Golden Eaglet star, Akinkunmi Amoo lone goal helped Hammarby IF secured a hard fought 1-0 victory over Varbergs, on Monday night.
The not so tall winger has insisted he is not afraid of scoring with his head after heading home from a Astri Slimani cross, his 5th league goal of the season for the Swedish outfit.
Speaking to the club media after the match, the Nigerian international expressed confidence in his ability to score more goals with his head as his height concerned could limit him to score more goals with his feat, than his head.
“If you watch the game from the beginning, I headed a lot of balls, so it doesn’t mean when you are short you can’t head ball accurately. I timed balls well against Varbergs and went for it,” he said.
“Physical game, pretty tough for us. Team spirit was excellent and we kept the lead Confidently. I appreciate my teammates and the technical staff for this crucial goal; even though, it was built from our work in the training,” Amoo concluded.
The 19-year-old is now focused on helping his side win when they face IFK Goteborg on Thursday night.
Nigeria women’s basketball team, D’Tigress had booked a place in the semi-finals of the ongoing Afrobasket Championship in Yaounde Cameroon, after thrashing Ivory Coast 72-56 in the quarter-finals.
Ivory Coast threatened a late fightback but the deed has already be done in the first quarter with Nigeria leading 24-11 and continued dominating in the second quarter.
Ezinne Kalu for the 3rd time in the competition scored a team-high 17 points, plus shooting 2/3 from beyond the arc. Amy Okonkwo also added a tournament high 14 points and Promise Amukamara registering 11 points for the D’Tigress.
Salimata Berte added 13 points for the Ivorians, while Djefarima Diawarra who was the star performer for the Ivorians in their previous game against Guinea dropped 11 points.
The defending champions, averaged 50% from the 3-point line, an area they’ve struggled on for some time, they scored 9/18 from that range. The win means D’Tigress has won the last 6 of 8 games played against their aforementioned QF opponent.
Ivory Coast hopes of grabbing their first podium finish of the AfroBasket championship has been slaughtered, as the wait continues. The closest they have gone was a 4th place finish. For Nigeria is all smiles, two wins left to seal the chip for the 3rd successive time.
Nigeria will face either Senegal and Mozambique, with both teams playing in the other quarter final clash.
As confirmed in a press release by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Communications Department, the Nigeria U-20 women’s football team are off to Douala, Cameroon, where they will face their counterparts from the Central African Republic (CAR) in a battle to secure ticket for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, hosted by Costa Rica.
Why Douala?
Africa’s football governing body, CAF, deemed no Stadium in Central African Republic as fit enough to host an international match – which has forced the country’s national teams to adopt other nations as their ‘home ground’.
Falconets who are Africa’s most successful team at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals –have won Silver medals in Germany 2010 and 2014 in Canada, and were semifinalists in Japan 2012 –will on Saturday against CAR commence another race to qualify for the global tournament.
Central African Republic reached this stage of the qualifiers after Equatorial Guinea’s U20 girls withdrew from their preliminary fixture scheduled for last month.
Nigeria have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since the competition was launched as a U19 tournament in Canada in 2002. Can they do it again?
Head Coach, Christopher Danjuma has picked his 23-woman squad –from the group that has been training in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for several weeks – to travel to Douala for the clash against CAR.
Selected 23 Players for Central African Republic clash:
With less than three weeks to the kickoff of the 2021 edition of the Flying Officers Cup, Organisers of the biggest Women Football Pre-season Competition in Africa have promised a thrilling Championship.
Formerly known as Naija Ratels Pre-Season Championship, Flying Officers Cup is played in memory of Nigeria’s first-ever female combat helicopter pilot, late Tolulope Arotile.
The 2021 Edition will see sixteen teams –including the ones from the neighboring countries – battle for honours at the Area 10 Sports Complex, FCT, Abuja, from October 10-24, 2021.
Preparation for the tournament has reached a pivotal stage and General Coordinator of the Championship, Barrister Victoria Nlemigbo said everyone involved have been working relentlessly to deliver the biggest and best ever Pre-season Championship.
“We have no doubt of an overwhelming desire to deliver the biggest and best ever women football Pre-season Championship and through our determination, plans and decisiveness, we will be able to achieve this vision.
