Welcome to Sportinglens.blogspot.com: November 2016

Tuesday 29 November 2016

PRE-SEASON: El Kanemi Warriors edge Wikki Tourists

El Kanemi Warriors FC on Tuesday night defeated Wikki Tourists of Bauchi by 2-1 in the ongoing North East pre-season tournament in Gombe State. Mathias Samuel’ brace gave the Borno Army victory in the match. The club’s attacking midfielder opened scoring with his fine header in the 40th minute before his well-taken free kick in the 65th gave the coach Ladan Bosso-led team the all-important three points in the match. Super sub Gift Atiluwa gave Wikki Tourists a consolatory goal in the 80th minute.

Players and officials of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) arrived in Ilaro in Ogun State on Tuesday for a two-week training camping in preparations for 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. Sportinglens.blogspot.com reports that 35 players and seven officials traveled with the team and will start training Wednesday morning. In the team are 17 old players and 18 possible new signings, with five from Team B of the club.

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Rivers United have entered the third phase of their pre-season exercise ahead of the commencement of the 2016/17 football season. The first phase commenced in Port Harcourt on November 1 with the ‘Pride of Rivers’ playing a handful of test matches against local sides while the coaches concentrated on bringing the players up to speed from a physical perspective.

Kano Pillars FC have described the ongoing Gold Cup pre-season tournament as an avenue to test the quality of its new players ahead of 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. The club’s media Officer, Idris Malikawa said the quality of matches they are playing in the tournament have given them the opportunity to know the strength of the team and how to blend their players ahead of the new season.

Moses was always destined for greatness - Kalou

Salomon Kalou believes that Victor Moses was always going to make it at Stamford Bridge and sympathised with the in-form wing-back after a difficult first few years under Chelsea's management. Moses was signed as the Blues' replacement for the departing Kalou in 2012, but is only now showing his true talent after a series of good performances in a new role under Antonio Conte.

Chelsea plan to offer Moses improved new contract

Chelsea plan to enter contract talks with Super Eagles star Victor Moses in the coming weeks to ward off interest from Barcelona, according to Sky sources. The Nigerian international, who turns 26 next month, is under contract until the summer of 2019, having signed a new four-year deal just before joining West Ham on loan for the 2015-16 season.

Technical adviser of Abuja Football College, Gobbo Renzo says Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Rivers United is ‘one of the strongest teams in the country’. Renzo, a former assistant coach at Italian Serie A club, Palermo was left impressed after United came from a goal down to beat his Abuja Football College side 2-1 in a pre-season game decided at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday.

Victor Moses says he has found a home at Stamford Bridge after his fine season continued with scoring the winner against Tottenham. The Blues made it seven straight wins in the Premier League and returned to first place after the Nigeria international completed their comeback to seal a 2-1 home win.

Heartland technical adviser Deutsch gets official car

Heartland FC technical adviser Emmanuel Deutsch has received his official car from club’s management, Sportinglens.blogspot.com can report. A key to Siena Toyota car was given to him on Friday as promised by the club’s official during his unveiling during the week.

Newly promoted side, Gombe United are expected to engage in two Grade A friendly matches as part of the Savannah Scorpions’ pre-season games to prepare them for the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Players and officials of Akwa United are expected to move to Calabar on Sunday for their two weeks pre-season camping. The club’s technical adviser, Abdul Maikaba informed Sportinglens.blogspot.com that the team would travel to Calabar with 35 players which include old and new players.

Sportinglens.blogspot.com can reveal that Wikki Tourists of Bauchi are in negotiations to complete transfer deals for the duo of Omo Johnson and Jonathan Zikiye ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. It’s understood that the Bauchi-based outfit are making frantic efforts to make a good replacement for some of its key players that have left the club.

.Gets jersey No 8

El Kanemi Warriors striker Chinedu Ohanachom has joined Enyimba FC for the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Sportinglens.blogspot.com understands. Information from Maiduguri revealed that the Borno Army star player last season has resumed at the Enyimba FC training camp. He has been handed jersey number 8.

Rivers United outclass City Strikers

Rivers United came from a goal down to beat Abuja based side, City Strikers FC 4-1 in a wonderfully-open and entertaining pre-season friendly match played at the Goal Project, Abuja on Thursday. United were stunned when the unheralded Abuja side took the lead inside the opening five minutes following a breath taking counter attack.

Wikki Tourists of Bauchi have pulled out of the 4th edition of Gold Cup pre-season tournament a day before the kick-off of the competition. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State from Friday November 25 to Saturday December 3, 2016.

