RandaFooty: Everything Nigerian football, home and abroad

Chairman of Club Owners Association, Barrister Isaac Danladi has congratulated Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Member, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh after the Niger State FA chairman was reappointed into Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Standing Committee. The vice-chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee has been appointed into CAF Technical and Development Committee for duration of two years. Fresh was reappointed into CAF Standing Committee for the third term consecutively. The cycle of the Committee would run from 2017 to 2019. "I want to congratulate my friend and hardworking football administrator, Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf Fresh for his reappointment into CAF Standing Committee. I join all stakeholders to appreciate the good work Fresh has been doing which got him recognition on the Africa continent," said the Nasarawa United chairman. "For CAF Executives to considered him for the third term to serve Africa confirmed the administ

The 2016/17 Nigeria  Professional Football Season  was a tough and grueling one  that saw Plateau United  emerge winners for the first  time in their club history. Weeks of road trips, flights,  spectacular goals and great  saves culminated in the Jos  based side lifting the title  and giving Jos fans something  to smile about after decades  of agony. For other teams and the  principal actors, it was time  to take their feet off the  pedal to relax, take stock,  recharge and get set for the  new season that will welcome  back Heartland Football Club  of Owerri back to the top  flight. Kwara United are also back to  the elite class and so also  Yobe Desert Stars while Omoku  side Go Round FC complete the  quartet who will play in the  NPFL next season. As the players wind up their  holidays and get set for pre- season training, npfl.ng  caught up with a few of them  to discuss the past season,  their best and toughest games  as well as their expectations  for next 

Philip Azango. Pic courtesy trencin.sk Plateau United winger Philip Elayo Azango has inked a three year deal with Slovak giants AS Trencin for an undisclosed fee. The 20 year old has been training with the Slovak team for some months now as he awaited his work permit and international clearance which has eventually come through. He featured for Trencin in their last game against Zilina to follow in the foot steps of Moses Simon, Kinglsey Madu and Maduka Udeh Christopher who all cut their teeth with the team before moving on. The flying winger was one of Plateau United's best performers before moving to Europe as the Jos based side won the Nigeria Professional Football League title this season. Another Nigerian, Ejike Okoh, 18, also signed a three year deal with Trencin and will swell the number of Nigerians in the team that includes Hilary Gong and Abdul Zubairu. Ejike Okoh Trencin General Manager  Róbert Rybníček was delighted with the acquisitions and believes t

2015 champions of Nigeria’s oldest and biggest domestic competition, Akwa United FC of Uyo on Sunday reclaimed the title, now named AITEO Cup, on a brilliant and exciting evening at the Agege Stadium, Lagos. Scoreline at the final whistle was 0-0 but the  Promise Keepers  prevailed 3-2 after penalty shoot –out to become the first winners of the captivating AITEO trophy. The colourful final was watched by a glittering array of eminent personalities, including Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State), CAF President Ahmad, CAF Vice Presidents Kwesi Nyantakyi and Omari Selemani, CAF Emergency Committee members Souleman Waberi and Amaju Melvin Pinnick, Executive Committee members of NFF, chieftains of sponsors AITEO, NFF Management, Members of the Lagos State Executive Council and members of the diplomatic community.   2015 champions of Nigeria’s oldest and biggest domestic competition, Akwa United FC of Uyo on Sun

Niger Tornadoes coach Abubakar Bala has revealed that winning the Aiteo Cup will be the best thing to have happened to him in his coaching career and will crown a successful season for him and his players. Bala has stirred the ‘Ikon Allah’ boys to the final of the Aiteo Cup seeing off top sides like FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Plateau United in the process. Tornadoes are back to the cup final after a 17-year absence and Bala feels the time is right for the Minna side to win a major laurel. “We have worked so hard to get to this stage and we are going to do all we can to make sure we lift the title on Sunday against Akwa United. “I’m already a fulfilled man getting this modest Niger Tornadoes side to the final but I want to top it up with winning the title. “The motivation for me and my boys is to be the first winners of the Aiteo Cup so we can go back to Minna and present it to the state government who has been our biggest supporters,” Bala added.