“We understand it takes alot and we are working relentlessly and will take the most extraordinary measures with the support of all involved to stage a fabulous tournament.
“The facilities, logistics and other important things needed are almost 100% ready. The re-grassing and upgrading of the Area 10 Sports Complex and we’ve also made arrangement and partnership with relevant bodies to ensure a smooth competition.
“The fans, media and other stakeholders can look forward to the beautiful game of football here in Abuja from the 10th to the 24th of October.” She concluded.
One of the Turkish football giants, Galatasaray SK, has founded the women’s football team and appointed former national team player Nurcan Çelik as coach.
The women’s team is a section of Galatasaray S.K., a major sports club in Istanbul, Turkey.
According to wikipedia, the team was initially established in 2012 and run for four years long with effect of end dated September 2016 due to downsizing measures caused by financial issues.
However, the Galatasaray Sports Club President Burak Elmas and his board members have reached an agreement to re-establish the women’s team.
The newly formed team was introduced at an event held at Galatasaray High School on Saturday, where the foundations of Galatasaray Sports Club and men’s football team were laid.
The board will have to wait for UEFA to decide whether team, which took its steps for the women’s football team a month ago and applied to the TFF, will compete in its first season in the Super League or a lower league.
President Burak Elmas, in his speech from the lectern, said, “Today is a very special day for us. We are making another big move on behalf of Galatasaray Sports Club, which Ali Sami Bey and his friends founded in this hearth and opened to the world. We are establishing our Galatasaray Women’s Football Team.”
“I would also like to thank Nurcan Çelik out technical director, especially my board of directors, who contributed to this work. They also embark on this journey to beat non-Turkish teams. Good luck to our entire community. Welcome to our home.” he concluded.
The team introduced to home fans when the men’s team faced Alanyaspor.
Regarding the branch of the Galatasaray women’s football team, Vice President Rezan Epedemir made the following statement to Spor Arena:
“Building the women’s soccer team was one of our priorities. We installed it about a month ago. We believe that women should be pioneers in social life. We believe it should be a pioneer in sports as well as business and art life. We believe that an approach that prioritizes women should be dominated.
“We have also spoken to the Küçükçekmece municipality and are building social facilities for our women’s soccer team there. The right of use lies in Galatasaray. Our women’s football team is in great demand as a jersey, right to a name and as a breast and arm sponsor” he added.
Galatasaray Women’s played a friendly match with Galatasaray High School Junior Girls’ Football Team.
After the match, which ended with the 10-1 in favour of Galatasaray Women’s Football Team, the ball of the match was presented to Galatasaray Sports Club President Burak Elmas as a symbol of the meaning and importance of the day.
The League ended abruptly last season due to time factor as it concerned the WAFU Zone B qualifiers of the inaugural edition of the Women’s CAF champions league.
Hence, the new season of the Nigeria Women Football top tier League, NWFL Premiership 2021/2022 will start in December 2021 and end in May 2022 to adjust to the WAFU-B Qualifiers.
This was announced during the 2021 NWFL annual Congress meeting which held in Lagos on Wednesday.
The season which will kickoff on December 8, will follow an abridged format with the qualified 14 clubs shared into two groups of seven clubs each, of the Southern zone and Northern zone.
The season will be rounded off by the Super-6 competition. Three teams from each of the zone will qualify to play a Super-6 playoffs to determine the Champions for the season.
The NWFL chairperson has revealed that, the hosting of the Super-6 will go round all the Premiership Clubs and interested clubs and/or State should indicate interest of host.
There are only four clubs in the Northern zone which will be joined with three Southern teams to complete a group of seven. From the North are Nasarawa Amazons, Confluence Queens, Naija Ratels and Adamawa Queens and they will be joined by Pelican Stars, Osun Babes and Edo Queens to make a complete group.
The remaining seven teams are put together to make up the Southern zone; Rivers Angels, Royal Queens, FC Robo Queens, Delta Queens, Sunshine Queens, Abia Angels, and Bayelsa Queens.
