Sports
Kada Stars Consolidate Top Spot In Hockey League
Kada Stars of Kaduna last Wednesday consolidated on their top position at the ongoing National Hockey Super League in Abuja as they held defending champions Niger Flickers to a 1-1 draw.
Tidesports source reports that the league which flicked off on August 25 at the Asro-turf pitch of Package B National Stadium is expected to end tomorrow.
The Star game of match day five saw the defending champions, Niger Flickers come into the game desperately needing a win to stake their claim as top spot contenders, while Kada Stars looked to consolidate their lead as table toppers.
The Kaduna boys who could have slipped off from the top position had they lost to the defending champions opened the scoring in the 50th minute of the clash.
This was through a lovely field goal scored by Kelvin Linus after an intense 49 minutes of battle against the defending champions.
The three-time champions who lost to Stallions of Lagos by a lone goal on Tuesday however got a much needed late equalizer through Aliyu Idris in the 54th minute.
The goal ensured that the spoils were shared as Niger Flickers did not suffer back-to-back loses for the first time in the league.
The draw meant that Kada Stars consolidated on their position at the top of the log with just two games to the classification games.
In other games played last Wednesday, Yobe Desert Rollers beat Delta Force 2-1 thanks to goals from Bala Husseni and Adamu Sadiq.
Yobe Desert Rollers opened the scoring in the 9th minute through Husseni but Bernard Wilson powered Delta Force back in the 28th minute of the game.
The Yobe club side however got the winning goal through Sadiq in the 54th minute.
Sikiru Salawu scored all three goals in Stallions’ 3-2 scrappy win against IGP Flickers.
Salawu scored his first-two goals in the 15th and 32nd minutes before Awasa Augustine pulled one back in the 35th minute from a well converted penalty corner.
Salawu completed his hat-trick when he stepped up to convert a penalty stroke awarded after Ezekiel Faluyi was brought down by IGP Flickers goalie.
Bala Emmanuel reduced the deficit in the 51st minute to ensure the game ended with supporters of both teams on the edge of their seats.
The Stallions however looked like a shadow of the side that put up an excellent performance against defending champions Niger Flickers on match day four as they were unimpressive against IGP Flickers.
In the last game of the day, Police Machine beat 3-2 Nasarawa Flickers.
With just two precise passes, Police Machine went in front as Tosin Adekeye scooped a ball from 50 yards out which found Mohammed Inuwa who drove in and finished with aplomb.
Two minutes after he scored his first goal, Mohammed Inuwa scored his second in the 16 minutes but Nasarawa Flickers pulled one back in the 19th minute through Usman Mustapha.
Inuwa completed his hat-trick when he scored again in the 37th minute from a penalty corner.
Nasarawa Flickers refused to go down without a fight as they reduced the deficit in 56th minute through Godwin Sunday from a penalty corner.
Tidesports source also reports that the win catapulted Police Machine into the second position on the eight team log with 11 points, two behind table toppers Kada Stars.
Defending champions, Niger Flickers are third with 10 points, while Stallions are fourth with nine points.
Victory for the Super Eagles in Casablanca followed the disappointment of losing shoot-outs that cost them chances to compete at the 2026 World Cup and in the 2025 AFCON final.
Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo last November in a play-off for a place in the World Cup intercontinental play-offs.
Then, three days ago, they lost another shoot-out to fail against hosts Morocco in an AFCON semi-final.
Success maintained a perfect Nigerian record in third place AFCON matches after seven previous play-offs victories.
Before Lookman scored, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missed the Eagles’ first kick, then Akor Adams, captain Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi scored.
Premier League pair Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush both had kicks saved by Stanley Nwabali before Ramy Rabia and Mahmoud Saber scored.
Egypt made six changes and Nigeria five to the teams that started semi-final losses to Senegal and hosts Morocco respectively three days ago.
Captain Salah started for the Pharaohs while traditional first choices in goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy and forward Marmoush were among the substitutes.
Attackers Victor Osimhen and Lookman, both former winners of the annual African player of the year award, sat on the bench for Nigeria.
Most Moroccans in a crowd that nearly filled the 45,000-capacity Stade Mohammed V backed Nigeria. They whistled whenever Egypt gained possession and when coach Hossam Hassan was shown on the big screen.
This support for the Super Eagles was attributed to the great rivalry between Morocco and Egypt, both at national team and club levels.
– Goals disallowed –
Nigeria initially, then Egypt had spells of dominance in a goalless opening half on a cold, cloudy evening in the Moroccan commercial capital.
Paul Onuachu thought he had broken the deadlock on 36 minutes as he deflected the ball with his head past goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
However, a VAR review by the Moroccan referee revealed Onuachu had accidently struck Hamdy Fathy with an elbow. The goal was disallowed and the Nigerian yellow-carded.
Lookman was introduced by coach Eric Chelle for the second half, replacing Onuachu, and he had the ball in the net in the opening minute of the second period. However, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Nigeria started after the break with a series of attacks. Following a largely uneventful first half, Shobeir — the son of former Egypt goalkeeper Ahmed Shobeir — was forced to make several saves.
Salah seldom threatened and when he did cut in with the ball, the potential danger was quickly averted. Marmoush came on as the play-off passed the hour mark to try and boost a blunt strike force.
But as the match entered the final 10 minutes there was no sign of Osimhen being brought on, suggesting he might not have been fully fit.
In quick succession, Adams, then Marmoush threatened to score, but neither could deliver the finishing touch under pressure from opponents.
Salah then disappointed when offered a scoring opportunity from a free-kick outside the box. He hit the ball straight into the wall and it was swiftly cleared.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, the President praised the team for their resilience and professionalism, noting that the players rose above the disappointment of their semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco earlier in the week to finish the tournament strongly.
The Super Eagles secured third place after overpowering Egypt, a seven-time AFCON champion, in the bronze medal match.
Nigeria dominated proceedings during regulation time before edging their opponents in a tense penalty shootout.
President Tinubu said the victory was a clear reflection of the determination and can-do spirit that define Nigeria, describing the team’s response to adversity as exemplary.
“Despite their good run during the tournament, the Eagles lost the semi-final match to Morocco during the penalty shootout last Wednesday, and our people’s hopes of winning the championship were dashed.
“However, our players remained undaunted, and exhibiting the resilience of the Nigerian spirit, their efforts have now paid off”, the President said.
The President noted that Nigerians would take pride in seeing the team receive their medals at the official ceremony on Sunday in Rabat, where the tournament is being concluded.
“We will all be proud of them as they receive their hard-earned bronze medal. Thank you, our gallant Super Eagles. Thank you, our national team players. This bronze medal surely feels good like gold”, he added.
The Cottagers have been without their Nigerian trio since they departed for the tournament in Morocco, with all three in excellent form and integral to Silva’s starting lineup prior to their departure.
Despite their absence, Fulham have fared remarkably well, losing just one of their last seven games in all competitions while playing without the Nigerian contingent.
The players are expected to return to West London shortly, as Nigeria conclude their campaign against Egypt in the third-place match on Saturday.
“This is the last game the three players at AFCON will miss,” Silva said, according to Jack Kelly.
“When you have all the squad available, you’re going to be stronger as a team. Like when Kenny, King or Muniz will be back – they will be very important for us.”
The defeat to Leeds leaves Fulham 10th in the Premier League table with 31 points as they head into the final four months of the season.
After the third-place playoff, Bassey, Iwobi and Chukwueze are expected to leave Morocco together immediately and should be available for Fulham’s game against Brighton at Craven Cottage on January 24.
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