61
T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016
WEDNESDAYSPORTS
Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
AFTERMATH OF KESHI, AMODU’S DEATH
House Calls for Better Welfare for Coaches, Players Eight-day Fidau for Amodu holds Saturday in Lagos Damilola Oyedele in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
medical checkup. Unfortunately, he died before he could do that,” Shuaibu recalled. Similarly, former Abia State The House of Representatives has called on the Nigeria Football Governor, Senator Theodore Federation (NFF) to ensure the Orji, recalled that Nigerian timely payment of salaries of football witnessed tremendous coaches of the nation’s football growth because the late Keshi took bold steps to break new teams, and that of players. The lawmakers said following frontiers. In his tribute to Keshi, Orji reports that the two former coaches who died recently, Mr. noted that the former Eagles Stephen Keshi and Mr. Amodu captain’s foray into professional Shaibu were being owed salaries. football outside the shores of The House also held a minute the country impacted positively of silence in honour of both men to the growth of the beautiful game in Nigeria who died last week. “He was daring in following Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Abia PDP) however lamented an uncharted course because that both men were not he believed in what he could honoured by the country when do,” Orji said, adding that after Keshi took the bold initiative they were alive. “Why do we prefer to honour football talents from Nigeria are people when they are dead? It is now making decent living in on record that Shaibu, together football clubs across the globe with Keshi, were being owed thereby ranking Nigeria among salaries,” she noted with sadness. the top exporters of footballers. According to the senator Hon. Phillip Shuaibu (Edo PDP) called on the NFF to retire representing Abia Central, the ‘No.4’ jersey worn by Keshi Keshi will forever remain when he played for the country the face of Nigerian football as a mark of respect to the late given his pioneering role in professional football and his coach. The lawmaker harped on the achievements as national and need for rehabilitation of the international coach of good country’s medical facilities in repute. “I am yet to come to terms line with international standards, with the news that the coach to avoid unnecessary deaths. “Keshi had a ticket, he was is no more. He remains one of supposed to travel that day for the very few Nigerians in the
football world to have brought respect to this nation,” he said. Senator Orji said that football administrators and even political leaders have a lot to learn from the late football icon because “as a
Former Abia State governor eulogises Keshi
coach he was not given to passing the buck (and) and readily accepted mistakes and made room for corrections”. Meanwhile, the family of late Shaibu announced yesterday that the Eighth Day
Fidau prayer for the departed technical director of the NFF will hold on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at his Lagos residence on 41B, Adegoke Street, off Alhaji Masha, Surulere. According to a member of
the Funeral Committee for the late coach, Dapo Sotuminu, the Fidau for the repose of Amodu’s soul has been scheduled for 10am with top Muslim clerics listed to lead the prayers.
Rampaging Russian fans who engaged their English counterparts in grueling fights at the weekend have earned their national team suspended ban from the ongoing Euro2016 in France. Another of such acts from the Russians means instant dismissal for their team from the tournament
300 Players to Battle IfeanyiUbah, Lobi in Federation Cup Cracker for CBN Tennis N14m Prize-money More than 300 players will vie for the N14.3million at stake at the 38thCentral Bank of Nigeria Open Tennis Championship scheduled to hold between June 16 and June 25 at the National Stadium, Lagos. President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Sani Ndanusa, stated at a press conference heralding the tournament in Lagos yesterday that the tournament will see players battling in four categories namely men’s’ singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles and women doubles. It will also feature wheelchair tennis which has been running since 2013. Ndanusa who was represented by NTF Vice President, Mr. Yemi Owoseni, expressed gratitude to the CBN for sustaining interest in the championship which he pointed is the biggest domestic programme in the calendar of the NTF. “At a time when some are struggling to hold on to their sponsorship, the CBN has stayed with the NTF and we
are very grateful for having us in their plans,” he said. Earlier, CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, pointed out that the tournament has continually produced gifted players that have won laurels for Nigeria at several local and international tournaments. Okorafor, who was represented by Sindiki Thaanda, reaffirmed the Bank’s desire to support and promote tennis in Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The Men and Women Singles winners will get N750, 000 while the runners up will pocket N500, 000. The champions in the wheel chair event will also get N200, 000. Thomas Otu and Melissa Ifidzhen won the men and women singles titles in 2015 beating Moses Michael and Christy Agugbom while Alex Adewale defeated Jelili Ishola just as Folake Basanya edged Foluke Shittu to clinch the top prizes in the wheelchair category.