GROUP A: Adamawa Queens Confluence Queens Edo Queens Osun Babes Pelican Stars Naija Ratels Nasarawa Amazons
GROUP B: Abia Angels Bayelsa Queens Delta Queens Rivers Angels Robo FC Royal Queens Sunshine Queens.
The Week One Fixtures: Group A – Confluence 🆚 Pelican Stars Naija Ratels 🆚 Osun Babes Adamawa Queens 🆚 Edo Queens Nasarawa Amazons – drawn bye
Group B- FC Robo 🆚 Abia Angels Delta Queens 🆚 Rivers Angels Sunshine Queens 🆚 Bayelsa Queens Royal Queens – drawn bye
Rivers Angels emerged as Champions of the 2020/2021 NWFL Premiership season at the Super Six which took place at Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State to pick a ticket for the Inaugural TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League to be hosted by Egypt.
The maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Tournament came to an end on Tuesday evening with host Nation, Nigeria Super Falcons suffering a 4-2 defeat in the final game.
Randy Waldrum made two changes to his winning team that defeated Mali 2-0. With Regina Otu Ibiang and Uchenna Kanu Grace replacing Ngozi Okobi Ekeoghene and Francisca Ordega respectively in the lineup.
South Africa head coach, Desiree Ellis also effected two changes to her side that demolished Ghana 3-0, with Makhabane Mamello and Holweni Sibulele making way for Makhubele Tiisetso and Melinda Kgadiete in the lineup.
It was the host that posed the first threat from a corner kick by Glory Ogbonna whose effort was headed by the duo of Onome Ebi and Joy Bokiri before Asisat Oshoala’s final header went off target in the third minute.
Two minutes later, it was Banyana turn to pose a threat through Hilda Magaia who sent through a pass in the area from the left and Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie tapped into her own net to hand the visitors the lead.
Not giving the nine-time African Champions the chance to recover from shock, South Africans kept piling pressure on the Nigerian defence which eventually pay off when Kgatlana placed a high ball into the area and hits Onome Ebi’s hand in the box.
Center referee decided on a penalty for Banyana and a yellow for Ebi. Molthalo stepped forward and converted brilliantly from the spot in the 18th minute to double her side’s lead
Desire Oparanozie in the 20th minute thought she had replied one back for Nigeria but the referee spotted an infringement from Asisat Oshoala on her opponent.
Chiamaka Nnadozie made double saves the first from Melinda Kgadiete and the second from the resulting corner kick to keep her side’s hope alive to deny Banyana of a third goal in the 33rd minute.
While the hosts hope for a halftime whistle to restrategized, the rampant COSAFA Women’s Cup champions condemned Nigeria to it’s biggest first half defeat on the continent when Salgado Gabriela tapped in a straying deflected pass across the face of the West Africans’ defence in the 44th minute.
Hoping for a better second half while trusting the homegrown players, Randy Waldrum brought in Vivian Ikechukwu, Monday Gift, Opeyemi Sunday, and Onyebuchi Ihuoma for Uchenna Kanu, Joy Bokiri, Michelle Alozie, and Rita Chikwelu respectively.
Quick to make impact, substitute Monday Gift located another, Vivian Ikechukwu who tapped into an empty net to pull a goal back for Nigeria.
Capitalizing on her youthfulness, Ikechukwu yet again reawakened the hosts’ hope, scoring her second goal of the game in the 53rd minute.
The Super Falcons maintained their high pressing for a possible comeback when Glory Ogbonna tried her luck from outside the box forcing Swart Kaylin to make a save in the 60th minute.
Another penalty awarded as Linda was brought down in the box. Second half substitute, Makhabane Mamello converted from the spot to cushion rSouth Africa’s lead in the 86th minute.
The victory saw Banyana Banyana emerged maiden Aisha Buhari Cup champions with six points from two games and avenged their 2018 TotalEnergies Africa Women’s Cup of Nations final defeat to Nigeria in Ghana and finally recorded their biggest ever win over the nine-time African winners.
The third edition of the annual NFF-Aiteo Football Awards took the City of Lagos by storm on Monday night, with the country’s First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari, as well as four-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala, home-based professional Gift Monday and the Super Falcons’ class of 1999 the star attraction at the glamour event held t the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island.
