Sports

Legend FC Emerges winner of Inagural ABL Unity Football Tournament in Abuja

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The Legend Football Club of Abuja has emerged champion of the maiden edition of the Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi Football Unity Tournament on Saturday in Abuja, after a 2-1 victory against their counterpart Maracana FC of FCT.

The final match which was decided at the Main bowl of Moshood Abiola National Stadium saw the highly contested game ended 2-1 after regulation time in favour of the Legend boys.

Earlier in the third place, the Kicker FC edged N-Youth Sports FC 5-4 on penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw at the regulation time to picked the bronze medal in grand style.

The three weeks explosive encounter see the champions smiled home with N3.5millions while the runner-up won N2 million as the third position pocketed N1 million.
ABL FCT Unity football championship is aimed to foster unity and discover grassroot talents for the national teams.
The tournament, ABL FCT Unity football championship, started on July 8th of July and climax on Saturday 29th July 2023 with over 1,200 young footballers, with 80 teams in the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) competed for honours.
The diginitaries at occasion was the representative of the federal government and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development Alhaji Abubarkar Ismaila, The Onah of Abaji, His royal Majesty, Alh. (Dr) Adamu Baba Yunusa the Chairman of Nigeria Premier Football League, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, the founder of Human Right Radio Ordinary Ahmed ISSA amongst others.

Speaking at the event, the initiator of ABL unity football championship and elated Mrs Laniyi said: “This initiative, was born out of her passion to promote peace, Unity and cohesion among the young Nigerians.
An seasoned entrepreneur, a benevolent, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi whose her different intitiaves in the country has impacted and empower many women and the girl child as well as People Living with Disabilities in the country assured that she will leave no stoned unturned to ensure she put more smiles on the faces of Many Nigerians.

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Sports

Analysis of the 2024/25 NPFL Table (Match Day 22)

Published

3 hours ago

February 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Patrick Ngwaogu (Odogwu)

The 2024/25 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table after Match Day 22 reveals a competitive title race, a congested mid-table, and an intense relegation battle. Below is a breakdown of the key trends from the standings.

🏆 Title Race: Remo Stars in Control

1.  Remo Stars FC lead the table with 45 points from 22 games, boasting 14 wins, the highest in the league.
2.  Shooting Stars SC sit second with 37 points from 21 games, meaning they have a game in hand that could close the gap.
3.  Rivers United FC (35 points) and Rangers International FC (34 points) remain in contention, but their inconsistent results (only 9 wins each) suggest they will need strong finishes.

🚀 Key Insight: Remo Stars’ defensive solidity (only 16 goals conceded) and best goal difference (+14) make them the current favorites for the title.

⚖️ Mid-Table Battle: Competitive and Unpredictable

•   Teams from 5th place (Abia Warriors, 33 points) to 14th place (Katsina United, 26 points) are separated by just 7 points.
•   Clubs like El-Kanemi Warriors (32 points) and Enyimba FC (31 points) could still push for continental spots if they gain momentum.
•   Kano Pillars and Bayelsa United (29 & 28 points respectively) are sitting in the middle of the pack but could easily be dragged into the relegation fight if results don’t improve.

⚠️ Key Concern: Mid-table teams must be wary of inconsistency, as a few bad results could put them in relegation danger.

🌍 Continental Qualification Spots

•   The top two teams qualify for the CAF Champions League (CAFCL), while the third-place team enters the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC).
•   Rivers United (3rd) and Rangers (4th) are currently in the best position to battle for continental spots.
•   Ikorodu City FC (7th, 31 points) and Niger Tornadoes (9th, 31 points) remain dark horses for a top-three finish.

🌟 Key Contenders: Rangers International and Rivers United must improve their consistency to ensure a top-three finish.

⚠️ Relegation Battle: 6 Teams in Trouble

The bottom of the table is highly competitive, with at least six teams in danger of relegation:

1.  Bendel Insurance (25 points)
2.  Plateau United (24 points)
3.  Sunshine Stars (24 points)
4.  Nasarawa United (22 points)
5.  Lobi Stars (21 points)
6.  Akwa United (20 points, bottom place)

📉 Key Observations:

•   Nasarawa United, Plateau United, and Bendel Insurance have had 3 points and 3 goals deducted due to league violations, which has severely impacted their standings.
•   Akwa United (20 points, -8 GD) has the worst goal difference and could face serious relegation trouble unless they turn things around.

🔥 Key Battle: Lobi Stars, Nasarawa United, and Akwa United must fight hard to escape the drop zone in the remaining matches.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✅ Remo Stars are strong favorites for the title.
✅ Shooting Stars have a game in hand, making the top-two battle interesting.
✅ Mid-table is highly competitive, with several teams still in contention for continental football.
✅ Relegation battle is wide open, with six teams fighting to survive.

🚨 What to Watch For Next: Will Shooting Stars close the gap? Can Rivers United push for a top-two finish? Who will survive the relegation scrap? The remaining fixtures will be crucial in shaping the NPFL season’s outcome.

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