Nigeria Premier League

Ayew hails ‘beauty of football’ after AFCON qualification

Jordan Ayew hailed the ‘beauty of football’ after captaining Ghana to Africa Cup of Nations qualification.

Needing a point from their final Group E match against Central African Republic – and aware that a defeat to the visitors could see them miss out on qualification – the Black Stars named the Crystal Palace No. 9 as captain for the winner-takes-all clash in Ashanti.

The occasion also marked Ayew’s 91st cap for his country, making him Ghana’s all-time fourth highest appearance maker.

The match did not get off to an ideal start for Ghana, with Louis Mafouta firing Central African Republic into a 25th-minute lead, but goals from Mohammed Kudus and Ernest Kuamah turned the match around and saw Chris Hughton’s team finish top of Group E.

Ayew explained afterwards: “You know in football, sometimes it does not go the way you want. You know you can go one goal down, but you still have 70 minutes to play and you have to never give up, and that was my way of thinking.

“I tried to transfer it to the boys and 1-0 down, I was still confident, because sometimes you struggle in a game but you still need to push. Even before the game, I told them if we go 1-0 down, we need to keep pushing, because if we get the next goal we’d win the game – and that’s what happened.

“That’s the beauty of football: it’s full of emotions. We are proud that we have qualified because it wasn’t easy. The most important thing was to qualify.”

On his own record-breaking night, the 31-year-old – who made his senior international debut in 2010 – said: “I don’t think about breaking more records with Ghana – I just think about still playing my football, enjoying my football and putting in performances.

“I’m surprised [to hear about 91 caps]. I didn’t even know. It is a proud moment, it’s an achievement and, you know, I’m still young and I have to keep going. I feel fit, I feel strong and I know that I still have more years to come.

“It’s a blessing I was able to start for the national team very early [in my career]. It’s a positive thing and I just want to thank all the managers that were here in the past and now.

“I really want to thank them for the confidence. I need to keep going because I have a lot of years ahead of me.”

Despite its name, the 2023 African Cup of Nations will be held in the Ivory Coast between 13th January and 11th February 2024 to avoid adverse summer conditions in the host country.

Nigeria Premier League

Rangers’ Coach Rues Defeat At El-Kanemi, Says My Boys Lost Concentration When It Mattered

Rangers International FC’s coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, attributed his team’s 2-1 defeat to El-Kanemi Warriors FC in Maiduguri on Wednesday to lapses in concentration within his defence.

The NPFL matchday 21 clash saw El-Kanemi secured the win at the El-Kanemi Stadium, Maiduguri.

Ilechukwu, who also serves as an assistant coach for the Nigerian national team, acknowledged his players’ overall performance but highlighted two critical moments of defensive inattentiveness that allowed El-Kanemi to score.

He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on future achievements.

He described the current situation as a temporary setback and reassured fans that Rangers would soon return to winning form while urging his players to remain confident as they prepare for their next game against the high-scoring Ikorodu City.

El-Kanemi’s goals came from Nasiru Salihu, who scored in the 18th and 73rd minutes. Isaac Saviour scored the lone goal for Rangers in the 63rd minute.

Despite Rangers’ efforts to equalize, including the introduction of former World Cup star Michael Uchebo, El-Kanemi’s goalkeeper, Abine George, made crucial saves in extra time to secure the victory.

The win moved El-Kanemi Warriors into 4th place on the league table, while Rangers dropped to 6th.

Rangers will face Ikorodu City, who are currently 5th with the same number of points, at home on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.