Sports
Finidi Unhappy Over Draw Against Insurance
Following their 1-1 draw against Bendel Insurance on match-day three of the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League Super 6 playoffs in Lagos, Enyimba coach, Finidi George, was dismayed by his team’s inability to move up to seven points in the title race, Tidesports source reports.
After going ahead in the early stages of the game, Enyimba were pegged back by a stubborn Insurance side on Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos as their bid for a ninth NPFL title and a return to the continent suffered a setback.
Sadiq Abubakar scored first for the People’s Elephant with a beautiful left curler, but his effort was cancelled out minutes later by Divine Nwachukwu, who headed home for Insurance.
It was the second time the eight times champions will drop points from a winning position in the playoffs.
“It’s unfortunate we didn’t take the three points, but we had a good performance. I’m quite disappointed we didn’t win because we could have won it,” Finidi said after the game
“Moreover, when you play with 24 hours in between and all games at 2pm, it’s really energy sapping, so, we have to get our boys back to full fitness ahead of the two crucial games ahead.”
Enyimba’s next game is against Sunshine Stars on Friday, before facing off with champions Rivers United on Sunday.
With a win and two draws, Enyimba currently have five from a possible nine in the playoffs as the race opens up between them, Rivers United and Remo Stars.
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.
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.
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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