Sports

Age Grade Team will Bounce Back To Glory, Mouktar Vows

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

FCT Football Association Chairman, Adam Mouktar Mohammed, has promised that the country’s various age-grade teams will soon bounce back to top reckoning.

Mouktar Mohammed is a member of the three-man panel appointed by the NFF to oversee the preparations of Nigeria’s age-grade teams – Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 – for crucial international tournaments.

Nigeria made history when they became the first African nation to win Football Gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, while the country is the most successful team at U17 level after the Golden Eaglets scooped five World Cups – 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.

He said the panel is fully committed to the responsibility handed it and the result will be that these teams will soon be flying the Nigerian flag higher again in international competitions.

“I wish to personally commend the NFF President Ibrahim Gusau for this initiative to re-energise the age-grade team through the task force,” Mouktar Mohammed said.

“Nigeria Football must again lay special emphasis on development as well as international exposure through these teams.

“And as a panel, we are ready to lead this revival to international glory for our youth teams.”

Today in India, the Flamingos will hope to make history by reaching the semifinal of the FIFA I17 World Cup at the expense of USA, while tomorrow the country’s U23 men’s team will do battle in Tanzania in an U23 AFCON qualifier.

“We believe the Flamingos can do Nigeria proud in faraway India today by getting to the semifinals of the World Cup,” Mouktar Mohammed said.

“They have the total support of all Nigerians to make history for both themselves and the country.“We are also confident that the U23s will get a result in Tanzania tomorrow so that the return leg match in Ibadan will be a mere formality.”

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Sports

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

Published

48 mins 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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