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Showing posts from March, 2017

LBA named Bosso, Adetunji Manager and Player of the Month

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The League Bloggers Awards (LBA) has named Ladan Bosso of El-Kanemi Warriors and Sunday Adetunji of Abia Warriors Manager and Player for February respectively in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Bosso has been awarded the February LBA manager recognition after his team El-Kanemi Warriors had a near excellent run in the month under review in the Nigerian top flight. Four wins out of five matches in February, including a 1-0 success at Abia Warriors, proved to be enough for Bosso to claim the manager's accolade ahead of Akwa United's Abdu Maikaba, Fidelis Ilechukwu of MFM FC and Abubakar Bala of Niger Tornadoes. Victories against seven-time NPFL winners Enyimba, Gombe United, Abia Warriors and Nasarawa United with a 0-2 loss at Plateau United in between put Bosso and his team ahead of other competitors in February and helped them claim 12 points out of the 15 available. Adetunji was picked for LBA Player of the month for February from a shortlist of four playe

Akanni Elijah shows quality in NPFL debut

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  Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries teenage attacking midfielder, Akanni Elijah capped his Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) debut with a superb display in his team's 1-1 draw against Wikki Tourists FC in Matchday 9 rescheduled fixture decided at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi. The teenage player who has been looking forward to his first professional league appearance replaced creative midfielder Onuwa Chukwuka in MFM FC's squad against the Bauchi-based team and he was absolutely impressive in the middle of the park. Akanni stamped his authority in the game with decent passes and fine foot work. He dribbled past his marker in the 45th minute of the encounter when he connected John Okolie with a lovely pass the latter was about to latch onto the ball but the referee sounded his whistle for offside. Elijah's exploit led to MFM FC's only goal of the match when he initiated a counter-attacking move from the middle of the park in the 60th minute

BASKETBALL: Rivers Hoopers gear up for new season with experienced singings

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  Rivers Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt has intensified their preparations for the upcoming 2016/2017 Nigeria Basketball League season by making key additions to their playing staff.   The former champions who made a quick return to top flight last season after missing out of the 2014/2015 season will head into the new season after finishing third on their return last term.   The Port Harcourt based Hoopers retained 10 players out of the 14 that featured for them last season and added 5 new players to the fold, with Lagos Warriors guard, Anyebe Ujoh prominent among them.   Ujoh makes a return to the team he won the League double with in the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 season. He however left for Kano Pillars the following year winning two straight titles in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 season. Ujoh then moved to Abuja to win his 5 th  League title with Mark Mentors in the 2014/2015 season.    Meanwhile, training sessions have commenced for the 2016/2017 Nigeria Basketball League seaso

LMC Invites Financial Advisors to Manage Club Enlistment in Security Market

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  The League Management Company (LMC) in partnership with over the counter securities market operator, NASD Securities Exchange took a major step towards bringing private sector investment into the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) when on Monday, March 13; financial advisors were invited to bid for appointment to work with eight of the 20 NPFL Clubs shortlisted for the pilot project.    The financial advisors are to serve as consultants that will prepare the clubs to meet regulatory requirements for enlistment in the stock market and be eligible to attract investment either through being publicly quoted or attract direct financial investment from individuals or investment groups.   In making the process open and to attract the best industry experts, the LMC placed advertisement in two influential national newspapers, Thisday and Businessday on Monday, March 13 calling for expression of interest from qualified investment advisory experts.   Documents developed in the last thr

LBA unveils February shortlists for NPFL

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  PHOTOGRAPH by LMC The League Bloggers Awards (LBA), on Monday, announced an eight-man shortlist to vie for the Manager and Player's awards respectively for the month of February in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The list include four managers and four players from the top division in the country. Abubakar Bala of Tornadoes, Ladan Bosso of El-Kanemi Warriors, Abdu Maikaba of Akwa United and MFM FC's Fidelis Ilechukwu are the four men in the race for February's manager award while Moses Ebiye, Sunday Adetunji, Samuel Mathias and Ernest Governor are listed for the player's prize. Tornadoes head coach Bala helped his club to three wins, including a 1-0 win at struggling Remo Stars. Bala also led his team to a 1-1 draw against Katsina United in one of their three home games in February. The performance earned Bala and Tornadoes 10 points despite a two-nil loss at Plateau United. Bosso's El-Kanemi Warriors were in fine fettle in the month under review.

Olatunbosun delighted with Enyimba's result

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  Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club forward, Sikiru Olatunbosun has told mountaintopfc.com that he is delighted with his team's 1-1 result against Enyimba International FC in one of the Matchday 13 fixtures of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) decided in Calabar on Saturday. The Aba giants muscled out a point against MFM FC at the UJ Esuene Stadium courtesy of an 84th minute strike from Ibrahim Mustapha after Stephen Odey had put the Olukoya Boys in front with a superb finish in the 24th minute. Olatunbosun who was absolutely exceptional in the keenly contested match expressed his delight in an interview with MFM FC Media. "A tight game it was for us I must say, but we thank God that at least we were able to pick a point although that wasn't what we planned for but I'm happy that we nicked the one point. "We came into the game with a winning mentality but we failed to hold on to our lead, the pressure from Enyimba in the second h

My tactics didn't work against Enyimba, says Ilechukwu

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  The Technical Adviser of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has said that his team's tactics and formation against seven-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winners Enyimba International FC didn't work out as expected, reports mountaintopfc.com.  MFM FC were forced to a one-all draw on Saturday in Calabar in one of Matchday 13 fixtures of the NPFL against Enyimba.  Stephen Odey's 24th minute audacious strike couldn't earn Ilechukwu and his wards their second away win of the season as Ibrahim Mustapha put the Aba Elephant back into the game with an 84th minute equalizer.  Despite picking a point in the match, the Lagos-based team tactician said his team drew the game because the tactics and formation he employed didn't work according to plan.  He said: "I'm not happy with the result of the game not because of anything but because my tactics and formation didn't work as expected. It was a game we shou