Sports
CAFCC: Rivers United, Celtic Battle For Supremacy
The only surviving Nigerian club in the CAF Confederation Cup, Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt, will on Wednesday, be guest to Bloemfontein Celtic, in South Africa.
This will be the first leg of the group stage game in the competition. The encounter is slated to take place at Dr. Petrus Molemela stadium.
Even as United players seem not to be at their best form before heading to South Africa, but promised to make a statement that will make the country proud.
The Port Harcourt side in its pre-season matches had won only three games in the five matches played recently.
But the Pride of Rivers have built up confidence following their qualification to the group stage, as they edged out Futuro Kings of Equatorial Guinea, through penalty after 3-3 score line.
Besides, United is expected to file out her best players to execute the game. Coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma, has put on smiles as its first choice goalkeeper, Theophilus Afolekai would mount the post after he recovered from injury.
United players have expressed commitment and determination to kick start the game, they have in different quarters said winning trophies this football season is to pay back their sponsors.
“We are going to approach that game differently, we are committed and determined to run away with victory. I think we have what it takes to win them home and away” their said.
Meanwhile, the host, Bloemfontein Celtic is also battle ready and adequately prepared to eliminate United.
Equally, the host is not also at their best form, but has gained confidence as they beat Baroka FC 2-0 , at the ongoing DSTV Premiership League, which see them to 10th position on the log.
The John Maduka-tutorted boys have vowed to secure victory to boost their image and qualify for the next stage.
Apparently, both sides will not leave any stone unturned; no doubt, both teams will play with caution as they have not met in any competition.
We should bear in mind that Southern African Premiership League is ongoing and most of the players are active.
But I believe the best side will win the game. Good luck to both teams.
By: Tonye Orabere
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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