SPORTS

Akwa Starlets FC Seek Pro-League ...Tackle Imo United, Sunday

Akwa Starlets Football Club will begin their campaign in the 2008/2009 National League Divisional with an away tie to Imo United on Sunday in Owerri. The Chief Coach of the club, Mr. Mike Akpan, express his gratitude to the State Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Mr. Enobeng Umoetuk for their fatherly role and support which make Akwa Starlets a model team and one of the best in the country.
He thanked the Governor for the recently acquired new coaster bus for the team and for providing a comfortable accommodation to help put the team in good shape. He also expressed joy, satisfaction and support of his coaching crew as well as the good people of Ikot Ekpene being their host for their hospitality.
Commenting on the spirit in the camp, he said the boys were working very hard not just to gain promotion but to join their sister team Akwa Utd in the Premiership. Also speaking, Assistance Coach, Abasiakan Windy Edemsen, thanked God for his grace for keeping the team in one fold and thanked the Governor for the foundation he has laid for the team, as well as the boys for their desire to do the state proud. He pointed out that the team are not only out to gain promotion but to act as role model to the youth of the state in checkmating youth restiveness.
The coach also called on the state government to establish more teams in the state to give sports a boast and create avenue to engage the young ones. He stated that the team will go all out for the three points in the first game away match to Imo Utd on Sunday. It could be recalled that Imo United gained promotion alongside Starlets from the Amature one division 3.

Falcons Draw 0-0 With Tunisia

The poor performance of the Nigerian women national team, the Super Falcons, in recent international competitions continued yesterday at the on-going African Women Championship holding in Equitorial Guinea, with the five times African champions only managing a goalless draw against a relatively unknown Tunisian side. Yesterday's result has put the country in a tight corner with just two points from two matches.
It may have also prompted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to have a second thought on the proprietary of allowing Coach Joseph Ladipo to continue handling the team after the Beijing Olympic Games, where Nigeria failed to make it to the second round. The Falcons had on Sunday escaped defeat by Ghana Black Queens in a game it struggled to pull a 1-1 draw with the Black Queens. In fact, Nigeria equalized in that game on the dot of 90 minute.
Super Falcons put every foot wrong in on Wednesday's game, with two times African Footballer of the Year, Cynthia Uwak and Perpetua Nkwocha playing far below the expectations of the fans. With this poor result, the Nigerian girls now have an uphill task of beating Banyana Banyana of South Africa in its last group match on tomorrow to ensure qualification from the group. The South Africans had earlier on Wednesday caused a major upset by beating one of the group favourites, Ghana's Black Queens, 1-0 to qualify for the semi final. That was after beating Tunisia 2-1 last Sunday to move to the top of the group.
Signs that the Falcons might fail its teeming fans started appearing soon after the commencement of the match, when the duo of Maureen Eke and Nkwocha could not make use of a golden opportunity provided by the Tunisia keeper, Bakouch Dhouha, who made a faulty clearance in the 14th minute.
Apart from midfielder Effioanwan Ekpo, who had a good game on Wednesday, every other member of the squad played far below the expectations of the people. It was learnt that the NFF might sack Coach Ladipo even before the last group game against South Africa on Saturday. His sin, according to an official of the NFF here in Bata, is that he has failed to raise the standard of the team since he was handed the leadership last year.
Apart from the series of poor results, the NFF official said Coach Ladipo had demonstrated that he was not in total control of the team because of his alleged inability to call a particular player (a goalkeeper) to order when she misbehaved. Meanwhile South African coach, Augustine Makalalane, has vowed to add to the problems of the Super Falcons when both teams meet on Saturday in their last group match here in Bata.
Ghana and Tunisia yesterday left Bata for Malabo, just as Cameroun and Congo are expected to relocate to Bata from Malabo for their last group match. The host country, Equatorial Guinea sits atop Group A with six points from two games after beating Congo 5-2 on Tuesday, while Cameroun managed to outscore Mali 2-1 to get three points.

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Respite may have finally come for women football in Nigeria, as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is close in securing a sponsorship deal worth N300 million for the league. The sponsorship is being worked out with one of the newest telecommunication outfit in Nigeria, Etisalat. A board member of the NFF, Stephen Gyebgon, who made the disclosure in Bata, venue of the Super Falcons group matches in the on-going 6th AWC in Equatorial Guinea, said that the deal would be finalised very soon.
Since former sponsor, Pepsi pulled out in 2002, the Nigerian women league has been without a sponsor, a situation, which has forced majority of the players to take their trade to all manner of countries, thereby destroying their potential in the process. But the NFF official said that all those era would soon be a thing of the past. "This present board of the NFF wants to leave a legacy in women football. We are doing everything possible to put in place a vibrant league for our women. It may reduce this idea of going to other countries for professional career by our ladies.
"We are not stopping them from doing so but by the time the sponsorship comes into full operation from this coming season, some of them will have no choice than to come back home. The package is good and I am sure it will serve a useful purpose,'' he said. According to Gyebgon, who is the vice chairman of the Women football committee of the NFF, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the NFF and Etisalat would be signed soon after the on-going AWC.
He hinted that all matches involving the Women league would be beamed live to Nigerians by one of the leading television stations, AIT, so as to increase the level of awareness on the female league. Delta Queens are the current double champions, having defeated other clubs like Bayelsa Queens, Rivers Angels, FCT Queens, Pelican Stars and Nasarawa Amazons to lift both the Super Six trophy and the Challenge Cup this year in Abuja.

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The State-owned Premier League side, Akwa United Football Club of Uyo will on Sunday confront Warri Wolves Football Club in the Week 11 fixture of the ongoing Globacom Premier League. The match is scheduled for Ole Township Stadium in Delta State. Akwa United who are gradually improving on the league table, will do its best to come out of the Wolves slaughter ground unhurt and the technical crew of the team knowing how important the match is, will use the best at their disposal to prosecute the match.
Warri Wolves on the other hand, are no push over in the league. Though being new-comers, the Delta State-sponsored team has really lived up to expectation and will like to make their supporters happy by winning the match. Akwa united may likely start with goalkeeper Ambrose Vanzekin who has being in good form since returning back to the team from Iran where he went for trials. Right full back and free-kick specialist, Ofem Inah, Jerry Dakop, King Osanga, Akarandut Orok may also start. It would be recalled that Akwa United defeated Zamfara United by a lone goal last Sunday.