Wednesday, April 15, 2015
EXTRATIME
X7
DANAGOGO
congratulates Falcons, U-23 team Stories by Andrew Ekejiuba
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ports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, has congratulated the female national team, the Falcons and the national U-23 football team for posting superlative victories against their opponents last weekend. While the Falcons hosted their Malian counterparts in the second leg of the All Africa Games qualifiers at the Abuja National Stadium Friday, the U-23 side, tutored by Samson Siasia, engaged their Zambian counterparts in a make or mar second leg also in the All Africa
Games qualifier in Lusaka. According to the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Patrick Omorodion, Danagogo was full of praises for both teams, especially the U-23 side who had a more difficult nut to crack after they drew 0-0 with the Zambians in the first leg of the qualifier decided at the Abuja National Stadium a fortnight ago. “Most people had given up hope of the team qualifying but like the typical Nigerian who never gives up until it is over, they went to Zambia and played their hearts out and came out victorious. They must be commended for their team spirit and determination to succeed.
“The Falcons were not left out too as they rose to the occasion and showed that the 1-1 they played earlier in Mali was not a true reflection of what makes them the champions of Africa. “They were business-like and didn’t want to leave anything to chance. So, I commend the efforts of both teams and their technical crew for the wonderful performance and urge them to redouble their efforts as they prepare for the competition proper,” the Minister said, stressing that “We at the National Sports Commission will play our own part to ensure they get all they need to represent our country creditably.”
KESHI SIGNS NEW CONTRACT APRIL 17
Ben Nwachukwu Abuja
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he long awaited contract between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Stephen Keshi as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles will be finally signed on Friday, April 17. General Secretary of NFF, Mohammed Sanusi told Extra Time in Abuja that the Federation have concluded to name a coach for the Super Eagles on the said date. He noted that before naming the coach the contract would be signed
first and argued that there was no way the federation would announce a coach without signing the contract with such coach. Sanusi noted further that the federation is working harder to ensure that football in the country is revamped from the grassroots. “The present board of the Federation is open to all stakeholders and we have enjoined them to come together so that we can move football further,” he said. Meanwhile, Sanusi disclosed that the NFF and the NSC will meet before the announcement of the coach.
CAF CL: GLO STUNNED OVER ENYIMBA, PILLARS OUSTER Andrew Ekejiuba
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Keshi
EX-INTERNATIONALS CLASH IN MTN BEST 11 PROMO
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ormer Super Eagles players, especially those of the USA ’94 and Atlanta ’96 fame, teamed up with sports writers, music stars and other On Air Personalities (OAPs), for a rare appearance in a football match recently, at the Campos Mini Stadium, in Lagos Island. The novelty match was organized by Nigeria’s leading telecommunications and ICT Company, MTN, to commemorate its launch of the MTN Best 11 Promotion, an initiative that enables subscribers who tap into the new MTN Trutalk proposition, stand a chance of winning eye-popping prizes ranging from houses to cash gifts. Speaking on the rationale behind the MTN Best 11Promo, MTN’s Chief
Marketing Officer, Bayo Adekanmbi stated that the Company introduced MTN Trutalk, a value proposition that enables subscribers to register 11 numbers and make calls to those numbers at 50% discount. Speaking further, Bayo said, subscribers on the MTN Trutalk proposition will therefore qualify for the MTN Best 11 Promo, where one winner will become a landlord every week and 24 winners will win N11, 000 every hour daily for the next 11 weeks. The promo is also extended to non TruTalk customers on the MTN network; customers who continue to use their phones regularly to make calls and customers who consume the 11MB data also stand a chance
Danagogo
of winning these exciting prizes in the promo. To enjoy the MTN Trutalk proposition, subscribers are to dial *400# or send 400 to 131. The match which attracted a sizeable crowd featured notable exinternationals like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju, Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal, Celestine Babayaro, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West, Jonathan Akpoborie, Peter Rufai and a host of others. Also featured were topmost football analysts, MTN musical ambassadors and TV presenters such as Charles Anazodo, Wole Opatola, Frank Edoho, Harry Iwuala, Praiz, Sound Sultan, Doctor Sid and Harrysong.
itle sponsor of the Glo Premier League, Globacom, has expressed concern over the early exit of Kano Pillars FC and Enyimba FC of Aba after both sides were eliminated from the ongoing CAF Champions League. Pillars and Enyimba lost out in the second round to teams from Algeria and Egypt respectively in what observers termed their inadequate preparedness for the continental challenge. In a statement in Lagos on Tuesday, Globacom expressed concern at the clubs’ early ouster from the lucrative Champions League, saying Nigeria had lost some prestige in the process. “We believe Kano Pillars and Enyimba have the pedigree to go far in the competition having both won the Glo Premier League between themselves in the past five years,” the
statement said. “The situation can only be described as unfortunate, especially after the Clubs participated in the recently concluded Super Four competition which was expected to put them in shape for local and continental tournaments this season,” it added. The telecoms provider, however, expressed delight that Warri Wolves FC is still in contention for the CAF Confederation Cup glory after dispatching Dedebit FC of Ethiopia to move to the next round. “Wolves are the shining light at the moment and we wish to commend the team while urging its management and coaching crew not to relent in their effort to go all the way in the competition. We also want to call on the Delta State government and Nigeria Football Federation to continuously give the club adequate support,” the statement concluded.
L-R: Lanre Fasasi (Sound Sultan), Nigerian Hip-hop Artiste; Kanu Nwankwo, former Super Eagles captain and Wahid Akanni, Nigerian ex-international at the launch of MTN Best 11 Promo at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos recently.