Newly –installed Head Coach of Nigeria U20 Women National Team, Falconets, Chris Danjuma on Tuesday rolled out a list of 30 players who have been invited to the team camp in Abuja ahead of next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Tanzania.
Nigeria’s D’Tigress on Tuesday secured their fourth successive win in the 2017 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Mali.
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Sunday’s crunch Nigeria Professional Football League encounter between Enyimba and Rivers United lived up to the billing, as the hosts ran out 2-1 winners at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.
First half goals from Bernard Ovoke and Abdoulaye Konate sandwiched Koffi Franco Atchou’s header, securing three points for Rivers United against Enyimba in their bid to put distance between themselves and the relegation zone.
With the build-up to the game tainted by the unsporting behaviour of the home side’s supporters on the eve of the fixture, there was a palpable buzz in the air, even with the stadium less than a quarter full. In those tense circumstances, Gbenga Ogunbote threw a curveball with his selection, making three changes from the side that lost in midweek to ABS in the Aiteo Cup. Franco came into the side in place of Eric Frimpong, while Kelly Kester replaced Stephen Chukwude.
Both sides signified their intent early on, with Enyimba working the ball forward inside the opening minute. Stanley Dimgba played in Mustapha in the box, but the forward was unable to get a shot away. That partnership would prove one of the few bright sparks for the People’s Elephants on the day.
The hosts edged ahead in the 5th minute. Ovoke lined up a free kick, and his curler flew high into the net untouched, with Enyimba goalkeeper Fatau Dauda shoved as he made to go for the ball. The referee however waved all remonstrations away, and let the goal stand.
The home side again got the rub of the green 15 minutes later, flashing a shot across the face of goal at the end of a break that stemmed from an infringement on Franco. Rivers United eventually bagged a second on the half-hour mark. Konate seized on a moment of hesitation in the Enyimba box, and unleashed a swerving, dipping volley which flew past Dauda, giving the Ghana international no chance.
With Akwa United also losing on the road, the result sees Enyimba remain in fourth place behind the Promise Keepers on goal difference with three games left in the season.
Rivers United (Bernard Ovoke 5′, Abdoulaye Konate 29′) 2-1 Enyimba (Koffi Franco Atchou 35′)
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Zenith Bank Plc, sponsors of the annual National Women Basketball League, has showered praises on the Nigeria female team, D’Tigress, for the impressive results recorded so far at the ongoing FIBA Women Afrobasket taking place in Mali.
D’Tigress started the Afrobasket competition on a winning note defeating Mozambique 80-69 in their first game, whipped Democratic Republic of Congo 84-47 in the second and on Sunday defeated Egypt 106-72 to emerge the first team to book a place in the quarterfinal of the competition.
The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo, yesterday applauded the team and said the bank was proud of the results posted so far.
He said: “We are really delighted especially because only few weeks ago, some of the players representing Nigeria in Mali were in the final of the Women Basketball League which we have sponsored in the country for 13 years.
“The players have demonstrated to everybody that they are good enough to rule Africa. D’Tigress have shown Nigerians that our investment in the game has not been in vain in the country,” stressed the bank’s CEO.
Amangbo went ahead to charge the players to continue their winning streak in the continental basketball competition.
“The quarterfinal is the stage where the keen contest will start, we believe in the team and charge the players and officials to go all the way and win the title,” the Zenith Bank boss added.
Today in Mali, D’Tigress will take on Guinea in their fourth group match but the victory recorded in the three games already played has guaranteed Nigeria a place in the last eight.
Nigeria will play Senegal in the last group match of the competition which ends on August 27.
Ahead of the double header World Cup 2018 qualifier against Cameroon, Super Eagles Franco-German coach, Gernot Rohr, is believed to have recalled former Watford forward, Odion Ighalo, back to the senior national team along with some fresh faces.
Ighalo who switched to Changchun Yatai in the Chinese Super League in the January transfer window has rediscover his scoring tricks in the Far East and is getting a new look in from the Eagles gaffer.
The striker, who wasn’t called up for the 0-2 loss against South Africa in the AFCON 2019 Qualifiers, will be making a return to the team.
Nigeria will take on Cameroon in back to back games when the Africa World Cup qualifying series resumes next month, with the Indomitable Lions trailing the Super Eagles by four points in group B.
Ighalo has been in fine form for Chinese side Chanchung Yatai and according to Rohr he will be in the squad.
He has 11 goals from 20 games for Yatai and is being strongly considered for a starting role.
THISDAY learnt yesterday that Rohr’s list of 23-players for the double header is to be released today by the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Also scooped to make his debut against the Indomitable Lions is Anthony Nwakaeme of Hapoel Be’er Sheva from the Israeli topflight.
Nwakaeme ended last season with 14 goals in the league, he also had 10 assists, 54 shots on targets and completed 1,003 passes.
He has scored five goals this term from six appearances. Nwakaeme was voted the player of the season in Israel following his sterling display for the league champions.
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