Sports
Commission Sacks Edo Queens Coach After Losing At NWFL Super Six
Edo State Sports Commissioner, yesterday sacked the Head Coach of Edo Queens Women Football Club of Benin, Wemimo Mathew.
The commission immediately installed as her replacement the club’s Assistant Coach, Niyi John.
He is to take over till the end of the Super Six tournament which helps to draw the curtain on the 2021/2022 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).
The Commission’s Chairman, Yusuf Ali, announced the sack after Edo Queens lost 0-1 against the Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia in their second game at the Super six tournament.
“From my own understanding and my findings, I think the coach is not capable. At this point we have to relieve her of her appointment, and let the assistant take over until after the tournament.
“I will now know what to do with the team then. But for now, let the assistant take over,’’ he said.
Matthew, while speaking on the outcome of the match, had said her players tried their best to score a goal but could not.
“They started well, but they did not play to my expectations.”
Responding to questions on some of the substitutions she made during the game, Matthew said players on the bench were equally good and they played well.
Reacting later to the news of her sack, she said: “Well, if that is what they want, I do not see anything bad about it. But this is not the team that I met here.
“Last year, they were beating them 4-0 in the Super Six. Last year in qualifying for this event, they took fourth, but we took second this year to qualify for the Super Six.
“They lost all their matches last year. We played a draw in our first game yesterday (Monday). Even during the league, we played 10 matches and stayed unbeaten. We were winning away and home matches.
“They could not even win any away match last year. They lost to Adamawa Queens home and away last year and this year we went to beat Nasarawa Amazons home and away.
“So, if they have any secret reasons as to why they have do this (her sacking), no problem,’’ she said.
Matthew insisted that she did well for the team, because it takes time to build a team. “I brought players from 12 different clubs and it takes time for them to work together.”
Our correspondent reports that the match was both sides’ second match at the competition holding at the University of Benin’s Sports Complex.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.