Sports

By Lateef Adekola

Praises and congratulatory messages have continued to pour in for President Bola Tinubu over his victory yesterday at the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal, as his election was reaffirmed.

In its own message congratulating President Tinubu, members of Lagos Legends Club, a group of ex-footballers who plied their trades in Lagos, playing for different clubs and the various national teams, it stated that the reaffirmation of election by the tribunal was equally a reconfirmation of the collective support for Tinubu at the polls.

In the message signed by the Convener of LLC, Engr. Waidi Akanni, it further noted that football and sports in general, would thrive and grow in the country. Adding that President Tinubu is a sports lover who would also help grow the development and growth of sports by providing the enabling environment for sports in the country.

“We’re indeed, happy that the tribunal has eventually reconfirmed the victory of our dear President Bola Tinubu. Now, the storm is over.”

“On behalf of all the members of Lagos Legends Club, home and in diaspora, we congratulate President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima. We say, this is a big victory for Nigeria and democracy. Sports and indeed, other socio-economic activities can only thrive in a safe, peaceful and progressive environment.

“We once again congratulate all football stakeholders and Nigerians on this very historic victory,” Akanni, a former Chairman of Lagos FA and ex- Nigeria international player added.

The Lagos State Football Association led by its Chairman, Ogboni Fouad Oki on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to Lagos Television.

The LSFA’s visit, amongst other objectives was to extend a hand of fellowship to the management of the foremost state owned Television and seek support towards programs and activities of the board.

Oki said his board is ready to work in tandem with the indigenous station to build a sustainable foundation for a vibrant football industry and culture in order to make Lagos the leading sports destination in Africa.

“Sports reportage in Lagos has alway been through LTV and when you talk sports in Nigeria, it’s Lagos, not just because of the population, more because of the passion. Today, sports and football in particular is going down and we are trying to apply CPR to bring it back and begin to help the sector to again, regain the stage that he should be. One of the way to do it, is to collaborate in bringing to various homes, Football from the nooks and crannies of Lagos State and if there’s any television station that can do justice to that, it’s the people’s station, LTV”.

Oba Cup, Ibile Cup, Principal’s Cup, Junior League and Street Soccer are some of the tournaments the LSFA is planing to organize to engage the meaningfully and regenerate development from the grassroots, Oki explained that through collaborative partnership, both parties will can generate revenues.

“Football has gotten into the era of big business, the just concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the TV right alone was in the region of 220 million U.S dollars. In our clime, it’s coming at zero cost to the FA and that negatively impact on the players and the clubs. It also negatively impact on LTV with its comparative advantage and its reach. So, for us to develop football, we must work together, we must take football into the homes of every Lagosian either by streaming on social media or conventional media and this is why we are here and I therefore urge you to take advantage of our offer and let’s work together”.

General Manager, Lagos Television, Adesola Kosoko thanked the members of the LSFA sfor the visit as she assured of the station’s collaboration to revive football in the center of excellence.

“Bringing the Street Soccer and all other activities of the LSFA to Lagos Television has added an extra feather and given me more strength to go through. Content is key and what the LSFA is bringing is not just content but also opportunity to generate revenue for the station. So, I want to promise you that I’m wholeheartedly accepting this partnership and willing to work on this project with you. It will be of great benefit to us, to you but most importantly to Lagos’ that is the reason we are here. This is Lagos and we will proclaim, celebrate and let the World know what Lagos is made off”.

The LSFA Chairman was accompanied to LTV by chairman of the Street Soccer Committee, Mr Bolaji Yusuf and members; Yomi Kuku, Phemmy Adetula, Deji Aladegbemi and others.

Head Coach of Akanbite Football Club, Pastor Mike Erinle, has promised that this year’s Alausa Adiyan Super 8 Football Tournament will surpass expectations.

The competition will kick-off this Thursday, 7 September, 2023 with the opening match between Mighty Confidence and Revival FC by 2pm, while Iju Tiger and Norwich FC will slug it out at the second fixture of the day.

The action-packed tournament will continue on Friday, 8 September with fixtures between AFA FC and Pass FA, while Gosa FC will entertain Ifako Boys.

According to Coach Mike, “one of the aims of this competition is to prepare players for the international market, as football scouts will be on the ground to identify talents.”

He added that “the management of Adiyan Alausa field are known for organizing credible competitions, but I can assure you that this Super 8 tourney will further raise the bar. It’s going to be an annual gig that will open the doors of Europe for as many players as possible.”

Surulere Local Government will host the 2023 Lagos Street Soccer Championship (LSSC) set for October. Chairman of the Lagos Street Soccer body, Bolaji Yusuf, made this known during a visit to the Chairman of the Surulere LGA in his office on Wednesday, 30 August 2023.

According to the Yusuf-led committee tasked with reviving the visions of the pioneers of the championship launched in 2008 by the Lagos State Football Association, Surulere was the preferred choice out of the several hosting bids submitted across the state.