Heartland FC head coach Emmanuel Deutsch has announced his pre-season plans for the Owerri’s based side. The Cameroonian was unveiled at the club’s secretariat on Wednesday and the new gaffer quickly sets out his programme for the team.

With qualified clubs across Africa already putting finishing touches to their preparations ahead of the 2016 Africa Men’s club championship holding in Egypt, the Assistant coach of Customs Basketball club of Lagos, Abba Mohammed says the club is at risk of missing out of the tournament.

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Rivers United will face amateur club, City Strikers in a tune up game in Abuja on Thursday, November 24. The tune up game which will hold represents the fifth the Port Harcourt club will be prosecuting since pre-season preparations began on November 1.

Nigeria's Super Eagles have moved 10 places up in the November FIFA World ranking to 50th. In the rankings on the website of the world football governing body on Thursday, Nigeria is now placed joint 50th with Burkina Faso and Slovenia.

Kwara United retain 22 players

Nigerian National League club Kwara United Football Club, have retained 22 players for the forthcoming season. The John Obuh-coached side retained three goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards as they bid to gain promotion to the elite division next season, the management stated on Tuesday.

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is one of the global leagues attending the third World Leagues Forum in Frankfurt, Germany on November 23.

.Vows to make Savannah scorpions great again

Technical Adviser of Gombe United coach Manu Garba (OON) has revealed that he turned down money-spinning offers from top clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to accept Gombe United deal as a way to contribute his part to the success of the club.

. Says Nigerian can cover seventy metres of the pitch

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte admits he can’t believe that Victor Moses’ potential was overlooked for so long after three years away on loan from Stamford Bridge.

.Mahrez, Mane, Aubameyang make top five

Nigerian Internationals, Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa of Leicester City and Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City have missed out of the top five shortlisted for the 2016 African Player of the Year in the Glo-CAF Awards. The trio made the top thirty but narrowly missed out in the final list released on Tuesday by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo.

Pillars FC have debunked a media report that two of its senior players – Gambo Mohammed and Rabi’u Ali are receiving N800, 000 per month salary. In a message sent to Sportinglens.blogspot.com, the club’s media officer, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa, said the report was not correct.

The chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) Shehu Dikko has revealed the body’s plans to starts the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season on December 18 and end July 9. The league boss stated this when he was a guest of the week on a popular social media group, Nigeria Football Support Platform (NFSP) monitored by Sportinglens.blogspot.com.

Kabiru Balogun close to Kano Pillars switch

Kano Pillars have begun talks with Ikorodu United’s striker Kabiru Balogun with aim of signing him ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League season, Sportinglens.blogspot.com can report. A source in the Sai Masu Gida’s camp revealed that the versatile forward had started training with the team in their pre-season camping in Lokoja.

Asisat Oshoala scored four goals as Nigeria began the defence of their women's Africa Cup of Nations title with a 6-0 drubbing of Mali in Limbe on Sunday. The Player of the Tournament at the 2014 edition was in a class of her own as she terrorised the hapless Malian defence.

Nigeria’s Falconets saw off Spain 2-1 at the PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby to finish their FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2016 campaign with a victory, coming from behind thanks to a goal in each half from Ihuoma Onyebuchi and Chinwendu Ihezuo, after Alba Redondo had given the European side the lead.

.Efe Yarhere in action

El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri have secured the services of Kano Pilllars defender Promise James and Warri Wolves striker Efe Yarhere, Sportinglens.blogspot.com understands. The club’s media officer, Anthony Obaseki said James and Nyarere’s experiences in the league attracted the Borno Army interest to bring the duo to Maiduguri for the next soccer season.

Kano Pillars vice captain, Rabiu Ali’s father Alh Ali Fagge has died. Fagge, who died early Saturday morning, was buried at the Rimin Kebbe Grave yard in Kano city by 9am according to the islamic rite.

El Kanemi Warriors technical adviser Ladan Bosso has warned the prospective suitors that one of his players, Mohammed Hussaini is not for sale at any amount. Sportinglens.blogspot.com had last weekend exclusively reported that the former Frimpong Academy of Minna is currently training with Akwa United in a bid to sign for The Promise Keepers ahead of next season.

Wukari promises to return Mighty Jets to Premier League

New Chairman of Mighty Jets Football Club of Jos, Alexander Noel Wukari, has said that he is committed to returning the club back to Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with the help of the newly constituted board members.

The organizers of one of the most lucrative grassroots football competition ever organized in Jos, Plateau State, have said that the basic reason of footing and organizing the competition known as ‘Jos Chillin' Football Competition is to tell the whole world that peace has finally returned to Jos.

