failing to meet financial obligation to its players and has in line with the provision of the relevant rules ordered the club to pay all amounts due within 60 days. FC Taraba players have been owed salaries for several months and the LMC in wielding the stick cited Article B9. 45 which made it mandatory for terms of contract between a club and a player to be strictly adhered to. It further stipulates that where a club fails to pay remuneration or entitlements due to players for a period of more than sixty days, such club shall be liable to deduction of six points and a further three points for every 30 days for which the amount due remains unpaid. This will be the second time this season the LMC will move to exercise Summary Jurisdiction in a case of failure to meet financial obligation as a similar notice of summary jurisdiction was issued Dolphins of Port Harcourt before the mid-season break. In a communicati

Prime Football Club missed good opportunity to secure their first away victory on Saturday against Ekiti United Football Club, as the team missed glaring chances to bury the game in the first half of the Week 9 fixture of the Nigeria National League (NNL) The Omoluabi Giants made a strong start to the game quickly finding themselves and they could not capitalized on some good forward play in the most part of the game. Prime attackers, Robert Ogundu and Wale Bello, missed hatful of chances in front of goal. Ekiti United winger, Tosin Olabode, scored the consolatory goal, in the 52 minutes. Prime media officer, Tunde Shamsudeen, while speaking with pressmen after the game at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, stated that it could have been a different story had his side converted their opportunities. “It was painful we lost the game, we had our chances but, failed to convert them and teams who do not make the most of their scoring opportunities end up paying for it,” he stated.

Head Coach of Lokoja based Nigeria National League, NNL side, Kogi United FC, Fatai Osho has described his side's 0-2 defeat to Spotlight FC in Katsina as unfair. Osho said final result of the Week Nine encounter played on Saturday as Karkanda Stadium did not reflect the performance of his players having put a lot into the game. Both sides produced a nerve wrecking moments to score in opening stages of the match but failed to utilized any as first half ended goaless. The resumption into the second stanza saw Spotlight FC gaining bit of possession as they win numerous set pieces advantage. They finally make it count with nine minutes into restart as Salishu Mukhtar capitalized on a cracked wall of Kogi United as his direct free kick beat goalkeeper Detan Ogundare. The Wada Boys didn't allow the goal to weigh them down as they put all they've got into fray and almost level but Imran Amodu - who has been a menace on Spotlight's defense- had his 20 yard shot went an i

Confluence Queens FC on Saturday, walked over FC Robo in the Week Ten encounter of Nigeria Women Premier League, NWPL in Lagos. The match, billed to take place at the Onikan Stadium at 2pm could not come alive as the home side, FC Robo failed to show up due to reasons believed to be financial constraints. However, after the match officials waited for the required thirty minutes with a believe that the girls of Mr. Osahon Orobosa will show up which they didn't, performed the walk over rituals and as such awarded the match points to the Wada Queens. After the walked over process were carried out, Chief Coach of Confluence Queens, Suileman Adamu known as “ ZICO” said the three points is a plus in his side's ambition to finished among the top clubs in the group just as he noted that the Lokoja based club would not be carried away with the gifted points. “Its a plus for us, even though its unfortunate, but things like this do happen in football where you see opponent walked ove

Supreme Court FC resurrected their chances of finishing on top by the end of the season with a 2-0 victory over Jigawa Golden Stars in one of the week eight matches decided in the Nigeria National League this weekend. The much needed win was recorded in the second half, courtesy of two quick goals from Striker Paul Samson and Emmanuel Chukwuma in what appeared like a pay back to their Opponents who claimed a late lone goal victory in the first leg in Dutse. The Apex Boys after a goalless first half, returned after half time in a more blistering way. Samson nicknamed Drogba fired a deadly shot from outside his opponents’ 18-yard box to open scoring in the 54th minute of the game. Not done yet, defender Chukwuma who positioned himself appropriately tapped in the second goal after a well delivered corner kick from Emmenuel Gbemi four minutes later. Supreme Court Interim Head coach Joachim Osuji who praised his boys for high level performance added that with proper motivation, his sid

  Kano Pillars and their new Coach, Baba Ganaru have been fined separately by the League Management Company (LMC) for breaching the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Rules and Framework 2014/2015 Season. In its recent exercise off Summary Jurisdiction, the LMC cited Ganaru for breaching the Code of Conduct for Managers and Coaches as contained in Appendix B of the NPFL Rule Books by accepting to enter into negotiation with Kano Pillars without first obtaining the consent of his employer, Nasarawa United. Ganaru’s sanction for this breach includes the payment of a fine of N200, 000, forfeiture of one month salary to Nasarawa United being one month salary in lieu of notice as stipulated in his contract with the club and a further forfeiture of N5 million, being 50% of his sign-on as agreed in his contract with Nasarawa United for the 2014/2015 season since he has only served half of his full season contract with the club.  The Coach though, has a right to submit to the dec