He said, “We are glad to announce that Surulere will host the 2023 Lagos Street Soccer Championship opening ceremony. This decision was taken after several considerations by the committee in conjunction with the Lagos State Football Association that charged us with the mandate of leading this big project of reviving street soccer across the state.”

The former Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Sports Facilities under His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, noted that the championship grew in scope, purpose, and prospects and became a formidable platform through which football development improved through conscious grassroots development.

He inferred that it was a testament to the success story of Public-Private Partnership in the socio-economic development of the society.

In his reaction, the Surulere LGA Chairman, Hon.  Sulaiman Bamidele Yusuf, thanked the Lagos State FA and the Lagos State Street Soccer body for deeming the ‘Sport city’ worthy of hosting the opening ceremony.

“We are excited about this development. Using sports as an engaging tool for the teeming youth of Surulere is part of our core mandates. We are glad that the Lagos State Street Soccer Committee has given us a platform to actualise this vision.”

He commended the Lagos FA led by Fouad Oki for reviving grassroots football in the state as he promised that the LGA would work with other stakeholders to hold a befitting hosting ceremony.

Hon. Bamidele declared his support for the initiative that has featured over 3,000 teams with more than 30,000 players and officials as direct beneficiaries over a period of 7 seasons between 2008 and 2014 across all the 377 wards in Lagos State.

After a 2-1 first leg home fixture victory over the Owerri Fitness Club of Imo State, the Island Allstars Sports Club of Lagos team and 300-man strong contigent, ably led by its president Ikenna Maduagwu, last weekend stormed the Owerri City for the return leg match and summer events. It’s was always going to be a cracker with so much pride and bragging right at stake, and it did lived up to the billing. 

The city of Owerri was already engulfed and expectant with news of the match all week, and so, spontaneously came alive with the official arrival of the visiting team and supporters on eve of the match. Expectedly all the city’s major hotels were snatched up, even as the hospitality spots became a beehive of activities and cashout. Attention and courtesies of the state government was also not left out.

Then the late evening kickoff, but not after much banters and tiffs between both fans over age eligibility of some identifiable professional league players and recent ex-internationals in the home team’s squad which was resolve on a free for all basis, the match commenced.

It’s was a thrilling 90 + 10 minutes of beautiful but feisty football spectacle filled with sideline dramas. As the game, deservingly ended goaless.

Yet, Island Allstars ran away with the bragging rights over the distraughted home team and fans, who later treated the Lagos team to a lavished post match party in the spirit of sportmanship.

The Spanish Football Federation President, Luis Rubiales who is being forced out of his job following his offensive behaviour at the Women’s World Cup final has refused to resign, Daily Mail reports Friday.

Rubiales blames ‘false feminism’ for a ‘social murder’ against him.

Rubiales sparked outrage after kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on her lips as she collected her medal following the 1-0 win over England in Sydney.

The footage of the scene showed Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing near Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter Princess Infanta Sofia.

Rubiales who is defiant amid mounting pressure to resign from his position said, “I am not going to resign,” as he shouted four times in a charged speech following an emergency meeting of federation officials.

BY BOSUN ADEYEMI

Akwa United left back, Ajako James joined Fus Rabat FC of Morocco on a 3years deal.

Twenty years old Ajako is the best left back in NPFL 2023 with 21 official games — three goals, five assists and seven clean sheets as well as the most passes completed by an Akwa United player in home matches during the just conclusion season of the Nigerian League.

Speaking from his home in Morocco, Ajako Express his fellings joining Fus Rabat. ” I am delighted to have join this great team. I want to do my best and help the team win as many trophies as possible. I am so that I will be playing in CAF competition this coming season and by God’s Grace I will do well for the team”.

“I want to thank the staff, the players and the management of Akwa united especially Elder Paul Bassy for the love and care they all show me during my 2 years of playing with the team. I wish the team ( Akwa unite ) all the best this coming season and forever “, he concluded.

Fus Rabat FC was third in the log last season and will be playing in the CAF confederation cup this season.

Fus Union Sport de Rabat was founded on 1946 when Morocco was under the French protectorate. The club is considered the heir of Union Sportive de Rabat-Salé, founded on 1932, which was the first nationalist club in Morocco according to the late Père Jégo, one of the Moroccan football historic symbols. This club was dissolved by the French authorities in 1944.

After the foundation of Fus Union Sport de Rabat. the French authorities refused its integration with the French National Football League under the pretext that it was a nationalist club.

Sometimes, humans are faced with challenges that seem insurmountable, but some have a remarkable ability to defy the odds and rise above their circumstances.

They use their strength, resilience and determination to overcome adversity and achieve success, even when the odds are against them.

Super Falcons striker Uchenna Kanu falls in this category of humans.

The fairytale story of Falcons at the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be incomplete without Uchenna Kanu, the striker who plies her trade for Racing Louisville in the United States’ Women’s National Soccer League.

Kanu played all three group games Down Under as the Nigerians progressed to the knockout stage of the competition for the third time in their history unbeaten.

