CLASH OF THE TITANS: Four Premier League Top Teams Faceoff
After the first round of matches in the 2016 Glo Premier League Super four, last season’s runners-up Warri Wolves are sitiing at the top of the standings with three points following a 1-0 win over FA cup winners Akwa United.
Striker Kelvin Itoya’s 44th minute strike was the difference as the Seasiders went home with all three points. They will however be thankful to goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye who produced some world class saves to deny Maurice Cooreman boys a point.
Despite their domination of the game, Akwa Ibom were unable to equalize as Warri Wolves resolutely defended their goal till the end of the game to lead the Super 4 log.
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In the second game, league champions Enyimba were held to a 1-1 draw against Nasarawa United.
Former Warri Wolves man Joseph Osadiaye who was snapped by his boss Paul Aigbogun, gave Enyimba the lead with a sublime freekick in the 35th minutes.
However, Nasarawa united got a late equalizer from substitute Azango after a goalmouth scrabble in the 89th minute.
Reacting after the game, Coach of Enyimba Paul Aigbogun had this to say: “We are not fully prepared at this point for the continental outing but we still have three weeks to go so we will be ready. I’m not satisfied with the performance of my team, we started the game very well, but we gave the game away in the second half.
“Having played just four or five matches against smaller teams, this was our first top flight friendly and I believe we will improve. I’m okay with some aspects of our play and equally not happy but our starting was good. We are here to compete to the best of our abilities and see what we can do. We should come up well.”
On his part, Enyimba captain, Chinedu Udoji expressed disappointment that they could not defend their lead, thus losing the opportunity of starting the tournament on a winning note.
“I feel disappointed that we conceded a late goal to draw the game. We will go back to correct the mistakes. Our focus is on the continental competition for which we are under pressure to do well this season to go as far as the group stage which we have failed to achieve in the last three seasons. We don’t want to be seen as failures but we will take the competition step by step, play the first game and prepare for the next one,” Udoji said.
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Champions of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League Super 4 tournament will emerge at the end of the second round of the tournament in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Chairman of the League Management Committee (LMC), Shehu Dikko disclosed this and explained that the team that accumulates the highest number of points across the two rounds will be declared champions.
“Having introduced the two rounds of the Super 4 tournament, we cannot crown a champion in Kaduna and another in Uyo but will add points won by each team to determine the team with the highest points and crown them winners,” Dikko explained before departing to Rwanda to cheer the Super Eagles team at the CHAN made up of players from the NPFL.
Match Day 2 fixtures will be between Akwa United and Enyimba International in a late Friday, January 22, fixture kicking off at 5pm while Nasarawa United and Warri Wolves meet in the second game at 7pm.
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