NPFL Survival: The Hard Way,
The Only Way For Heartland
As the dethroned cup champions Heartland Football Club of Owerri, begins their survival struggle in this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL, it has become clear that they will go the hard way which infarct is understandably the only way to stay in NPFL.
Few weeks ago the Naze millionaires were still challenging for all but one cup it entered for in the on going season but a couple of bad results meant the weight of the sledge hammer fell on the gaffer who was suspended along-side some of his assistance leaving former players Mangut Mbwas and Bob Acholonu to tinker the team before the Management can get a quality gaffer.
A lot have been said and at the same time some people have been sacrificed all in the name of salvaging the fortunes of our darling team that recently won five trophies in a space of 2 years.
It is no longer news that the double Fed and Charity Cup champions have been prosecuting their games with little or no motivation from its chief sponsors even after placing the Heartland State in good perspective with laurels upon laurels.
So many people have also posted the assertion that our dear Governor does not have that spark or love for sports hence the unserious attention being paid to sports in Imo State since the past two years. Infarct we have witnessed on various occasions were promises were made and efforts to actualize the promise get thwarted indicating lack of interest from the government.
However, as the saying goes, ‘man must survive’ and the Naze Millionaires have weeded the storm and at this point they need all the luck, support, prayers and motivation they can get from all angles in other to swim out from the relegation zone.
One can actually say that haven gone spiritual in finding a solution to their woes; the good times have come to stay once again after picking up a hard earned victory against Dolphins fc in Dan Anyiam on Sunday in a week 26 NPFL game behind closed doors.
But the team must not fail to realize that the road ahead is tough and rough and should be handled with absolute precision if a meaningful result is to be achieved. A glance at the log now shows that Heartland fc is placed in the 14th position with 34 points from 26 games.
With twelve games to go, every point counts especially for the relegation bound teams and looking at Heartland home and away games on paper, the home ones look very strong why the away ones look rather interesting.
At home, we will entertain teams like Kano Pillars, Bayelsa United, Shooting Stars, Sunshine Stars, Elkanemi Warriors and Rangers in that other while the away games are Lobi Stars, Wikki Tourist, Akwa United, ABS fc, Sharks fc and Nasarawa United also in that other.
FIFA Certifies Calabar Stadium
FIFA has certified the U J. Esuene Stadium as a safe venue to host next month’s 2014 FIFA World cup qualifier between Nigeria and Malawi.
According to reports reaching Trumpeta sports desk, the Malawi FA through their chief executive officer, Suzgo Nyirenda, confirmed that they have received a letter from the world football governing body (FIFA), assuring them of the safety of the match venue.
“In the letter, FIFA admits that our concerns are genuine,” Suzgo disclosed to the media.
He however denied that their letters to FIFA had any mischievous end, insisting that they are not reluctant to make the trip to Calabar.
The Nigeria Football Federation sent a security plan to FIFA last week, following complaints from Malawian FA concerning the security of the match venue.
Akwa United — Warri Wolves @ Bauchi
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIERS
20/8/13
Shakhter K — Celtic
Lyon — Sociedad
Ferreira — Zenit
PSV — AC Milan
Plzen — Maribor
21/8/13
D Zagreb — Austria Vienna
Fenerbahce — Arsenal
Rasgard — Basel
Schalke 04 — POAK
S Bucuresti — Liga Warsaw
EPL RESULTS WEEK ONE
Liverpool 1 0 Stoke City
Arsenal 1 3 Aston Villa
Norwich 2 2 Everton
Sunderland 0 1 Southampton
West Ham 2 0 Cardiff
Swansea 1 4 Man Utd
18/8/13
Crystal Palace 0 — 1 Tottenham
Chelsea 2 — 0 Hull City
FIXTURE (21/8/13)
Chelsea — Aston Villa
OWERRI MOCK-CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
AC Milan 0 0 B/Dortmund
Oscar Pistorius Gets Trial Date for Murder Case
South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius will be put on trial for murder on M arch 3 next.
The double amputee is accused of killing his girlfriend Ms Reeva Steenkamp, who would have turned 30 today, in a shooting incident at Pistorius home in February.
Pistorius denied he committed murder and says he shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.
The 26 year old Pistorius was at Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday for a brief but high profile hearing.
The Court head the six time Paralympic gold medalist will stand trial from March 3 – 20 at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Pistorius stood in the dock, wiped away tears, and held hands with Brother Carl and Sister Aimee, as he waited for the proceedings to begin.
He faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted of premeditated murder. The hearing which lasted for just 10 minutes ended without any other charges relating to allegations of recklessly discharging a firearm- relating to two separate incidents which were reported to have been added to the indictment.
Pistorius arrest made headlines around the world due to his status as a sporting hero.
He was double gold medal winner at the Paralympic Games in London last year, having previously become the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics.
Nicknamed the ‘Blade Runner’ because of the prosthetic limbs he uses, Pistorius is said to have resumed a ‘low-key track routine’.