FC Ifeanyi Ubah will be aiming to get back to winning ways when it takes on Lobi Stars today in a Federation Cup Round of 32 encounter at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar. Ahead of the clash, Chairman of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Chukwuma Ubah disclosed yesterday that nothing short of a win will be acceptable. The chairman said that a win will help make up for the back-to-back losses in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL). “We hope to make up for the losses in our recent matches by getting a win in tomorrow’s match.” Ubah also disclosed that he has had a word with the
players who are aware of the importance of today’s match. After losing its first two games of the return stanza of the 2015/16 NPFL season, the Anambra Warriors’ chairman asked for patience from the FC Ifeanyi Ubah fans. Meanwhile, the NFF has agreed to shift Enyimba’s clash with El kanemi due to the continental engagement of the Aba team. The People’s Elephant, winners of Africa’s most prestigious club competition in 2003 and 2004, host Zamalek of Egypt at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in one of the Day 1 matches of the group stage of this year’s CAF Champions League.
“Enyimba has appealed for postponement of the encounter, and the NFF has granted this plea. They are flying Nigeria’s flag and the NFF has promised to give them all the support in their quest for glory,” Emmanuel Adesanya, Head of Federation Cup announced yesterday. However, the remaining 15 matches of the men’s competition and eight matches of the women’s competition will take place today and tomorrow, with Abuja, Makurdi, Enugu and Lokoja hosting three matches each. The encounter between Plateau United and Dreams FC of Makurdi, earlier slated for Damaturu, has been moved to Abuja, while the Crown FC/
Niger Tornadoes clash will now take place in Benin City instead of Akure. Eleven matches of the men’s competition and three matches of the women’s competition will take place today, with high-riding Rivers United up against Kaduna United in Makurdi, Enugu Rangers against ABS FC in Bauchi, Shooting Stars testing Almar FC in Agege (Lagos), Kano Pillars up against Prime FC in Lokoja. The women’s competition is in the Round of 16, and Cup holders Sunshine Queens battle Osun Babes in Ibadan, Delta Queens take on Ibom Angels at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri and Katsina Queens tackle Gift of Life FC in Abuja
NNPC/Shell Cup: FOSLA, Excel Qualify for Final Two teams; FOSLA Academy, Abuja and Excel Education Centre Port Harcourt yesterday qualified for the final of 2016 NNPC/Shell Cup competitions organised for all the 36 Secondary Schools in the Country. FOSLA defeated Asegun Comprehensive High school 3-0 in the first semifinal encounter in the match decided at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere. It
was a highly interesting match which brought out the best in the two sides to the delight of the representatives of Feyenoord Academy who were also present at the venue. Abdulahi Muhammed scored twice while Alayi Haruna scored the third goal for FOSLA Academy. The Feyenoord representatives from Holland with Nigeria’s
former international, Mike Obiku, in the team, had a training session with the four semifinalists on Tuesday morning. In the second semifinal, Excel walloped Science school 4-0 in another entertaining encounter which saw Ogidi Joseph recording a hattrick for the Port Harcourt team. Benjamin Jacob is the other scorer of the
team in the one sided match. The stage is now set for the final which takes place at the same venue on Thursday. “Both the finalists and the semifinal losers are still going to continue intensive training under the supervision of the of our team. These players are very strong and all they need now are little tips to better their career,” Obiku said.