Sports

Excitement As NPFL 2013 Season Takes Centrestage

Published

13 years ago

March 18, 2013

Five months after the end of the last season, Nigeria’s top flight football competition returned over the weekend.

Re-christened as the Nigeria Professional Football League, in a bid to distance it from the legal pot-holes afflicting the last competition, it was a welcome relief to actually see football played for a change.

And what a start it proved to be.

Watched by a mammoth crowd that included members of the League Management Company, led by chairman Nduka Irabor, the first televised game of the season was settled by Bitrus Dada’s first half goal.

The former Unicem Rovers striker took advantage of calamitous defending to poach the winner in a tightly-contested game.

On their way to the title last season, Kano Pillars won just one game away from home. That was against Akwa United on the final day of the season, with the title confirmed as theirs.

This time, they have wasted no time laying down their season’s marker. Rabiu Ali secured the winner with less than five minutes left.

But the three points almost turned to one when the home side were handed a penalty but fluffed it.

Solomon Ogbeide became the first coach this season to have a go at referees after his team were beaten 2-1 in Port Harcourt.

Ogbeide was livid that his side were denied a goal by the officials.

In any case, goals from George Amakiri and Frederick Obomanu gave the home side what looked like a commanding lead, until former Sharks man Akeem Yakubu came back to punish his old club just before the break.

Two days before the season started, Heartland General Manager, Fan Ndubuoke said how unfair it was that his side had been classed as pretenders rather than contenders in the season preview.

On the evidence of their opening game, he may have cause to look inwards to find the cause of that gripe.

New boys Nembe City, in their first top flight game, showed little fear. Coached by ex-junior international full back John Aranka, they took the lead through Brown Braye.

Heartland took a while but eventually hit back. Olusesi finding a headed connection top Jolly Osas’ cross.

But Samuel Akinbinu settled matters with a goal of international quality with just over 15 minutes left to play.

With many of the players who helped the club reach the CAF Champions League semifinal having departed, Sunshine Stars looked disjointed as they welcomed Kaduna United to the Akure Township Stadium.

But they would be grateful to one the remaining old guard, Ajani Ibrahim, whose goal after eight minutes settled the fixture.

Former champions Bayelsa United marked their return to the top division with a narrow in over ever-present campaigners Lobi Stars.

Babangida Ibrahim saw his fierce left foot volley tipped away by John Lawrence before Iyasele Odili struck nearly on the stroke of full time.

Odili stole in at the back post to meet Otimoti Diri’s excellent cross.

Premier League returnees Nasarawa United and El Kanemi came face to face in this fixture that could have swung either way.

Neither side looked imposing enough and in the end, a barren draw was the best score.

If Nasarawa and El Kanemi cancelled each other out from the familiarity of having campaigned in the lower division last term, ABS and Kwara United’s familiarity came from proximity.

Both are based out of Kwara State, and know each other inside out. Last season, this opening fixture also ended in the same scoreline.

Kwara will be the happier of the two, having been on the receiving end of a 3-0 scoreline against ABS in the past.

Shooting Stars have played perhaps more pre-season games than any other club in the build-up to the season’s kick-off.

And the preparations showed in their dismantling of Gombe United, who arrived with a proud record of not having lost to the Oluyole Warriors in two seasons.

Tony Edjomariegwe and Osagona Ighodaro scored in a ten-minute first half spell to hand the Oluyole Warriors the full points.

Akwa United, who lost at home on the final day of last season, opened this campaign with a much needed win over Dolphins.

Sports

Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.

Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.

However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.

Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.

Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.

Sports

City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.

The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.

City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.

But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.

Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.

Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)

Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.

Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).

In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.

West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.

The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.

And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.

Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.

But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.

Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.

Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.

Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.

Sports

PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.

The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.

PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.

Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.

Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.

Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.