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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
Injury-free season is key - Ebinum N Azuka Ebinum
iger Tornadoes top scorer, Azuka Ebinum has said an injury-free season is key for him than pegging the number of goals to score. Ebinum has raked in five goals in the six-week old elite league, just a goal behind top scorer, Mustapha Babadidi of Gombe United. Ebinum told SuperSport.com that instead of worrying his head over the number of goals he will score in the season he would rather pray not to cup an injury.
“Injury comes unannounced and can cut short the dream of any player. “That is why I would rather pray for an injury-free season than to set a mark on the number of goals I will score in the season. “I will never involve myself in that exercise, I pray to be able to take the chances at scoring goals. “If I take the chances and end up scoring the highest goals at the end of the season, I will give God the glory,” he said. Tornadoes will host ABS on Matchday
Eight at their Bako Kontagora Stadium, Minna home this weekend, and the former Zamfara United goal king said the important thing is the three points. “The most important thing is the three points and not who scores. “One can score and his team still loses, so it is three points that matter and if I end up being the one that scores and we win, then that will be fine with me. “I am never desperate to score rather for us to win and pocket the maximum points,” he said.
Babadidi, Ogbe win January awards G
ombe United duo of Mustapha Babadidi and Bernard Ogbe has been picked as the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) Player and Manager for January respectively. The two men were named winners for the month of January by the organisers of the Naija Premier League Awards. Babadidi and Ogbe were picked as the best performers for the first month of this season’s top flight in Nigeria based on their outstanding display for table-topping Gombe United. Teenage striker, Babadidi scored high points for his output in Gombe United’s impressive start, as he also bagged a hat-trick in his side’s 3-1 win over Niger Tornadoes. “I’m happy with this award and it is going to serve as a way to help
me realise that people are watching and I need to give my best every time I play for Gombe United,” Babadidi said. He edged the like of Azuka Ebinum (Niger Tornadoes), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars), Ini Akpan (Akwa United), Femi Thomas (Akwa United), Josiah Maduabuchi (Enyimba) and Sanusi Sani (Gombe United) for the January Player of the Month award. Ogbe clearly earned his thunder as Manager for the month of January by leading Gombe United to an unbeaten start this season. He has also ensured that the Desert Scorpions remain the only side this term to have secured an away win. In January, Gombe United dropped points only at 3SC but defeated Lobi Stars, Niger Tornadoes and Kaduna United.
Musa stars in CSKA win
Mustapha Babadidi
Saka to start against Gombe
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ttacking midfielder, Ayo Saka will start his first game for Enyimba in week Eight of the nigeria Primier League (NPL) against leaders, Gombe United in Aba on Sunday. The Nigerian playmaker joined the Peoples Elephant from Ocean Boys at the start of the 2011/2012 season. Saka, who has been kept off the pitch due to transfer formalities, told SuperSport.com that he is keenly looking forward to the weekend debut against the team of the moment, Gombe United. “I will start playing for Enyimba at the weekend against Gombe United. “I am excited making my debut with such a high profile game.
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uper Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa was impressive for Russian club, CSKA Moscow in the 1-0 win over Krylita Sovetov in the Marbella Cup. Musa started the game and was on for 85 minutes before the CSKA coach, Leonid Slutsky substituted him for the Russian attacker, Serder Serderov. the former Kano Pillars star who was full of running in the game raked an impressive score of eight for his display by fans of the club on the official CSKA Moscow website. He was making his third start of the season for the club following his January switch from Dutch side, VVVVenlo. Musa scored on his debut when CSKA defeated Videoton 1-0 on January 30 in the club’s opening game at the Marbella Cup. The speedy attacker also played from the start for CSKA in their second game of the competition, a 0-1 loss to Chinese side Guangzhou on February 3. The 19-year-old who is fast establishing himself as a super regular in the CSKA side is capped by Nigeria at Under20 and Under23 levels. Musa is also an integral member of the Nigeria men’s national team, the Super Eagles and has scored once in 12 senior appearances.
“I must say I have never been honoured this way in the league since I became a coach. It is the first of its kind and I want to say to the organisers of this awards that they should continue as this is encouraging to us, the coaches and the players,” Ogbe remarked. Babadidi and Ogbe were presented with certificates for Player and Manager of January accordingly in Port Harcourt on Sunday before their game against champions, Dolphins. The Naija Premier League Awards is organised by three top Nigerian football blogs, Naijapremierleague.net, Naijafootball247.com and Naijaligue.blogspot.com. The copyright of the NPL Monthly Awards for players and managers is also reserved to the three organisations.
“Gombe United are the team to beat at the moment, they are strong both at home and away. “So it will be a big fun starting my first game against them,” he said. Saka, is however, certain that the Aba landlords will clip the wings of the visitors at the end of the duel. “It will be tough for both sides who will want to bounce back to winning ways after suffering defeats in their last games. “But it will be a tall order for Gombe United to hope to pick points from that game. “We can’t compromise with the three points. We need it badly to improve our position on the log,” he said.
Babadidi set to erase Aneke’s goal record
G Ahmed Musa
ombe United star, Mustapha Babadidi, has set a target of 30 goals in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) this season. Babadidi scored the first hattrick in the NPL this term and added a brace in the 5-0 demolition of Sharks to take his tally to five. Interestingly, his teammate, Sanusi Sani, has also taken his tally to five after scoring the NPL’s third hat-trick against Sharks. Sani had earlier scored a brace against Lobi Stars. “I can erase Jude Aneke’s 20-goal record. My performance this season is because I have been playing regularly. Last season, I was usually introduced in the second half and I had little or no time to make an impact. “This season has been good to me and I intend to maintain this form,” Babadidi said.