Sports
NLO Super League Kicks Off In Imo
It will be football glitz and glamour in Uboma, Imo State as the inaugural Nationwide League One NLO/Ikukuoma Super Cup kicks off on Wednesday September 6 with an opening fixture between Summer FC and Ave FC.
The NLO secretariat, which last week listed 18 teams, which included two wild cards, released the groupings, match fixtures, timing, and venues that will host the 10-day tournament.
The Uboma Secondary School Stadium Complex, in Ihitte/Uboma LGA, Imo State will host matches of the NLO Super League.
Six (6) groups A to F, have three teams each; as they will battle for pride in the group phase, for a winner from each group to qualify for the Second Round after 18 matches.
The top teams from the six (6) groups will square up against themselves in a Group A and Group B format made up of three (3) teams each, with only the two (2) best teams qualifying for the final of the NLO/Ikukuoma Super Cup billed for Saturday, September 16.
Teams drawn in Group A are Ihitte Uboma-based Summer FC, Ave FC, and Golden Albium FC (Delta State). Group B has Buratai FC (Yobe State), Palm Syrup FC (Akwa-Ibom State), and Paul E FC (FCT), while JSC FC Suleja (Niger State), Divine Praise FC (Lagos State) and Kofar Soro FC from Katsina State make up Group C.
Ikukuoma FC (Imo State), Ablegod FC (Ondo State) with Kano-based Hausawa United FC are in Group D, followed by Tudun Wada FC (Kano State), Zeal Minds FC (Benue State) and Vandrezzer Academy (Akwa Ibom State) in Group E.
The trio of DOHZ FA (Kwara State), Discovery Academy (Kebbi State), and FC Ebedei JNR will slug things out in Group F.
Chief Operating Officer of the nation’s third-tier league, Olushola Ogunnowo who spoke ahead of the kickoff.
“We know that Nigerians are passionate about football, so we want to make our grassroot football irresistibly appealing to them and the rest of the World.
“All is still in top gear for the inaugural NLO/Ikukuoma Super Cup without hitches in terms of the logistics we have put in place,” said the NLO’s COO Olushola Ogunnowo.
The tournament which will be keenly contested will see invited foreign scouts, and eight Sporting Directors from different leagues across the world in attendance.
However, the NLO broadcasting department will be live-streaming all matches from the championship for fans all over the world to see.
Sports
CAFCC: Enyimba International In Pot 3 For Draws
African soccer governing body has released the pots for the qualified teams for the group stage of the Confederation Cup, Tidesports sources reports.
Enyimba International is among the 16 qualified teams for the group stage of the competition.
The People’s Elephant was placed in pot 3 alongside ASJaaraf, CS Constantine; Bravos Do Maquils, Lunda Suliat, Orapa United, Black Bulls, and Stellenbosch. Pot 1 consists of Zamalek, RS Berkane, Simba SC, and USM Algers while Pot 2 has ASEC Mimosa, Stade Malien, Al Masry, and CS Sfaxien.
Sports
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers : Super Eagles Host Libya, Oct 11
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will host the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday three encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Friday, October 11.
The two teams will clash in a matchday four encounter at the Tripoli International Stadium four days later.
The Super Eagles started their qualifying campaign with a 3-0 home win against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.
The three-time African champions were held to 0-0 draw by the Amavubi of Rwanda in their second group game.The West Africans occupy top spot in Group D with four points from two games.
Libya are bottom of the group after amassing one point from two games.
Only the top teams in each group will advance to the tournament proper in Morocco beginning in December 2025.
Meanwhile, Libya has opted to host Group D leaders Nigeria at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Matchday 4 encounter. The facility is located in the city of Benina, some 19 kilometres outside the country’s second city, Benghazi.
Known previously as Hugo Chávez Stadium, the stadium is a 10,000-capacity facility with an artificial turf.
Both countries will do a Matchday 3 battle at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, 11th October, before the clash in the city at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, 15th October.
While the match in Uyo will kick off at 5pm, the battle in Benina will commence at 8pm Nigeria time.
Libya remain bottom of Group D after two rounds of matches, following a 1-1 at home to Rwanda (a game that was played at the Tripoli International Stadium) and a 1-2 loss to the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan.
Nigeria tops the pool with four points, after a 3-0 spanking of Benin Republic in Uyo on Matchday 1 and a scoreless draw with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali on Matchday 2.
Sports
NYG: Kano Athletes Protest Over Allowances In Asaba
Kano State athletes, who participated in the concluded 8th edition of the National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, Delta State, last Friday called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to address the issue of their poor camp allowances.
The athletes, speaking anonymously, expressed dissatisfaction with the daily allowance they received, claiming it was significantly lower than that of their counterparts from neighbouring Northwestern states.
“We were given less than N20,000 for ten days, while athletes from Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara received N50,000. Jigawa athletes were paid the highest, receiving N80,000,” one of the athletes said.
Despite the disparity in allowances, the athletes secured five gold, three silver, and one bronze in the competition.
They urged the governor to intervene and resolve the issue.
Also, the athletes commended the Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, for supporting other athletes representing the state in sports like football and basketball and hoped for similar support.
The objective of the National Youth Games, initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, is to promote unity, peace, and understanding among youths while addressing issues of restiveness and unemployment across the country.
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