Sports
Rivers United Targeting Silverware, This Season -Coach
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt is poised to lay its hands on at least one trophy in the 2020/2021 football season. This was the declaration of the technical head of the club, Stanley Eguma while fielding questions from newsmen at the Dapo Abiodun Cup competition at Ijebu Ode over the weekend.
Eguma, whose side emerged winners of the recently concluded Governor Wike Pre- season Football Tournament in Port Harcourt was reacting to his team’s comeback 2-1 victory over MFM FC in their second game at Ijebu Ode. He was happy that the goal conceded by his side against the run of play did not demoralise the team, rather, it gingered them to fight back and win. He went ahead to commend the team, describing them as showing champions’ stuff.
He stated that the focus of the team is to win some silverware at the end of the season, with the NPFL title, the Federation Cup and the CAF Confederation Cup titles as targets.
“ Our target is to win something in the league this season, both in the NPFL and the Confederation Cup. I know it is very possible if we work very hard, for now, we have started and we hope that we will do a lot of hard work to achieve our collective goal, which is winning either the NPFL or the confederation Cup title or both”, said Eguma.
Though the coach said that at the club, they rely more on team work and do not judge the players individually, he, however, stated that the acquisition of the duo of Ifeanyi Anaemena and Keeper Theophilus Afelokai would go a long way to buoy the team, especially, in the continent, where they have garnered experience playing for their former club, Enyimba International.
“All the players have done well, we rely more on team work not individual players, we don’t judge them on individual basis but as a team and we are trying to gel as a team. But Anaemena and Afelokai are good and experienced players, they are integral members of the team, they came from the same club and the more they play, the more they get used to the team. I hope that their cohesion to give us more balance in the defence, we expect to see what they are made of and can bring to the team in the continent”.
Rivers United will be on duty this weekend against the Futuro Kings FC of Equatorial Guinea in the preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, which led them to withdraw from the Dapo Abiodun Cup at the weekend.
Eguma has promised not to underrate the opponents but to go to Equatorial Guinea and win in order to make the return leg a formality.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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