Sports
Rivers United Begin Title Defence Against Lobi Stars
The Interim Management Committee (IMC) called the bluff of the Clubs Representatives, after it conducted the draws of the new season of the Nigeria Professional Football League, as champions Rivers United will begin its title defence with a tricky home fixture against Lobi Stars, Tidesports source reports.
The draws for the 2022/23 NPFL Abridged League was held on Wednesday in Abuja, with the season to kickoff of January 8th, 2023 and end May.
The 20 NPFL clubs were drawn in two groups A and B, 10 for each and not the usual North and South, as both groups had a mix of teams irrespective of the zones.
Last season runners up, Plateau United are in a tough Group A alongside Kwara United, Nasarawa United, Gombe United, Enyimba, Akwa United, Shooting Stars, Remo Stars and newly promoted duo of El-Kanemi Warriors and Bendel Insurance.
Rivers United are in Group B with Niger Tornadoes, Doma United, Wikki Tourists, Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Dakkada FC, Rangers, Sunshine Stars and their derby rivals Bayelsa United.
The IMC announced that a Super 6 (three top teams from Groups A and B will be played to determine the eventual champion of the season.
The NPFL Champion is expected to earn a whopping 100million Naira for winning the title.
Sports
CAFCC: Supporters Club Chairman Frowns Against Stadium Rejection
The Chairman of Rivers United Supporters Club, Franklin Owhor, has frowned against the rejection of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt to host any of CAF Confederation’s Cup, (CAFCC) games.
He said the rejection will deny United to get total home support when the CAFCC competiition starts next week, saying that playing at home has its own peculiar advantage.
Owhor said this on Wednesday in a telephone interview with Tidesports after the reports from CAF that said the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) champions had adopted the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo for their home matches.
CAF has earlier asked the management of Rivers United to renovate the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, to International standard, saying that the Stadium lack some basic facilities to host international football competitions.
“ We will still give our maximum support to our team even though the matches will be played in Uyo, but it is painful that we are playing our home games outside our home.
“ I remember when Rivers United FC played in Enyimba Stadium sometimes ago, it was not so good for the team and we saw what happened .
“But I will say that Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is like a home to Rivers United FC, you can see we defeated Dakkada FC in Uyo so we conceived no tension and fear.
“I use this opportunity to appeal to the State Government through Ministry of Sports to try their best and return” the team back to its base, ‘ Owhor said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
Sports
NPFL: Boboye Denies Wikki Tourists Move
Former Akwa United coach, Kennedy Boboye, has dissociated himself from speculations linking him with the coaching job of Nigeria Professional Football League side, Wikki Tourists Tidesports source reports.
The Wikki job became vacant after former handler, Kabiru Dogo, resigned his appointment after amassing only one point in four games.
Following Dogo’s exit, reports have linked the former Plateau United and Sunshine Stars coach with the Giant Elephants, as tweeted by league journalist, Taye Hassan, on Wednesday.
“Kennedy Boboye could be the next tactician to be in Wikki Tourists dugout as information is coming in from a close source in Bauchi,” Hassan posted.
However, Boboye waved off the speculation in a telephone interview with Tidesports source.
“Anything you guys see, just conclude with it, I have been hearing this thing since yesterday,” Boboye said.
While Wikki Tourists have also confirmed the exit of Dogo, the club has put head coach Abdullah Adamu in charge of the squad.
After his spell with Sunshine Stars in 2015, Boboye won the league with Plateau United and Akwa United in 2017 and 2022 respectively, leaving both jobs the following season.
Sports
Bendel Insurance Coach Set To Win LBA Award
Bendel Insurance coach Monday Odigie has emerged as the clear favourite to win the League Bloggers Coach of The Month Award for January in the already five-week-old 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League.
Odigie is contending with Lobi Stars Mohammed Baba-Ganaru, Stanley Eguma of Rivers United as well as Daniel Ogunmodede of Remo Stars for the award.
From their respective numbers in the month under review, Odigie stands above the rest with four wins in four games. Baba-Ganaru, Eguma and Ogunmodede all secured three wins in four matches for their respective teams.
Also, Odigie’s Bendel Insurance have met Remo this season with the Benin Arsenal reigning supreme with a 3-0 win in Benin City.
In the Player of The month category, current league top scorer and Bendel Insurance forward Osarenkhoe Imade also leads the pack with his impressive four goals in four games in the month under review.
Imade scored his first goal on the opening day against Akwa United in Uyo, before following it up with further strikes against Plateau United, Kwara United and Remo.
Other players in the running for the award include Imade’s strike partner, Ismael Sarki, who scored three goals in January; Insurance goalkeeper, Amas Obasogie, who kept three clean sheets.
Lobi Stars duo Joseph Atule and Kumaga Suur and Onyebuchi Ifeanyi of Plateau United are also on the nomination list.
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