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‘Carelessness Made Us Lose’

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Kadiri Ikhana is a man of many records when it comes to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). He, led Kano Pillars to a back to back win of the NPFL title and at Enyimba he became the first coach to lead a Nigerian club to win the CAF Champions League.
Ikhana is also known to have been among the few coaches who have won the NPFL with different clubs and last Sunday, he created another minor first; being the first coach to lead Kano Pillars to a defeat by Abia Warriors.
What shocked pundits perhaps was the margin of defeat which was a huge the 3-0 score line with chairman of Abia Warriors, Chief Emeka Inyama gloating that it would have been higher but for squandered opportunities.
But Ikhana was forthright in admitting that his side had themselves to blame for the thrashing and attributed that defeat to carelessness on the side of his players.
Ikanna spoke to www.npfl.ng and also suggested that his players may have underrated Abia Warriors going into the game.
“We lost to carelessness from my players. We should have got a result here (in Umuahia) but my players, felt Abia Warriors were not going to hurt them. Maybe for some of them, they felt because previous trips to Umuahia have seen Pillars getting good results. You could see the manner we conceded the goals. We played well, but I think it was the second goal that killed the game after a defensive blunder. Abia Warriors took their chances when it came, and scored three goals past us,” were the summations Ikhana who departed from the usual style of coaches looking to match officials to blame for their defeats.
Interestingly, many coaches and their players point to the Umuahia Township Stadium ground as not good for good football and often heap the blame for their defeat on the playing surface. That too was dismissed by Ikhana as he insisted that any good side can win on any turf.
“I cannot attribute the loss to the playing turf in Umuahia. Yes the pitch may not be that good, but we’ve seen teams get results in Umuahia this season. The football league is a game played home and away, so a team can win anywhere. If we had converted the chances that came our way, who would have been talking about the playing turf?”
An own goal from Pillars Cameroonian defender Joel Djondang, and goals from Abia Warriors pair of Bashir Sherif and Sunday Adetunji saw off the former champions in the Matchday 15 fixture in Umuahia and lifted Abia Warriors to 6th spot on the log.

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European Giants Circle For Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen will be the centre of attention as several of Europe’s biggest clubs send scouts to yesrerday’s Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, with the Nigerian forward set to play a decisive role in the Super Lig title race

Representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Juventus were expected to be present at Rams Park, underlining the scale of interest in both the fixture and its standout performers.

Reports in Turkish media indicate that the derby will serve not only as a key moment in the domestic title race but also as a platform for transfer discussions and strategic collaborations between clubs.

According to those reports, top European sides have secured places at the stadium with a dual purpose.

“Europe’s leading representatives will be present at the stadium within the framework of both player transfer and cooperation,” ,” Milliyet reported.

“Real Madrid, Barcelona, among many clubs, including Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Napoli and Juventus, have made reservations for today’s match.”

Osimhen was expected to be among the primary players under observation, alongside teammates Baris Yilmaz and Gabriel Sara, with scouts closely monitoring their performances in one of the most high-profile fixtures in Turkish football.

The report further noted, “Victor Osimhen, Yilmaz and Sara were at the top of the watch list and that the interest would mainly be in these players.”

It also highlighted broader discussions beyond player recruitment, stating, “Apart from this, ideas will be exchanged for strengthening relations between the clubs and new joint agreements.”

The Nigerian striker’s presence came at a crucial point in the season, with Galatasaray holding a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce and knowing that victory would all but secure the league title with three matches remaining.

Osimhen recently returned from injury, making a brief appearance in the cup defeat to Genclerbirligi after missing four games, a period during which Galatasaray’s form showed signs of inconsistency.

His absence coincided with a mixed run of results in April, where the league leaders recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, including a loss to Trabzonspor and a draw at home to Kocaelispor.

Defensively, Galatasaray have also shown vulnerability, conceding in each of their last six matches across all competitions, a concern ahead of a fixture that could define their campaign.

The derby follows disappointment in the Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Genclerbirligi, while Fenerbahce were also knocked out after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor

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Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push

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A tennis tournament held in honour of Olusola Odumosu, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps FCT Command, has been described as a major step towards grassroots sports development and youth engagement.

The three-day competition, staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, began midweek , last week and ended on Friday, attracting young players across different categories.

On the court, top-ranked player Canice Abua won the men’s singles title after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Lucky Danjuma, who is ranked fourth nationally.

In the boys’ category, Unity Alex defeated Khaleed Dalha in straight sets to win the title, while Salvation Alex triumphed over Opeyemi Olademeji to win the girls’ singles event.

Odumosu, who marked his birthday with the event, said the initiative was designed to uncover young talent and strengthen the foundation of tennis development in Nigeria.

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W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener

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Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, opened their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers with a dominant 6-0 victory over Generation Next in Abuja as head coach Akeem Ishola Busari continues to shape his squad.

The emphatic win came during a 60-minute friendly at the Goal Project at the weekend, where the Flamingos took control early and led 4-0 at half-time before the match was halted in the 54th minute due to heavy rain.

Goals were spread across the squad, with Shavih Istifanus opening the scoring inside the first minute, followed by a brace from Tobiloba Sarafa in the 10th and 23rd minutes.

Harmony Chidi added the fourth in the 28th minute, while Aminat Adebisi struck just before half-time and Precious Paul completed the scoring early in the second half.

The match forms part of a busy training camp in Abuja, where Busari has invited 36 players as Nigeria step up preparations for their second-round qualifier against Guinea.

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