Sports
Enyimba Targets Super Four Succcess
Samson Unuanel, the Chief Coach of Enyimba FC of Aba, is confident his team would maintain its bright start at the 2010 NPL Super Four to win the title.
The 2010 Globacom Premier League champions won their opening match 1-0 against Sunshine Stars of Akure.
In the match played at the Gateway International Stadium in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday, in spite of a 32nd minute goal by Atanda Shakibu, Enyimba were always under threat.
“We may not have impressed with our game, but we will give no excuses at all.
“This is because we registered 35 players before now for the season and cannot blame fatigue or a crowded schedule for our performance,” Unuanel said.
Enyimba had since the league ended on July 7 been involved in both the domestic Federation Cup competition and the continental African Confederation Cup competition.
They have already reached the final of the domestic event where they will meet Kaduna United, after beating Sunshine Stars 1-0 in the semi-finals on July 25 in Kano.
On Aug. 1, the Aba side, however, crashed out of the continental competition 2-4 on aggregate to Zanaco of Zambia and their ouster was generally blamed on dwindling performances related to financial problems, players’ indiscipline and fatigue.
“In our club no player is indispensable, and you must have been good to have been signed on.
“Though we have five players in the Super Eagles now, and a couple of others unavailable, we are not complaining. We are up to the task, even though we are missing the unavailable ones.
“We have confidence in the players we have here and believe we can go on to win this tournament,” Unuanel said.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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