Sports
NPFL Title Race Is Still Open – Eguma
After a successful 2- 0 win against two time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba of Aba, Rivers United’s Technical Manager, Stanley Eguma, says the title race is still open despite the fact that United is on four points lead.
He said Enyimba came out to win but his side was better, saying the game was not as easy as what people thought.
Eguma said this in an interview with sports journalists after his side defeated Enyimba 2-0, on Monday , at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in a match-day 23 game moved by 24 hours after their lengthy trip back from Katsina.
Rivers United were aiming for a rare league double over the People’s Elephants and they got their noses in front in the 21st minute when league’s leading scorer, Ishaq Rafiu converted from the penalty spot after he had been infringed upon by Enyimba’s Captain, Austin Oladapo for his 12th goal of the campaign.
The Pride of Rivers doubled their advantage in the 34th minute through Chiamaka Madu, who bundled home from close range after a moment of defensive uncertainty for the visitors.
Enyimba tried to claw their way back into the game but were prevented by a resolute Rivers side, which had an answer for every question asked by the former champions.
Monday’s win takes Rivers’ United points tally for the season to a staggering 52 from 23 matches, four clear of second-placed Plateau United, which have 48 points from the same number of games.
But Eguma, a league winner in 2011, insists nothing is guaranteed yet.
“Like I will always say, it is not yet Uhuru,” Eguma said.
“The league is a marathon; you cannot say it is over when we have more than 15 games remaining to play.
“So, one cannot just begin to celebrate. We still have other tough opponents to play, so, for now, I think we’re still on course and there’s a very big hope in the team that we can achieve.”
By: Tonye Orabere
Sports
Iwobi Optimistic On S’Eagles Qualification
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.
Sports
ATLANTICBELL CEO ADVICE SPORTS WRITERS ON SPECIALIZATION
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.
Sports
DEPUTY PRESIDENT EXPRESSES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT SPORTS DEV, SWAN
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.
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