Nigerian League 2005 (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter Chxta
- Start date
BBC's Report
Former African club champions Enyimba broke a 26-year duck to clinch the Nigerian FA Cup in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
They won 6-5 on penalties against the unlucky Lobi Stars.
The game ended with no goals after 90 minutes, but both sides came alive in the first half of extra-time, scoring a goal apiece in the first three minutes.
Substitute Stephen Saviour looked to have won the game for the 2003 FA champions, when he capitalised on a goalkeeping error to fire Lobi ahead in the first minute of extra time.
Barely one minute later, Atanda Sakibu pounced on a rebound, coming off the cross-bar, to head in Enyimba's equaliser.
Despite several attempts, both sides failed to hit a winner in the second half of extra time.
Enyimba began the penalty shoot-out terribly, missing the first kick but a brave save from Dele Aiyenugba and a last missed kick by Lobi's Duke Udi handed Enyimba the only trophy that has eluded them.
"We deserve our victory today, it did not come easy I must admit but thank God we won," Coach Okey Emordi told BBC Sport.
"This is a huge compensation for our fans who watched in agony our exit from the Caf Champions league," he added.
Lobi Stars Coach Tunde Disu attributed Enyimba's win to fate.
"We did all we could yet but things worked out in Enyimba's favour," he said.
Earlier Iwuanyanwu Nationale defeated Sharks 1-0 in the third place game, thanks to Mbwas Magnut Ayuba's penalty goal in the 42nd minute.
Three time winners of the Nigerian Premier League, Enyimba are one game away from clinching their fourth title.
Former African club champions Enyimba broke a 26-year duck to clinch the Nigerian FA Cup in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
They won 6-5 on penalties against the unlucky Lobi Stars.
The game ended with no goals after 90 minutes, but both sides came alive in the first half of extra-time, scoring a goal apiece in the first three minutes.
Substitute Stephen Saviour looked to have won the game for the 2003 FA champions, when he capitalised on a goalkeeping error to fire Lobi ahead in the first minute of extra time.
Barely one minute later, Atanda Sakibu pounced on a rebound, coming off the cross-bar, to head in Enyimba's equaliser.
Despite several attempts, both sides failed to hit a winner in the second half of extra time.
Enyimba began the penalty shoot-out terribly, missing the first kick but a brave save from Dele Aiyenugba and a last missed kick by Lobi's Duke Udi handed Enyimba the only trophy that has eluded them.
"We deserve our victory today, it did not come easy I must admit but thank God we won," Coach Okey Emordi told BBC Sport.
"This is a huge compensation for our fans who watched in agony our exit from the Caf Champions league," he added.
Lobi Stars Coach Tunde Disu attributed Enyimba's win to fate.
"We did all we could yet but things worked out in Enyimba's favour," he said.
Earlier Iwuanyanwu Nationale defeated Sharks 1-0 in the third place game, thanks to Mbwas Magnut Ayuba's penalty goal in the 42nd minute.
Three time winners of the Nigerian Premier League, Enyimba are one game away from clinching their fourth title.
As the NFL struggle to fix a date for the last round of matches for this season, Iwuanyanwu Nationale striker Michael Ochei has expressed confidence the Nazi Millionaires will be playing the 2006 Caf Champions League ahead of Enugu Rangers.
With Nationale trailing Rangers by two points, Ochei told KICK OFF they have all to play for in their last game at home against El Kanemi.
"We do have equal opportunity like Rangers even though they are two points ahead of us, but if they lose to Kwara and we beat El Kanemi, we and not they will be in the Champions League," a confident Ochei said.
"We are in great frame of mind and everyone knows the importance of playing in the Champions League, it will be a major achievement for us to finish in second place behind Enyimba.
"Kwara are not pushovers and I know they also need go result at the end of the day," Ochei added.
The 20-year-old, who won the Caf Champions League winners' medal with Enyimba in 2003, told KICK OFF he is bracing up for another crack at continental glory.
"I have struggled a lot to hit form and put my career back on track again. It will be a great opportunity to play in Africa again whether in the Champions League or Confederation Cup," the petit forward added.
With Nationale trailing Rangers by two points, Ochei told KICK OFF they have all to play for in their last game at home against El Kanemi.
"We do have equal opportunity like Rangers even though they are two points ahead of us, but if they lose to Kwara and we beat El Kanemi, we and not they will be in the Champions League," a confident Ochei said.
"We are in great frame of mind and everyone knows the importance of playing in the Champions League, it will be a major achievement for us to finish in second place behind Enyimba.
"Kwara are not pushovers and I know they also need go result at the end of the day," Ochei added.
The 20-year-old, who won the Caf Champions League winners' medal with Enyimba in 2003, told KICK OFF he is bracing up for another crack at continental glory.
"I have struggled a lot to hit form and put my career back on track again. It will be a great opportunity to play in Africa again whether in the Champions League or Confederation Cup," the petit forward added.
Chxta 34 Juventino783 3 Zlatan 1 Nicole 1 Modo Bianconero 1 Azzurri7 1 Qaterminator 1 Layce Erayce 1
I have never met Alhaji Galadima, but from a distance, he strikes me as an interesting character study, with multiple layers of paradox...
