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Tag: El Kanemi

  • CAF CL: El-Kanemi warriors crash out of competition

    CAF CL: El-Kanemi warriors crash out of competition

    El-Kanemi Warriors, one of Nigeria’s hopefuls in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup, have unfortunately been knocked out of the competition, TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) can exclusively report.

    The Warriors, hailing from Maiduguri, faced a tough challenge in their return leg against Dadjé FC of Benin Republic.

    Despite their best efforts, they were narrowly defeated 2-1 in the match held at Stade Général Mathieu in Cotonou.

     

    This defeat sealed their fate with a 3-2 loss on aggregate, ending their journey in the tournament. In the first leg, which took place on home soil, the Warriors had managed a 1-1 draw with Dadjé FC.

    However, they were unable to build on that result and overturn the tie in their favor during the return leg in Cotonou.

    The team’s failure to advance to the second round is a significant setback for Nigerian football fans who had hoped to see them progress further in the competition.

    Despite their exit, the Warriors’ participation in the tournament provided valuable experience and highlighted the competitive nature of African club football.

  • CAF Cups: Remo, Rangers secure slim wins, El Kanemi draw at home

    CAF Cups: Remo, Rangers secure slim wins, El Kanemi draw at home

    Nigerian side, Remo Stars defeated AS FAR of Morocco 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League preliminary round clash in Ikenne on Sunday.

    Right-back Sodiq Ismail’s cross was nodded home by captain Junior Nduka in the 19th minute to open scoring for the hosts.

    The visitors equalized four minutes after the break, but Ismail scored the decisive goal with a header in the 63rd minute.

    Despite creating more chances, Remo Stars were let down by poor marksmanship. The reverse fixture will take place next week in Morocco.

     

    However, Nigerian champions Rangers began their CAF Champions League campaign with a 1-0 away win against US Zilimadjou of Comoros.

    Rangers had other chances but were denied by the host goalkeeper. The reverse fixture is scheduled for next Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

     

    Meanwhile, One of Nigeria’s representative in the CAF Confederation Cup, El-Kanemi Warriors drew 1-1 with Beninese clubside Djande. Trailing until the dying minutes of the match, before Gimba Ajiji’s late strike saved El-Kanemi from a home defeat.

    Technical adviser  of the team, Aliyu Zubairu blamed missed chances for the draw but remains optimistic about the second According to him, the boys have all it takes to win away from hime in the reverse fixtures.

    “The boys weren’t calm enough in front of goal, but I have full faith in their ability to deliver in the second leg,” Zubairu told the club’s media.

    “We will go to Benin Republic and secure a decisive victory, God willing.” The second leg will be held next weekend.

  • CAF CC: El -Kanemi, Enyimba to play West African opponents in preliminary rounds

    CAF CC: El -Kanemi, Enyimba to play West African opponents in preliminary rounds

    Federation Cup  Champions, El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri has been drawn in the preliminary round with Beninoise outfit, Dadje FC.

    The Maiduguri based clubside  will play their first game on the continent after over two decades.

    According to CAF, the first leg will be played between 16-18 August, 2024, while the second leg will hold between 23-25 August, 2024.

    El-Kanemi will face former champions, RS Berkane of Morocco in the second preliminary round should they overcome Dadje FC.

    However, second Nigerian representative, Enyimba, who were drawn bye will come up against the winner of Guinea’s Haifa FC and Rahimo of Burkina Faso in the second preliminary round.

    No Nigerian club have won the CAF Confederation Cup since inception few years ago.

  • Federation Cup: Megabucks for champions Rivers Angels, El Kanemi

    Federation Cup: Megabucks for champions Rivers Angels, El Kanemi

    Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt won their ninth title and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri won their third title as Nigeria’s National Cup (now known as President Federation Cup) grand finale took place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos on Saturday.

    The women’s final, an enthralling encounter between the Angels from Garden City and Naija Ratels from the Federal Capital, and which kicked off at 1pm beside the Lagos Waterfront, was decided by a goal scored from the penalty spot by Blessing Okpe right before the half-time whistle.