However, her role in the 3-2 comeback win against co-hosts Australia August 21 is still very fresh in the minds of the Nigerian football faithful.

Playing against the home fans, who vociferously rooted for their team at the packed Lang Park stadium in Brisbane, the Falcons fell behind, a minute into first half added time, courtesy of an Emily Louise van Egmond’s opener.

And cometh the hour, cometh the woman, as Kanu tapped in from close range to earn an equaliser five minutes later to ensure both teams returned to the locker room tied 1-1.

Two second half goals from veteran defender Ohale Osinachi and substitute Asisat Oshoala helped the Nigerians to  a nail-biting 3-2 victory to spark rapturous celebrations among Nigerians back home and in the diaspora.

A soft-spoken, quiet, rather self-effacing, laid-back woman, Kanu approaches everything with a very relaxed attitude and that is often reflected in every aspect of her game.

The way she scored the equaliser against Australia perfectly expressed her character. It was relaxed and unhurried, just simply placing the ball into the corner of the net like it took no effort at all.

Yet, not many know that Kanu would not have had the opportunity to showcase the stuff she’s made of on women’s football’s highest stage, if she had caved in to her dad’s resistance against her playing football.

Most Nigerian parents often frown at their girl-child indulging in sporting activities, rather preferring them to go to school.

“My dad, he was a bit difficult for reasons I didn’t know. You know, for the typical Nigerian female,  it’s always hard engaging in sports because of the tradition, different cultures, the social norms and all that stuff,” Kanu told PUNCH Sports Extra.

The then teenager incurred her dad’s wrath for playing football, which saw her repeatedly punished.

“I mean, it would be just me kneeling down for a long time and then I would cry, just little things like that,” Kanu added.

“But he (dad) was really mad at me, especially when he would come back and I didn’t maybe wash the dishes or clean the house or things like that, before I went out to play; he would be really mad at me.”

Other parents also kicked against their female kids playing football, and because of lack of support from her dad, she ended up playing barefooted with boys.

“I would still go out on the streets, with no shoes, and play with the boys. He would get mad, especially because I was playing with boys, but I didn’t stop.  I kept doing it anyway.”

However, Kanu’s mum, who also played football in school, was supportive.

Several of the country’s big name women’s footballers also served as an inspiration to the kid, who had made up her mind not to give on her dream.

“I used to look up to a lot of Super Falcons players: Stella Mbachu,  Perpetua Nkwocha and Desire Oparanozie.

“I looked up to them because they were playing for the national team. I was hearing their names and I was really motivated and inspired to be like them. I was just dreaming to just play one day like them.

“And I’m super thankful that now I have Desire as a teammate on the Falcons team and that’s like a dream as well.  I’m really glad that I’m able to play to this level and play with my role model.  So, it’s like a dream.”

Kanu, now 26, has been making her mark for seven years, since her prodigious talent as a youngster caught the eye of officials of Southeastern Fire, who represent Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida in intercollegiate football in the US.

This was after she represented Nigeria at the 2014 U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups.

Lakeside was the right ground for Kanu to flourish, as she broke and set records for her college and also earned a degree in Sports Management from the Southeastern University.

The 5ft 6in forward scored an unbelievable 159 goals for the collegiate side between 2016 and 2019, which sparked wild celebrations among the Lakeland football faithful.

While there, Kanu scored 25 hat-tricks and was the United States Soccer Coaches NAIA Player of The Year in 2018, a two-time Sun Conference Player of The Year, three-time First Team All Conference Player, 2016 Sun Conference Newcomer of The Year, and a 16-time Sun Conference Player of The Week.

The Mayor of Lakeland, Florida named every November 18 the Uchenna Kanu Day, in appreciation of her groundbreaking strides.

Till date, no man or woman has come close to equalling Kanu’s goal-scoring heroics in Lakeland.

The striker admits her stint with Southeastern Fire remains the best moment of her career so far.

“I scored a lot of goals for my school and I won a bunch of awards: Player of The Year, Player of The month and Player of The Tournament,” she said. “My biggest one in college was having a record 159 goals for both the men and women’s division.  I was the highest goals scorer in college, so that’s like my biggest achievement in college. Also, I have a day, November 18, dedicated to me for setting that record.”

She left Lakeland for Pensacola FC Women, where she began her senior pro career, and scored 17 goals in 12 matches from 2018 to 2020.

Kanu then had a short stopover at Spanish side Sevilla before moving to Sweden’s Linkopings for one season and again the goals flowed, scoring 22 in 42 appearances to emerge top scorer.

Mexican giants Tigres UANL Femenil secured Kanu’s services for the 2022/23 season, and the Nigerian’s goals, 22 in 38 games, fired her side to the Campeon de Campeones title, before joining NWSL team Racing Louisville this year.

At country level, she got a surprise call-up to the 2019 World Cup few weeks after her senior debut in a WAFU tournament in Ivory Coast.

And now, following her second appearance on women’s football’s biggest stage in Australia, Kanu’s career truly depicts her middle name, Grace.

Punch

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