Rangers to embark on West African tour

Champions Enugu Rangers are to tour some West African countries ahead of the new Nigeria league season and next year’s CAF Champions League. Rangers coach Imama Amapakabo said the club plan to visit Mali and Cote d’Ivoire to prepare for the new season.

VICE PRESIDENT of the Nigerian Coaches' Association (NCA), Isa Ladan Bosso, has denied media report that top Nigerian national coaches failed the CAF A Coaching License course recently concluded at the FIFA Goal Project, Package B of the National Stadium Abuja.

.Says club is in the league to learn

Katsina United chairman Aminu Balele Kurfi has warned their opponents in the Nigeria Professional Football league (NPFL) to underrate them at their own peril, sounding confident as they are battle ready for a historic sojourn in the league.

Kano Pillars have secured the services of Rivers United’s Idris Aloma and Ikorodu United’s striker Kabiru Balogun as part of efforts to build a formidable squad ahead of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), SportingLens.blogspot.com can report.

Lobi Stars Team Manager Banarbas Imenger has said that the club is not conducting an open or secret trial in their pre-season training camp in Ijebu-Ode. The ex-international disclosed to SportingLens.blogspot.com that such an exercise is not only outdated but nothing good can come out of it.

Abia Warriors sign Seun Olunlayo

.Team hit Calabar on Friday for closed camping

Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia have signed former Nigeria Under-23 national team player, Seun Olunlayo ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Olunlayo joined Abia Warriors from Sunshine Stars FC of Akure on a year deal. He is expected to arrive in Umuahia on Wednesday to team up with other players.

Niger Tornadoes arrive Ado Ekiti with 40 players

.To drop 10 players

Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna have arrived in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State for a closed doors pre-season exercise ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. The club’s head coach, Abubakar Bala confirmed that the club was in Ado Ekiti with 40 players with the aim of reducing the number to 30 at the end of the camping, stressing that Ikoh Allah is at the last stage of concluding the screening exercise.

The league champions, Rangers International of Enugu have raided Wikki Tourists of their best players in its bid to form a formidable squad ahead of next season’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and CAF Champions League campaigns. SportingLens.blogspot can reveal that Wikki Tourists’ trio of goalkeeper Emeka Nwabulu, left full back Christopher Waziri and Charles Henlong have pitched tent with the Flying Antelopes.

Japan thrash Falconets 6-0

Japan kicked off their FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016 campaign with a 6-0 dominant victory against 2014 finalists Nigeria’s Falconets in Group B at Bava Park, Port Moresby. Mami Ueno bagged a hat-trick while Yuka Momiki scored either side of the break as The Young Nadeshiko ran riot in their opening game.

Mikel John Obi today made it clear that he is not being punished by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte for playing in the Olympics. Mikel has not played for Chelsea all season and Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr appeared to suggest on Friday that it was because he had left Conte's pre-season camp to play at the Olympics for Nigeria in August.

Chelsea's Victor Moses has reiterated his commitments to the Super Eagles after he scored a brace in Nigeria's 3-1 win over Algeria in Saturday 2018 World Cup qualifier in Uyo.

Victor Moses opened and closed the scoring as Nigeria overcame Algeria 3-1 Saturday to take charge of their group in 2018 World Cup qualifying. Captain John Obi Mikel, a Chelsea team-mate of Moses, was also on target for Nigeria at a packed Uyo stadium while Nabil Bentaleb scored for Algeria with an unstoppable drive.

FC Ifeanyi Ubah offer was too good to turn down – Preko

Former Hearts of Oak assistant manager Yaw Preko admits the opportunity to seek a ''fresh challenge'' motivated his move to Nigerian club FC Ifeanyi Ubah despite interest from Ebusua Dwarfs. Preko was confirmed assistant coach/Physical trainer of the ambitious club last Wednesday barely weeks after relinquishing interim coach position at Hearts.

John Obi Mikel's representatives have had contact from Marseille over a January transfer, with Chelsea looking unlikely to offer him a new contract, according to Goal.com. The Nigeria international, whose contract expires at the end of June 2017, has dropped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of Antonio Conte and is very much on the periphery of the squad. However, he would be interested in renewing with the Blues if an offer was forthcoming.

.New players hit camp today

Kano Pillars Football Club have declared five of its players surplus to requirements. The club’s Media Officer Idris Malikawa said the affected players were released based on the recommendations from the technical crew.

Tuesday 29 November 2016

Monday 28 November 2016

Sunday 27 November 2016

Friday 25 November 2016

Thursday 24 November 2016

Tuesday 22 November 2016

Sunday 20 November 2016

Friday 18 November 2016

Thursday 17 November 2016

Tuesday 15 November 2016

Monday 14 November 2016

Sunday 13 November 2016

Friday 11 November 2016