He came on the seat on the premise of a much vaunted high moral principle, which for the most part has not been contradicted. That is the good part. To this, and over four years of constant wrangling, he has seemingly delivered Nigerian football from the stranglehold of the State, represented by the Federal Ministry of Sports, outliving two Ministers, both literally and figuratively, and now facing down a third, with the added possibly of armoured tanks!
Within this period, expectedly, the affairs of the FA, has swung hither, tither, like a pendulum, culminating in the disastrous decision to play the crucial WCQ vs Angola in Kano, and our qualification going up in smoke!
From the same Ministry that he steadfastly fought for control, Galadima repeatedly sought funds!! And with self-righteous indignation!
But whatever becomes of him within this crisis (I suspect an arrest is not far from the horizon), he goes down in history as the one person who recognized the critical need to wrest control of football from Government. Never mind that the majority of regional reps on the Board are from State FAs, set up, owned and paid for by state governments!
For all the "good" he may have done, Galadima should have resigned when we failed to make the World Cup.
In finally choosing to hold the election in the manner he did, an election which IMO he would've won anyway (since in Naija the incumbent always wins), he opened himself to suspicion of never seeing beyond his self interest.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out...
Since Galadima's re-election yesterday,
*The Sports Ministry has recalled all its delegates from the NFA...
*The Police have sealed the NFA Headquarters...
*Most annoyingly, the authorities of the Eagles training camp in Faro, Portugal are threatening to throw the team out of the camp for non payment of bills.
It is going to even get more embarrassing for us I promise you.
However, one must not fail to note that in the contigent of aspirants who boycotted the Kano Congress was one Segun Odegbanmi, who for all his achievements and knowledge of the game, continues to represent the worst in perfidy...
Nigerian football is going to stutter for the next four years I tell you, with this bunch of jokers that have now been 'elected' to represent us.
I personally, will stop following the Super Eagles until July 17 2010 (projected final match of SA 2010)! I LIKE MYSELF, I DON'T NEED A HEART ATTACK.
He came on the seat on the premise of a much vaunted high moral principle, which for the most part has not been contradicted. That is the good part. To this, and over four years of constant wrangling, he has seemingly delivered Nigerian football from the stranglehold of the State, represented by the Federal Ministry of Sports, outliving two Ministers, both literally and figuratively, and now facing down a third, with the added possibly of armoured tanks!
Within this period, expectedly, the affairs of the FA, has swung hither, tither, like a pendulum, culminating in the disastrous decision to play the crucial WCQ vs Angola in Kano, and our qualification going up in smoke!
From the same Ministry that he steadfastly fought for control, Galadima repeatedly sought funds!! And with self-righteous indignation!
But whatever becomes of him within this crisis (I suspect an arrest is not far from the horizon), he goes down in history as the one person who recognized the critical need to wrest control of football from Government. Never mind that the majority of regional reps on the Board are from State FAs, set up, owned and paid for by state governments!
For all the "good" he may have done, Galadima should have resigned when we failed to make the World Cup.
In finally choosing to hold the election in the manner he did, an election which IMO he would've won anyway (since in Naija the incumbent always wins), he opened himself to suspicion of never seeing beyond his self interest.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out...
Since Galadima's re-election yesterday,
*The Sports Ministry has recalled all its delegates from the NFA...
*The Police have sealed the NFA Headquarters...
*Most annoyingly, the authorities of the Eagles training camp in Faro, Portugal are threatening to throw the team out of the camp for non payment of bills.
It is going to even get more embarrassing for us I promise you.
However, one must not fail to note that in the contigent of aspirants who boycotted the Kano Congress was one Segun Odegbanmi, who for all his achievements and knowledge of the game, continues to represent the worst in perfidy...
Nigerian football is going to stutter for the next four years I tell you, with this bunch of jokers that have now been 'elected' to represent us.
I personally, will stop following the Super Eagles until July 17 2010 (projected final match of SA 2010)! I LIKE MYSELF, I DON'T NEED A HEART ATTACK.
Hey Chxta do you know Ogunsoto. He plays in a team of my city Ergotelis and he is the best player here. He had step up this team from the 4rh division of greece to the first each year. Unfortunally now we play in the 2nd division but we are favorite for up stage. We love him and we would like to stay for ever there but he is very good to play in our team. Take a photo:
See video:
http://www.playersagent.gr/page.aspx?page_id=28
I would like to know why he doesn't to national team of Nigeria?
See video:
http://www.playersagent.gr/page.aspx?page_id=28
I would like to know why he doesn't to national team of Nigeria?
:wink:Well I've said the same thing you're saying b4. But the love for the team keeps bringing me back. I'm not as passionate about the team as I used to be anymore but then it's still the Eagles. We'll (I mean the team) only thrive as much as the ineptitude, misappropriation and downright profligacy of the officials allow us.
But then to support this team passionately with the state of the FA as it is, is to invte a heart attack as Chxta has rightly noted.
But then to support this team passionately with the state of the FA as it is, is to invte a heart attack as Chxta has rightly noted.