Sports
2018/2019 NWPL Kicks Off With Eight Fixtures, Today
The Nigeria Women Premier League ( NWPL) kicks off today after a long break. Eight games will be played across all centres in the federation, including Rivers Angels Vs FC Robo, Sunshine Queens Vs Nasarawa Amazons, Confluence Queens Vs Ibom Angels.
Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt will play host to FC Robo of Lagos at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.
Last season’s opening fixture saw FC Robo picking a draw in far away Lafia against then defending champion of the NWPL Nasarawa Amazons. This season again, the Lagos Landladies will face another tough away trip to Port Harcourt as they face AITEO Cup finalist, Rivers Angels.
The jewel of Rivers are determined to start on a winning note and won’t take anything lightly. FC Robo might miss the services of key players like Chidinma Okeke and Folashade Ijamilusi who are presently at the National U20 camp ahead of the 2019 all African Games in Morroco. Rivers Angels seem good to go with a win in today’s match.
Bayelsa Queens are keen to play their opponent Kaduna Queens, today at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.
“Moses Aduku is tactically very good and has the players to win on a good day. Kaduna Queens are new in the NWPL and would be playing a very difficult game.
The defending champion are clear favourite for this game and would want to score some goals. Bayelsa Queens may win this, as home advantage with their fans cheering them to victory, they would no doubt carry the day, as they will definitely not allow their visitors (Kaduna Queens ) keep them quiet on their ground.
Abia Angels will welcome Invincible Angels at the Ginger Onwusibe Stadium, Umuahia.
There will be goals at the Ginger Onwusibe Stadium on today where Invincible Angels will be playing their first premier league game against Abia Angels. Abia Angels are an unpredictable team, one minute they really impress and then, when you fancy them to be tough to win, they get ripped apart. But not against Invincible Angels in Umuahia. The Ann Chiejiene tutored side should win comfortably.
Also, Confluence Queens will be hosting Ibom Angels at the Lokoja Township Stadium.
This should be an entertaining one, both sides will have a go. Confluence Queens is expected to win, take it or leave it, the ‘New direction ladies’ can not afford to lose to Ibom Angels again, after losing to them by two goals to nil in the quarter final of the AITEO Cup. Ibom Angels are also a very strong side but will find it extremely difficult at the Lokoja Township Stadium as the likes of Esther Kanu, Christopher Precious will be too much for the ‘Orange Ladies’ defence.
Meanwhile, Dream Stars Ladies are set to receive Edo Queens at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos.
Edo Queens are a dangerous side; they’ve been really good recently, are hard to beat and have a couple of match-winners in their team. Dream Stars knows what it means to play in the premier league and have signed some great players that will be keen to throw the pressure on Edo Queens early in the game.
It could be a big day for the ‘pride of Lagos’ . I doubt if Dream Stars Ladies will get away with this one, even though they are playing at home.
Osun Babes look good to host Delta Queens at the Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo.
It will be an interesting game with the pressure more on the home team. Osun Babes FC have always defeated Delta Queens at the Osogbo City Stadium but both sides met at the Round of 16 of the AITEO Cup and the ‘Okowa Ladies’ won by two goals to nil.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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