Sports

India 2022: Flamingos seek to reach FIFA World Cup final at Colombia’s expense

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2022

Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos have already pulled up a few trees at the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in India, but they feel even more motivated to reach the Championship Match at the expense of Colombia whom they play in the first semi-final on Wednesday.

President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Tuesday arrived in the Indian city of Goa, where he will lead the cheers as Africa’s best team seeks to extend their FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup record by reaching Sunday’s final.

Already, the Flamingos have become the first African team to reach the semi finals of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, after ejecting the United States in sensational fashion on Friday.

It can be recalled that Nigeria is also the only African country to have played in the Final of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. The first time was in Germany in 2010, when the Falconets lost 0-2 to Germany after an early goal by Player of the Tournament Alexander Popp and an unfortunate own goal by defender Osinachi Ohale in Bielefeld.

The second time was in Canada in 2014, when the Germans again prevailed by the odd goal after extra time in Montreal.

On Wednesday, history-making Coach Bankole Olowookere will again bank on goalkeeper Faith Omilana, defenders Miracle Usani, Tumininu Adeshina, Comfort Folorunsho and Blessing Emmanuel, midfielders Taiwo Afolabi, Alvine Dah-Zossu and Blessing Sunday, and forwards Opeyemi Ajakaye, Edidiong Etim and Aminat Omowunmi Bello.

The Flamingos’s fire-power is not in doubt, having scored a total of eight goals in open play, conceding four. They have put a total of 36 shots on target, making them the side that has created the most opportunities of the four teams left in the competition.

Wednesday’s encounter starts at 12 noon Nigeria time.

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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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