Emeteole Unhappy with Split Points
.Set to feast on Gombe United
Heartland gaffer Kelechi Emeteole has insisted that his side outplayed their hosts, Sharks, in Wednesday’s Glo Premier League match day 23 clash at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt.
The two sides shared the spoils at one goal apiece. Their first fixture in Owerri ended goalless.
Striker Christian Pyagbara scored the match opener for the Garden City side while Super Eagles’ attacking midfielder, Julius Ubido, equalised for the Naze Millionaires.
Though satisfied with the point at Sharks, Emeteole said their aim was to make up the points they lost at city mates, Dolphins.
“We thoroughly outplayed Sharks and should have went home with the maximum three points at stake.
“I actually wanted us to use the game at Sharks to cover up for the loss of three points at Dolphins.
“However, I’m happy leaving Port Harcourt with a point, it’s a huge progress heading to the next matches. I’m certain the outcome is not a bad result.
“The encounter too confirmed my worry that I’ve a big problem on my hands with goalscoring as we could’ve won the game if we had got our act right up front.
“It’s a big problem, we’ve individual naturally talented strikers but we’ve to work hard to bring them to perfection in term of ability to finish well,” said the former El Kanemi Warriors coach to reporters after the game
Emeteole, however, acquitted the side goalkeeper, Emmanuel Iwu, from blame in his poor handling of the ball that gifted Sharks their only goal in the encounter.
“I’m satisfied with the goalkeeper’s performance against Sharks, I always tell the defenders to protect the goalkeeper.
“His handling of the ball could’ve been quietly cleared from danger by alert defenders so I don’t have any reason to complain about his performance in today’s game.
“We made progress with the result against Sharks, we’ll bring the same mentality against Gombe United in the next home game,” said Emeteole.
The point at Sharks has increased Heartland’s total earnings to 31 from possible 69 in the 23-week old Nigeria topflight.
Falconets Reach Quarterfinals
Nigeria’s Falconets came back from a goal down to defeat England 2-1 to finish as winners of Group C at the ongoing Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
The defeat means England are sent packing out of the tournament at the group stage.
It was the English who opened score in the fifth minute through Nikita Parris’ shot from the edge of the Nigerian box which flew over goalkeeper Ibijoke Sangonuga.
But the Falconets fought back just four minutes before the break. Loveth Ayila carved an opened for herself 25 yards out of England’s before powerfully shooting leaving goalkeeper Lizzie Durack with no chance of stopping her bullet of a shot though the English custodian got her hand on the ball.
In the second 45 minutes, England had the chance to restore their lead through a penalty after Parris was felled in the box by Sangonuga in goal for Nigeria.
Bethany Mead stepped up and fluffed the chance for the Europeans from 12 yards to take the lead again.
However, Nigeria made no mistake in the 59th minute when the referee awarded the African champions a spot kick after Asisat Oshoala was upended in the England box after dribbling her way through a forest of legs.
Oshoala picked herself up and calmly side-footed the spot kick past Durack for Nigeria to lead 2-1.
Nigeria should have scored an insurance goal to put the daylight between them and England but saw one of their effort just clip the woodwork.
In the latter stage of the match, the Africans bossed the contest and finished on top to set up a quarterfinal clash with New Zealand on Sunday
Obulimba to Sponsor two Footballers for Oversea Trial
..Pet Team set for Asian Tour Soon
The honourable member representing Owerri-West at the State Constituency, Hon Innocent ‘Obulimba’ Ekeh (Master Chef) has House of Assembly plans to sponsor two players, Opara Royal and Orjiuzo Ben both from the LGA on a trip to Moldova for trials.
According to reports reaching Trumpeta sports desk, Hon Obulimba who has continued empowering the youths from his constituency through football is expected to spend close to N1.5m as expenses for the players’ trip overseas which will afford them the chance of trying out their luck an opportunity of securing professional footballing carrier.
In a telephone chart with House member, he expressed that his desire is to see a good number of Owerri-west youths empowered into becoming great and influential members of the society adding that his choice of sports and football in particular is because of the ever increasing capacity of the game towards nation building especially the youths who are leaders of tomorrow.
He further stated that since over three years of establishing his Owerri-West Champion of Champions Football Competition tagged “Obulimba cup” it has become so imperative that talents are bound in the LGA and that if well harnessed can bring about the much desired human and capital development.
The two players who are billed to depart the shores of Nigeria before the end of August are not the first to be sponsored abroad by Hon Obulimba for trials as about 4 others who previously played in his yearly tournament are already in different countries of Europe pursuing their footballing carriers.
In a related development, the House member’s pet club, Obulimba FC that finished fourth in this year’s FA cup losing only to Heartland FC is also preparing for a training tour to a yet to be named Asian Country as part of Hon Obulimba’s plans to make the side one of the best team in the land.
Meanwhile, the team has been engaging itself with friendly games as they have started preparations for next season with great expectations of securing a National League sport.
NPL WEEK 24 GAMES
16/8/14
Bayelsa Utd — Kaduna Utd
Sunshine — Dolphins
Wolves — Kano Pillars
Abia W — Enyimba
Lobi Stars — Nasarawa Utd
Akwa Utd — El Kanemi
Heartland — Gombe Utd
Rangers — Giwa FC
Taraba FC — Nembe City
Crown FC — Sharks FC
EPL WEEK 1 GAMES
16/8/14
Man Utd — Swansea @ 12: 45
Leicester — Everton @ 3pm
QPR — Hull City @ 3pm
Stoke City — Aston Villa @ 3pm
West Brom — Sunderland “
West Ham — Tottenham “
Arsenal — Crystal Palace 5: 30pm
17/8/14
Liverpool — Southampton @ 1: 30pm
Newcastle — Man City @ 4pm
18/8/14
Burnley — Chelsea @ 8pm
FRIENDLIS (16/8/14)
Fiorentina — Real Madrid
FIFA U-20 Women W/C
Quarter Finals (16/8/14)
N/Korea — USA
Germany — China
17/8/14
Nigeria — N/Zealand
France — S/Korea
