Welcome to Sportinglens.blogspot.com: June 2016

Friday, 24 June 2016

NFF retires referee Alaba for Agege drama

The Referees Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has retired Referee Abiodun Alaba of Ogun State with immediate effect. After its meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, during which it routinely reviewed the performance of all referees in the Nigeria Professional Football League matches in the past two months, the committee said it was taking the decision as a result of Alaba’s flagrant mismanagement of matches.

Head Coach of Nigeria’s U23 Men football team, Samson Siasia has listed the EPL trio of Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi in the 35-man provisional list published, Friday by the Nigeria Football Federation. Siasia’s list is a make up of several players with Senior team experience with the Eagles and the 35 will train in the USA before a final list of 18 is drawn up just before the trip to Brazil.

Ikorodu United appoint Theo de Jong as new coach

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Ikorodu United has appointed former Dutch international Theodorus Jacob de Jong as new coach. Oga Boys confirmed the appointment of the former Willem II and Cambuur manager after announcing parting of ways by mutual consent with Sam Okpodu on 13th of June 2016.

Rivers Hoopers on Wednesday lost their last group game to all conquering Kano Pillars 83-62 to finish runners up of Group B of the DSTV Basketball League Final 8 Play offs. Ronald Alalibo scored 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist while Somtochukwu Managor added 11 points and 4 rebounds in a game that was purely academical with both teams having already qualified for the last four.

Brila, Beat FM Land NPFL Radio Broadcast Rights

·Stations now to broadcast live matches

Sports Radio Brila FM and Megalectrics Limited became the first radio stations to be issued Radio broadcast rights of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) following the signing of separate Memorandum of Understanding between the stations and the League Management Company (LMC).

Kano Pillars FC have appointed Abdulsalam Abubakar Shandi and Hassan Abdullah as assistant coaches to the technical adviser Muhammad Baba Ganaru. The club’s spokesman, Rilwani Idris Malikawa, said the appointment was approved by the board at its emergency meeting at the club’s secretariat on Wednesday.

.Requests suspension of Match Referee pending investigation

MFM FC of Lagos has been fined N2m and ordered to play three games behind closed doors following the crowd incidence that occurred during their Match Day 23 fixture against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) at the Agege Stadium last Sunday. The Club was also ordered to identify and report the supporters who committed the act to relevant security agencies for prosecution within 7 days failure of which it stands to be fined N25, 000 for each day until the culprits are apprehended and charged to court.

FIBA U-17: Spanish Embassy Denies Nigerian Team Visas

The 2016 FIBA U-17 World Championship will dunk off today in Spain without Nigeria’s team following the refusal of the Spanish Embassy in Lagos to give the team travelling visas. Shockingly too, the Embassy officials offered no explanation for their action.

The League Management Company (LMC) has again reminded all participating clubs in the 2015/16 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) of the need to not only provide adequate security at match venues but also enforce the restriction of access by unauthorised persons to restricted areas.

I am not under pressure, Says Ganaru

• Decries distraction from club

Kano Pillars technical adviser, Mohammed Baba Ganaru has revealed to Sportinglens.blogspot.com that he is not losing sleep over his job. The Sai Masu Gida had been reportedly looking for a replacement for Ganaru over the club’s inconsistent results in recent times.

Yobo to play in Nigerian league

. Akwa Utd, FC Ifeanyiubah, Kano Pillars, Wikki Tourists want him

Former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, has agreed to play in the concluded rounds of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this season. The League Management Company (LMC), announced on its twitter handle on Tuesday that the former Everton of England defender will play in the last 12 rounds of matches this term in an ambassadorial capacity.

Real Madrid have activated their buy-back clause in the contract of Juventus striker Alvaro Morata, according to reports. Morata moved to Turin from the Spanish capital two years ago, but Los Blancos inserted a €30m (£23m) buy-back clause in his contract that allows them to bring him back to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced that he will retire from international duty after Euro 2016. Eyebrows were raised when the 34-year-old striker was named in Sweden's provisional 35-man squad for the Olympic Games this summer, and it had been thought that the soon-to-be free agent would take part in Brazil.

Puma cites 'defective batch' as the reason four players suffered shirt rips

Kit manufacturer Puma said it had traced a problem with ripped shirts for the Swiss team at Euro 2016 to a defective batch of material used only in a limited number of home jerseys for the team. During Sunday's goalless draw against France, the shirts of at least four Swiss players were torn when pulled by opponents, forcing members of the team to swap tops three times in the first half.

Former Nigeria international John Utaka is on the verge of returning to Egyptian club Ismaily, 15 years after leaving the club. Utaka, 34, enjoyed a successful period with Ismaily from 1999-2001, winning the Egypt Cup and emerging as league top scorer.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers pulled off an improbable NBA Finals comeback, giving Cleveland a title again at long last. James delivered on a promise from two years ago to bring a championship to his native north east Ohio and he and the Cavs became the first team to rally from a 3-1 Finals deficit by beating the defending champions Golden State Warriors 93-89 on Sunday night to end a 52-year major sports championship drought in Cleveland.

Arsenal have joined Chelsea in the race for Alvaro Morata's signature, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. Arsene Wenger revealed at the weekend that he was planning on making two more signings this summer and has identified the Juventus striker as a target after missing out on Jamie Vardy.

Rivers United captain, Festus Austin has called on players of the club not to let their heads drop following their 0-2 loss to FC Ifeanyiubah in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday. Goals from Wasiu Jimoh and Ismaila Gata gave the ‘Anambra Warriors’ the win which represented the first time United would lose a game by more than a goal margin in all competitions this term.

NFF issue provisional clearance for Giwa FC players

.Free for rest of the season

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have issued a provisional clearance to all players of Giwa FC, who have been expelled from the Nigeria professional Football League. According to a letter signed by NFF general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi on Monday and directed to the chairman of League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Diko, the players are to return to the Jos club at the end of the season.

