Sports

Nigeria Premier League Yearns For Past Glory

Published

15 years ago

July 2, 2011

On Sunday June 12, two of Nigeria’s biggest clubs in the last four decades, Shooting Stars a.k.a 3SC and Rangers International, contested a league game in Abeokuta.

Forty years ago, after the country’s Civil War, it would have been the match everyone talked about. The media would have been awash with the fact that the two clubs that represented different philosophies and regions in the country were about to rekindle their rivalry having won 11 championships between them.

However, during this recent face-off, the players traded tackles in front of a near empty stadium. Apart from those who watched on television because there was no competing programming from Europe on that fateful day, there was little interest. The game, like many things in local Nigerian football, has lost its sheen.

In the past decade, the Nigerian league has suffered a demise of colours. Fans have kept away from the stadiums and a coterie of them can now be found on Saturday evenings watching European league football in television viewing centres.

In Lagos, the commercial capital, over a thousand shops screen the English Premier League. A report by TELL magazine in 2008 estimated that more than 500 outlets sell jerseys of major European clubs while viewing centre entrepreneurs make at least $200,000 monthly from screening live games.

In all this, the Nigerian league has gone to sleep. Lagos has no representation in the Premier League, as it’s most supported side, – the Stationery Stores, have been battling with ownership issues for the better part of two decades. And without the impact of Lagos, the support base of the league has nosedived.

Adebayo Olowo-Ake, a Stores supporter who is leading a revival of the side, told Goal.com “SSFC supporters would charter all the buses in Lagos in those days and head for these Nigerian cities a day before the game, and residents would know that ‘The Lagos people had arrived.’ SSFC took on the might of governments, for these other clubs were government-owned, unlike Stores, that was wholly private and even better supported than them.”

In the past, all the major clubs were owned by business people and as such ran as profit-making ventures. Today, they have all been taken over by state governments and are run as political tools. This has brought about a lack of checks and balances and a lackadaisical attitude towards the sport. “They’ve taken the soul out of football and that’s why fans do not come out anymore,” Oluwashina Okeleji of BBC Sport told Goal.com.

It was a sentiment echoed by former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami in his column last week. “In Nigerian football everything is about government. Until the economic and political situation changes, proper professional football, the sort that will bring up a private organisation as defined by the FIFA statutes, cannot exist in most of Africa.” he wrote on the SuperSport website.

Also, spurious refereeing decisions that ensure home teams have the upper hand with the award of scandalous penalties are a bane of the league. A penalty is gifted to home sides in virtually one out of every two games played in the season and this makes sure that fans keep away from the stadiums. Many say there’s no joy knowing that your club will always win their home clashes, even when they play badly.

Poor pitches also reduce the beauty of the game. Many of the stadiums, except a few that were repaired during the country’s hosting of the FIFA U17 tournament two years ago, do not have playable surfaces.

Pundits have called for retiring Nigerian stars abroad to return home to play for a few years in order to ignite fans’ desire and passion for the league. The country’s highest scoring player, Rashidi Yekini, did that a few years ago when he featured for Julius Berger. The stands were packed again, even if it was short-lived. Imagine Kanu or Okocha in the jersey of Enyimba or Kano Pillars – the fans would go crazy. No other stars followed Yekini’s footsteps because pay conditions are poor. Signing-on fees are rarely delivered and local players chase after the Golden Fleece in Europe.

The Nigerian Premier League board has a great deal to do to rediscover local interest in the top flight. First, the league must be given back to private hands and clear its stables of corruption. Then try to bring Lagos back into the picture; it is, after all, where the bulk of the fans exist.

Sports

Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.

Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.

However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.

Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.

Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.

Sports

City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.

The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.

City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.

But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.

Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.

Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)

Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.

Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).

In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.

West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.

The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.

And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.

Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.

But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.

Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.

Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.

Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.

Sports

PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.

The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.

PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.

Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.

Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.

Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.