    Coach Whyte Ogbonda, who lifted his first trophy as head coach, praised his players for their dedication, resilience and hard work. “This victory is a testament to the team’s resilience and determination. We are thrilled to be champions of the President Federation Cup.”

    Naija Ratels’ head coach, Bankole Olowookere, commended his young squad for their progress to the final. “Although we did not get the desired result, I am proud of my players for their fighting spirit. We will learn from this experience and come back stronger.”

    In the men’s final, El-Kanemi Warriors put up a fabulous show to subdue hard-fighting Abia Warriors 2-0 in a game that kept spectators on the edges of their seats for long periods. Nimble-footed midfielder Nasiru Salihu, who would be crowned most valuable player of the competition, dazzled in the middle of the park and scored both goals to postpone Abia Warriors’ glory day.

    Victory earned El-Kanemi Warriors, who won the trophy in 1991 and 1992, a ticket to represent Nigeria in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, alongside Enyimba FC of Aba.

    Sports Development Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, the Acting Governor of Borno State, His Excellency Umar Usman and President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, were among the dignitaries as Nigeria’s Cup final returned to its birth place by the Lagos Waterfront. There were also representatives of the Governors of Lagos and Abia States, Nigeria’s FIFA Member Amau Pinnick, top officials of the Lagos State Government, Members of the NFF Executive Committee, Members of the NFF Congress and directors of the NFF and the Lagos State Football Association.

    AWARDS

    WOMEN’S COMPETITION

     

    Winner: Rivers Angels (N25million)

    Runner-Up: Naija Ratels (N10million)

    MVP: Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels FC)

    Top Scorer: Agama Ziperefeghe (Naija Ratels FC)

    Best Goalkeeper: Agatha Thompson (Rivers Angels FC)

    MEN’S COMPETITION

     

    Winner: El-Kanemi Warriors (N50million)

    Runner-Up: Abia Warriors (N20million)

    MVP: Nasiru Salihu (El-Kanemi Warriors FC)

    Top Scorer: Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United FC)

    Best Goalkeeper: Ali Ishaku (Abia Warriors FC)

  • Federation Cup: Abia Warriors hit Lagos for final

    Federation Cup: Abia Warriors hit Lagos for final

    Ambitious Abia Warriors became the first of the four finalists in the 2024 President Federation Cup grand finale to arrive in Lagos and Coach Bethel Orji has no doubt that his Umuahia giants will come good on Saturday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.

    “We are here and we’re highly motivated. We are all elated. I thank God for the turn around in the fortunes of the team, and I am delighted to be playing my first Cup final as a coach,” Orji told thenff.com in Lagos on Wednesday.

    A great player and former Cup winner himself, Bethel Orji will be banking on the precision of forwards Samson Obi and Sunday Megwo when Abia Warriors confront the two-time champions by the Lagos Waterfront on Saturday evening.

    “We are prepared for the game, physically, mentally and psychologically. The players are in high spirits; they are raring to go.”

    Abia Warriors reached the men’s final of the President Federation Cup four days after ensuring they will play in the Nigeria Premier Football League for the 12th consecutive season, come next season.

  • Federation Cup: Abia Warriors to play El-Kanemi Warriors in final

    Federation Cup: Abia Warriors to play El-Kanemi Warriors in final

    Abia Warriors and El-Kanemi Warriors will make history as the first two teams to play the final of Nigeria’s oldest Club competition in Abuja on Saturday next week, after both teams came out winners in tough semi-final duels on Thursday.

    The Abia State giants sailed into the final after a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat of Kano Pillars at the Lafia City Stadium, with both teams locked at a scoreless situation after 90 minutes.

    Former winners El-Kanemi Warriors also triumphed 5-4 after a penalty shootout over surprise semi-finalists Kebbi United at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja, with both teams also unable to find the net in the 90-minute regulation period.

    In the shootouts, Pillars’ forward Ibrahim Mustapha vitiated the need for Abia Warriors to take their last kick after missing his team’s last kick. Pillars missed two of their five kicks while Abia Warriors converted all their four kicks.

    In Abuja, hard-fighting Kebbi United fluffed their second kick in the shootout, while El-Kanemi Warriors converted all their five to make the progress to nearby MKO Abiola National Stadium for the grand finale on 29th June.