Rangers coach, Imama Amapakabo, is confident that his team can finally end their long wait for a first Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title in 32 years after their 1-1 draw at Niger Tornadoes on Sunday. He declared that Tornadoes were lucky to have earned a draw from the fixture and insisted his side deserved to win the game given their dominant performance.

Rivers United technical manager, Stanley Eguma insisted that the better side won during their Match Day 23 clash against FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday. Eguma admitting that his charges were never really at the races during the encounter.

Akwa Utd thrash El-Kanemi 2-0

Akwa United put up a spirited first half performance to put to sword El-Kanemi Warriors of Maidugari at the Nest of Champions in a Match Day 23 Nigeria Professional Football League on Sunday.

Goals in each half from Wasiu Jimoh and Ismaila Gata gave FC Ifeanyi Ubah (FCIU) a deserved 2-0 victory over Rivers United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday.

.MFM suffer first home defeat

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan continued their resurgence under coach Gbenga Ogunbote after securing a vital 1-0 away win against Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) FC at the Agege Stadium on Sunday.

.Alimi, Shehu, Adamu receive red cards

Wikki Tourists of Bauchi came from behind to beat eight-man Kano Pillars 3-1 in the Match Day 23 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clash in Bauchi on Sunday.

Ismaila Gata scored his first goal for his new club, Ifeanyi Ubah in a 2-0 win over Rivers United in Match Day 23 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clash on Sunday.

Zamalek opened their CAF Champions League group-stage campaign with victory for the first time since 2002, after edging out Nigeria's Enyimba 1-0 on an extremely waterlogged pitch at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port-Harcourt on Sunday.

Prime FC battle COD United in Osogbo

Prime Football Club will lock horns with COD United Football Club of Lagos on Saturday in the Nigeria National League (NNL) Week 4 challenge at the 15,000-capacity ultramodern Oshogbo Township Stadium.

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos midfielder, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi says the match day 23 tie of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) between his side and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan is a must win.

Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi will be without their leading goal scorer, Godwin Obaje when they host Kano Pillars in the Match Day 22 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium (ATBS) in Bauchi.

Nigeria champions Enyimba have thrown open the gates for Sunday’s CAF Champions League Group B clash against Zamalek of Egypt with club boss Felix Anyansi-Agwu calling for total support for the home team in Port Harcourt.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he opted against making a move for West Ham United star Dimitri Payet.

Jose Mourinho reportedly has no intention of keeping Ryan Giggs as his assistant manager at Manchester United due to fears that the Welshman will try to take his job.

Players and officials of Ikorodu United cheated death on Friday when the commercial luxury bus they were travelling in was involved in a fatal accident that claimed 18 lives.

Agbim, six others join Lobi Stars

Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi have strengthened its squad with seven players during the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) mid transfers window.

Nasarawa United have declared two of its players, Ifeanyi Nweke and Philip Asango missing.

According to reports, Kano Pillars have began search for a new coach to replace Coach Mohammed Babaganaru.

Akwa United head coach, Maurice Cooreman may be sacked unless marked changes are noticed in his relationship with his assistants, the management of the club have announced.

Zamalek will miss the services of Mahmoud Abdel-Razek 'Shikabala' and Ayman Hefny -- two of the side’s key players -- when they travel to Nigeria to face Enyimba in the first round of the CAF Champions League group stage.

Rivers United wallop Kaduna United 4-0

Guy Kuemian netted a first half brace to power Rivers United past Kaduna United 4-0 in a largely one-sided round of 32 Federation Cup game at the Aper Aku Stadium on Wednesday.

Prime Football Club of Osogbo knocked Kano Pillars out of the 2016 Federation Cup on Wednesday at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

Chelsea retain Mikel, Moses, Omeruo

Nigeria trio of John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Kenneth Omeruo have all been retained by Chelsea for next season.

FC Ifeanyi Ubah eyes Lobi Stars scalp

.Gata, Loute, Okonkwo, Thompson out

FC Ifeanyi Ubah will be aiming to get back to winning ways when they take on Lobi Stars on Wednesday in a Federation Cup round 32 encounter at the UJ Esueme Stadium in Calabar.

CAF Champions League contenders, Enyimba FC, have appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation to move their Federation Cup Round of 32 clash against fellow NPFL side El-Kanemi Warriors as a result of their continental date against Zamalek of Egypt in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Rivers United’s technical manager, Stanley Eguma wants an outright win for his side against Kaduna United in the round of 32 of the Federation Cup.

2012 Federation Cup Giant Killers, Prime Football Club will be up against Kano Pillars Football Club of Kano on Wednesday at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja in the Round of 32 Federation Cup pairing.

Former Bendel Insurance of Benin City forward, Austine Ogunye has stated that Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos will not handle the round 32 Federation Cup tie against Kastina United Football Club of Kastina with kid gloves.

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) teenage midfielder, Otun Fawas has promised not to celebrate if he scores against his former team, Almar FC in the round of 32 of the Federation Cup.

Zinte, Oghali promise more for Wolves

Following their dazzling performance in a two all draw against Kano Pillars during the Match Day 22 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in Kano, Warri Wolves new signings, Udeh Zinte and Shedrack Oghali say management and supporters of the club should expect more of such commitment and dedication from them.

Ivoirian marksman, Guy Kuemian has spoken about his happiness after scoring twice to inspire Rivers United to a 4-1 win over MFM FC on match day 22 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Friday, 24 June 2016

Thursday, 23 June 2016

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Monday, 20 June 2016

Sunday, 19 June 2016

Friday, 17 June 2016

Thursday, 16 June 2016

Wednesday, 15 June 2016

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Monday, 13 June 2016