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Super Six: Delta Queens Beat Rivers Angels

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Delta Queens of Asaba at

the weekend  in Abuja, clinched the Women Football League Super Six trophy for the third time running, winning the trophy for keeps.

They won the 2011 edition after a 1-0 victory over defending champions, Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt in the final match of the five-day competition held at the Abuja National Stadium.

In the competition’s final match, the Delta Queens dislodged Rivers Angels with a clinical display that kept their opponents on the back foot most of the time.

Ahead of the match, league defending champions Rivers Angels had led the competition since Match day One and only needed a draw to win the title.

But Delta Queens who won the 2008 and 2009 Super Six titles were more adventurous through Vera Okolo, Sike Promise and Desire Oparanozie who kept their opponents’ defence line busy.

They thus dominated the game and even missed a lot of scoring chances through Promise and Oparanozie, while the Rivers Angels missed a couple of theirs through Ebere Orji and Stella Mbachu.

However, Delta Queens took full charge in the 69th minute when Promise’s right flank corner-kick was headed into goal by Oparanozie at the far end for the game’s lone goal.

Rivers Angels’ fight back was immediate but ineffective, despite efforts by substitute Mercy Ameneze, Blessing Edoho, Stella Mbachu, Orji Rebecca Kalu and Oyinyechi Ohaduga.

Match captain Joy Jegede was, however, a rock in the Delta Queens defence line, as she kept the opponents in check throughout the second half when they fought back.

Delta Queens thus finished with 13 points from five matches, after four wins and one draw, and after scoring 10 goals and conceding two.

Rivers Angels dropped to second with 12 points from four wins and a loss, after scoring 10 goals and conceding two goals also.

Earlier in the day, Pelican Stars of Calabar had drawn 1-1 with Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa to upstage Kogi Confluence of Lokoja and finished third in the competition.

Enoch Umoh had given the Yenagoa side a third minute lead only for Ugo Njoku to draw Pelican Stars level midway into the second half for them to finish on seven points.

Kogi Confluence placed fourth with six points, while Bayelsa Queens finished fifth with three points and Sunshine Queens had placed last with one point.

The competition which was held at the astro-turf pitch of the Abuja National Stadium’s FIFA Goal Project did not hold in 2010.

The competition had the top three teams in the two groups of the 2010/2011 Women Professional League taking part.

They are Rivers Angels who topped Group B of the league’s 2010/2011 competition ahead of second-placed Delta Queens and Bayelsa Queens.

The rest are Sunshine Queens who topped Group A, ahead of Pelican Stars and Kogi Confluence.

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Iwobi Optimistic On S’Eagles Qualification 

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Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi says the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, declaring that Nigeria have the players and abilities to compete against any country in the world.

Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.

The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.

“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.

We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”

The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.

“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.

“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”

Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.

Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.

It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.

Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.

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ATLANTICBELL CEO ADVICE SPORTS WRITERS ON SPECIALIZATION 

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The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.

He stated that in spite the fact that sports journalists are doing greatly in the country but hardly find any sports journalist that specializes on a particular sport reporting and become an authority, as it obtainable in advance countries.
Mr. Ogolo , who was the former Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Rivers State Chapter, said this after he received the Veteran Sports Journalist Award, during the SWAN @60 Diamond jubilee award night, in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, sports journalists have done tremendously well in sports development through effective and efficient reportage.
“SWAN has done greatly to develop sports in Nigeria, so they should be given its rightful place.
“Members should continue to do what they are doing, Nigerians are sports loving people when you give them facts and accurate reporting they will be happy, besides, sports writers have a big role to play in advancement of sports in Nigeria”, Mr. Ogolo said.
The former General Manager of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of The TIDE Newspapers, used the opportunity to express his profound gratitude to the National Executive Council (NEC) of SWAN for the award.
He explained that the award is one of the most important and special awards he has received, hence it came from his primary constituency as a journalist.
” I am not just happy but overwhelmed. This award will spur me to contribute more in development of sports and I we equally support SWAN Rivers State Chapter in my little way” he stated.
By: Tonye Orabere

 

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DEPUTY PRESIDENT EXPRESSES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT SPORTS DEV, SWAN 

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The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.

He stated that the sports writing fraternity is where he cannot forget as a sports journalist that starts from the grassroots.
Mr. Nyong said this while presiding over South South SWAN zonal meeting of Chairmen and Secretaries, including some elders in the zone, on Friday, in Abuja.
He explained what led to his suspension and sue unity and peace amongst members, saying that what happened should be a thing of the past, as he was actually misled and deceived.
The Deputy National President reiterated his commitment to work with Cyril Dum Wite led administration in Rivers State Chapter of SWAN, saying that SWAN is one and there should be no division of any such.
He reels out ideas that can make SWAN viable and enviable in the zone.
“I want peace and unity amongst members of the association in the zone, we are one family, let us work as family. Thank God I am back fully, members of the zone will enjoy the association”, Mr. Nyong said.
Also speaking the Vice President of SWAN south south zone, Azuka Chiemeka, thanked members that attended the meeting and also advised members to work in peace, unity and love with others members to achieve positive result.
It will be recalled Bonny Nyong was suspended in Full council  meeting held  in Kano following what can be described as misconduct, but was forgiven and his suspension was lifted after he apologised to Full council members in a meeting, held in Abuja, during SWAN@60 celebrations.
By: Tonye Orabere
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