Sports
A Weekend of Drama, Upsets, and Redemption: Nigerian Football Delivers the Unexpected!
…Midweek matches take the spotlight as the race for NPFL supremacy heats up across the country
By Tolulope Oguntimehin
While the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) took a brief pause, the President’s Federation Cup finals erupted across states and the FCT, serving up a thrilling cocktail of shock results, heartbreaks, and underdog triumphs. The weekend was nothing short of a football carnival, with little-known clubs rising to the occasion and sending NPFL giants crashing out in dramatic fashion.
In Aba, the air was thick with tension as the People’s Elephant, Enyimba, licked their wounds after a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Ahudiyannem FC. Now, they must regroup to face the Oluyole Warriors, 3SC, who have been stumbling through a rough patch. Meanwhile, Abia Warriors, still reeling from their semi-final knockout at the hands of the same Ahudiyannem FC, will shift their focus to the league title race and their dreams of continental football as they lock horns with the in-form Afonja Warriors in Kwara.
Over in Owerri, Heartland FC is gearing up for a fiery showdown against Elkanemi Warriors. After a stalemate in the first leg, the reverse fixture promises to be a mouthwatering clash. The Warriors, despite the absence of their head coach, are desperate to revive their season, but Heartland is equally determined to claim maximum points.
In Nasarawa, United faces a daunting task as they prepare to host the Ikenne landlords, Remo Stars. While Nasarawa dreams of a crucial win, Remo Stars have been a force to reckon with this season. But as they say in football, “dry bones can rise again,” and Nasarawa will be hoping for a miracle to turn their fortunes around.
Plateau United, still smarting from a nail-biting loss to Ikorodu City in Lagos, will seek redemption against Bayelsa United. Meanwhile, Rangers International will aim to make their home advantage count against Sunshine Stars, who are battling relegation woes and struggling to find their footing under a new coach.
Lobi Stars, with Babaganaru at the helm, face a Herculean task as they take on Niger Tornadoes, one of the league’s best-performing away teams this season. It’s a battle of wits, grit, and determination, and only the brave will prevail.
Kano Pillars, rejuvenated under interim coach Ahmed Garba (aka Yaro Yaro), are riding a wave of newfound confidence. With the technical advisor, Usman Abdullah, still suspended,Pillars are fired up and ready to maintain their winning momentum as they prepare to face Akwa United, led by the seasoned Kennedy Boboye. The Promise Keepers, under Boboye’s guidance, are on a quest to rediscover their magic touch and turn their season around. With both teams hungry for victory, this clash promises to be a battle of wits, determination, and unyielding spirit. Will the Pillars continue their rise, or will Boboye’s men deliver on their promise to reignite their campaign? The stage is set for a thrilling encounter!
Rivers United, once the poster boys of the season, are left wondering where it all went wrong. With their title hopes fading, they face a resurgent Katsina United, who have been unstoppable since the appointment of Azeez Mohammed Audu.
And finally, the clash between Bendel Insurance and Ikorodu City promises to be a spectacle of resurgence, as both teams have found their rhythm at the perfect time. For Nigerian football fans, this is the golden era—a season filled with twists, turns, and unforgettable moments.
Buckle up, because the drama is far from over! Nigerian football is alive, pulsating, and delivering the unexpected week after week. This is the beautiful game at its finest!
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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