For Niger Tornadoes centre back Andrew Ikefe, the 2017 Aiteo Cup final will be the biggest game of his career even after a stellar season with the Minna based side. Ikefe has played for Dynamic Sporting Solution, Kaduna United and Katsina United and despite raking nearly ninety games for the three sides, he says none of those games will be as big as the clash with Akwa United at the Agege Stadium on Sunday. Ikefe, in white nicks the ball off a Gombe United striker Tornadoes dispatched Nigeria Professional Football League heavyweights like champions Plateau United and FC Ifeanyi Ubah to make it to their first final in 17 years. Ikefe told 9jafooty.blogspot.com that he is proud to be part of history with Niger Tornadoes and can’t wait for kick-off on Sunday. “The Aiteo Cup final will be the biggest game of my young career and I believe it will end in victory for me and my team (Niger Tornadoes),” he said. “We have really worked hard to get to this stage and by G

The season of releasing players is here again and Rivers United have sieved a few off the roster. Only 21 players were retained for the new season as the team gets set to begin pre-season training. Left back Gabriel Wassa, who shone like a million stars a year ago has been let go, Esosa Igbinoba is also out. The former Nasarawa United midfielder has battled injury and loss of form last term and might just head back to Lafia. Veterans Austin Festus and Sunday Rotimi headline those that have been retained as Eguma sets to continue as coach. Rivers United finished in 15th place on the log last season and will look to do better in the new season.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have qualified for the upcoming 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia with game to spare against North African side Algeria. The Eagles achieved the feat with a 1-0 win against the tough fighting Chipolopolo of Zambia in Saturday’s Group B qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Substitute Alex Iwobi scored the match winner in the 73rd minute to hand the country their fifth World Cup appearance. The Southern Africans actually lived up to their pre-match tough talking, but a flurry of misses at goal nearly saw the match slipping from their hands. Nigeria’s forwards, Victor Moses, Odion Ighalo, Simon Moses and captain John Mikel Obi, all fluffed chances to get on the scoresheet. The first half ended goalless with the Chipolopolo the better side as they troubled the Super Eagles’ defence with their pace in attack. Zambia had the first chance at goal in the 15th minute but their danger man, Fashion Sakala, hit his effort wide

I'm looking forward to Saturday's all important game against Zambia with sweaty palms and for good reason too. The Chipolopolo have always been a dangerous team and matches with the Super Eagles have never been easy. In fact I can't remember a game that we took them to the cleaners-none that I can think of right now. The scoreline has always been 2-0 or 2-1 in favor of Nigeria. Our latest conquest of the Zambians was a laboured 2-1 win in Ndola on Match Day One of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. We stormed to a two goal lead in the first half through Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho but the second half was all Zambia. Nigeria goalkeeper Carl Ikeme came up big on the day and helped Nigeria escape with a 2-1 away win. Saturday's game looks like a slippery one and the Super Eagles will do well to dodge the banana peels the Chipolopolo will throw at them (no pun intended). Nigeria wins the game and Russia 2018 is a certainty even with a game to spare while

Bolaji Adeyemo (Blue jersey) surges forward against FCIU Niger Tornadoes of Minna will play in the Final of the men’s event of this year’s AITEO Cup Competition, after digging their feet into the ground to eliminate Cup holders FC IfeanyiUbah in Nnewi   on Thursday .   Godwin Obaje scored from the spot with five minutes to go, for his sixth goal of the competition (same as Akwa United’s Christian Pyagbara and one more than Sunshine Stars’ Ajibola Otegbeye) but it was too little too late for the Anambra Warriors who lost the first leg 2-4 in Lokoja. Mustapha Aliko celebrates Tornadoes qualification In the women’s competition, Cup holders Rivers Angels did not make the mistake that FC IfeanyiUbah made, as they took their scoring boots to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium to fire four goals past stubborn Bayelsa Queens, who earned a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Nembe. Akwa United, 1-0 losers to Sunshine Stars in Ijebu-Ode in their semi final, first leg, will ho