Present at the event was the wife of the Chief Naval Staff, Hajiya Nana Aisha Gambo (representing the First Lady); First Lady of Lagos State, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura; Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu; Aiteo’s Executive Vice President Francis Peters; FIFA Executive Member Isha Johansen; CAF Executive Member Kanizat Ibrahim; CAF chieftain Danny Jordaan; daughters of the First Lady of the Federal Republic – Halima, Zahra and Noor; NFF Executive Committee Members and Management; top guns of the Lagos State Sports Commission and FA; NFF partners and sponsors; corporate titans; squad members of the 1999 Super Falcons; squad members of the Women ‘A’ teams of Nigeria and Cameroon and; leading football stakeholders.
Also at the event were, former NFF President, Col. Abdulmumini Aminu (rtd); Sarah Bareman (FIFA Head of Women’s Football); Barr. Allen Onyema (Chairman of Air Peace); Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba (Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports); AIG Garba Umar Baba (Nigeria’s Interpol Officer and NFF’s Senior Adviser on Security); Aiteo Group’s Samira Buhari and; Dr. Aliyu Oroje Wammako (President of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria).
Assist Oshoala of FC Barcelona was voted women foreign-based Best Performer for winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Asisat Oshoala receiving award for best foreign based performer.
Not forgetting home, Gift Monday of FC Robo Queens was naned the Best Performer on the home front, for her great contribution to the league and for being the league’s top scorer of the season.
AWARD WINNERS:
Best Performance of the Year (Men; Nigeria-based): Silas Nwankwo/Charles Atshimene
Best Performance of the Year (Men; Overseas-based): Paul Onuachu
Best Performance of the Year (Women; Nigeria-based): Gift Monday
Best Performance of the Year (Women; Overseas-based): Asisat Oshoala
Club of the Year (Men): Akwa United FC
Club of the Year (Women): Rivers Angels FC
Coach of the Year (Men): Kennedy Boboye
Coach of the Year (Women): Moses Adukwu
Referee of the Year (Men): Joseph Ogabor
Referee of the Year (Women): Patience Ndidi Madu
Memorable Performance of the Year: Bayelsa United FC
Host State of the Year: Lagos State
Best Supporter of Women’s Football: Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari
Commitment to Women’s Football Excellence: Edo State
Inspirational Award: Ahmed Musa
Innovation Award: NFFTV/NPFLTV
Special Recognition Award: Super Falcons Class of 1999
Lifetime Achievement Award: Princess Bola Ngozi Jegede
Post-humous Award: Prince Larry Eze/ Ms Henrietta Ukaigwe
The Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick says next year’s Aisha Buhari Cup will hold in Abuja, bigger and better than the first edition.
He said this during his remarks speech at the Aiteo-NFF awards on Monday night held in Eko Hotels and Suites, where the Super Falcons class of 1999 –who reached the first Quarterfinals in a FIFA Women’s World Cup (USA ’99)– were celebrated.
Amaju hinted that for the 2022 edition, two European countries will participate in the event which will be hosted at the renovated MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
This year’s edition of the FIFA recognized showpiece which happens to be the first edition of the ABC saw six nations from Africa which includes Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon, Mali, Morocco and the hosts Nigeria lock horns at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.
Heartland Queens of Owerri are looking forward with a lot of expectations to the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament billed to run from September 27 to October 4 at the re-modeled Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin, Edo State.
A member of Imo FA, Ndubuisi Opara reportedly confirmed that Heartland Queens would be in Benin for the tournament said the competition would be a good avenue for the club to perfect strategies for the task ahead.
“Heartland Queens would be in Benin and we are happy the organizers extended invitation to us to be part of the tournament. We are going there to make good use of the opportunity,” Opara told ThisDay News.
Twelve (12) teams have been confirmed for participation: Edo Queens FC Rivers Angels FC Bayelsa Queens FC Sunshine Queens FC FC Robo Queens Heartland Queens FC Royal Queens FC Confluence Queens FC Kaduna Queens FC Naija Ratels FC Fortress Ladies FC Rolly FC
The tournament will serve as a preparatory event ahead of the new season kickoff.
MOLATsportgist 