Makinwa: gets ultimatum to win or ship

The management of Abubakar Saraki Babes, ABS FC  of Ilorin has handed the coach of the team, Henry Makinwa, an ultimatum to win his team’s next three matches or be sacked.

The decision of a three-match ultimatum was contained in a statement signed by the team’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka.

“The club management will not allow anymore for any poor performances by the technical crew,’’ he said, while recalling that the team had not won in its last four games.

This followed the Club’s 4-2 loss of its home game to Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure at the Kwara Stadium Complex on Sunday.

Thompson Ezekiel scored a brace in the NPFL Match Day 28 fixture.

Former ABS FC attacker Ajibola Otegbeye as well as Alimi Sikiru scored the other two goals.

NAN reports that Alimi Sikiru scored the first goal of the day just some seconds into the second half.

The goal gave the visitors more confidence as they pegged their hosts to their half of the pitch.

Otegbeye, who left ABS FC for the Akure Gunners at the start of the new season scored the second goal in the 55th minute.

Four minutes later, centre referee Charles Ozigbo awarded the hosts a penalty kick for a handball infringement, with Samuel Oyedeji sending goalkeeper Henry Ayodele the wrong way to reduce the lead.

Thompson Ezekiel who replaced Otegbeye in the 70th minute needed only six minutes to register his name on the scoresheet for the first goal of his brace.

Chukwuebuka Anaekwe reduced the tally in the 85th minute when he capitalised on a defensive error to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

A minute later, Ezekiel restored the visitors’ two-goal lead with his second goal of the day to leave the scoreline at 4-2.

Speaking after the game, the captain of ABS FC, Chinedu Ajanah, said all members of his team must share in the blame since the football sport is a team sport.

Nasarawa United Football Club on Sunday lost 0-2 to hosts Abia Warriors FC in a Week 28 match of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Abia Warriors took the lead at the 17th minute, when visiting defender Emma Makama shot into his team’s net in a failed attempt to clear the ball away.

He was trying to stop Abia Warriors’ Effiong Ndifereke who was goal-bound on a dribble run in a solo move.

The visitors, who were wasteful in front of goal, conceded the second goal when hardworking Sunday Adetunji converted Abia Warriors’ penalty kick in the 84th minute.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the penalty kick was awarded when Nasarawa United’s goalkeeper Sirajo Ayeleso brought down a rampaging Ndifereke in the goal area.

Ndifereke, who was earlier booked in the 72nd minute for gross misconduct, was injured on his left shoulder during a collision with Ayeleso and was stretchered off the pitch.

Speaking during a post-match interview with newsmen, Abia Warriors’ coach Abdullahi Biffo expressed delight with the victory.
Biffo said, having lost two matches consecutively, the victory against Nasarawa United would serve as a morale-booster.

“Losing two matches at a stretch put the players under pressure. So, this victory will help the team to approach their next match with greater confidence.”

Biffo said his team prepared well for the match, bearing in mind that the visitors would pose a serious challenge to them.

Also speaking, coach Kabiru Dogo of Nasarawa United expressed disappohis inment that the team could not take advantage of the goal-scoring chances they created.

Dogo said the difficulties his team’s strikers had in converting goal-scoring opportunities remained a major challenge similar to that of many coaches.

“The issue of goal-scoring is one major challenge coaches face across the world because the way strikers are losing their chances is worrisome.

“We shall continue to work on the strikers. We shall keep on psyching them up in order to be able to get the best from them,” he saidNPFL:

In Bauchi,  Wikki Tourists Football Club  on Sunday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium defeated Kano Pillars FC of Kano 2-0.

Wikki Tourists scored the opening goal of the Match Day 28 fixture eight minutes into the game through Alhmed Usman after he wriggled past the visiting defenceline.

They scored their second goal 48 minutes into the match through Chinedu Aneibor when he made good use of a deflection by right winger Ambrose Peter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wikki Tourists were with a more purposeful and coordinated approach, but poor finishing by their strikers robbed them of scoring many goals.

Kano Pillars, on their part, dominated the game in the second half, only to find their rhythm affected by three yellow cards received by Rabiu Ali, Chinedu Udoji and Ibrahim Alassan.

Bala Nikyu, Chief Coach of Wikki Tourists, later described the match’s officiating as fantastic.

“In our last three matches, the officiating especially in Ibadan was fantastic. In this one too, the officiating was good.’’

He attributed the successes he had recorded since he assumed leadership of the team to the cordial relationship between him and the players.

Ibrahim Musa, the Chief Coach of Kano Pillars, on his part described Wikki Tourists as “a good team’’.

“But my boys too played very well, in spite of the little mistakes.

“When we go back to Kano, we will see how we can correct such mistakes before our next match,” the coach said.

In Enugu,  Rangers International Football Club  Sunday drew 1-1 with visiting Shooting Stars (3SC) FC of Ibadan.

Godwin Aguda gave the hosts the lead in the 29th minute after visiting goalkeeper Charles Tembe committed a blunder during a corner kick by home captain Okey Odita.

Tembe allowed the ball to slip out of his hands and presented a gift to Aguda who rolled the ball into the net.

3SC raised their game after the interval, but were made to wait till the 76th minute when Abu Azeez scored with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area.

Speaking after the match, 3SC’s Technical Adviser, Fatai Amoo, said the club’s attention was now on getting good results from their away matches.

“Getting good results in away matches is our priority at the moment and that is why we fought for the three points against Rangers. But we were not lucky to pick more than one point.

“The 1-1 draw was not our target. But the players gave Rangers lots of respect before the interval and after the interval the players lifted their game to get the equalising goal.

“Though Rangers missed lots of chances, but we could have also won the match as the best chance of the game was presented to my player Nonso Nbakwe, which he failed to convert,’’ he said.

Also speaking, captain of the visiting team, Sylvanus Ebiaku said the club needed the three points against Rangers to boost their morale for the remaining matches of the season.

“The three points would have been better. But, as it is in any away match, a point is not all that bad,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the result pushed Rangers down to the 14th position on the league table with 36 points from 28 matches.