Thursday, 27 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 26 RESULTS, SCORERS

*Enyimba 1 Shooting Stars 1

Sodiq Ibrahim-Shooting (16th min)

Ekene Awazie-Enyimba (42nd min)


*Kwara United 0 Abia Warriors 0


*Plateau United 1 Bayelsa United 0

Umar Farouk (75th min)


*Heartland 0 El-Kanemi Warriors 0


*Kano Pillars 1 Akwa United 0

Rabiu Ali (83rd min, pen)


*Nasarawa United 1 Remo Stars 0

Anas Yusuf (25th min)


*Lobi Stars  0 Niger Tornadoes 2

Daniel Akanbek (45+1min)

Victor Okoro (66th min)


*Enugu Rangers 3 Sunshine Stars 0

Bashir Usman (25th min)

Joel Odoh (28th min)

Kingsley Maduforo (41st min)


*Rivers United 1 Katsina Utd 0 

Ubong Friday (17th min)


*Bendel Insurance 2 Ikorodu City 1

Stanley Okoroma-Insurance (52nd min)

Shola Adelani-Ikorodu (54th min)

Uche Collins-Insurance  (69th min)


NPFL 2024/25 SEASON MATCHDAY 27 FIXTURES

March 1, 2025:

Sunshine Stars vs Kwara United 4:00pm

SUN:

Kano Pillars vs Enugu Rangers  3:00pm

Bayelsa Utd vs Bendel Insurance 4:00pm

Abia Warriors vs Nasarawa Utd 4:00pm

Niger Tornadoes  vs Enyimba    4:00pm

Ikorodu City   vs Heartland       4:00pm

Remo Stars   vs Plateau United 5:30pm

MON:

El-Kanemi Warriors vs Lobi Stars 3:00pm

Akwa United    vs Katsina United 3:00pm

Shooting Stars vs Rivers United     5:30pm


Monday, 24 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 SEASON MATCHDAY 26 FIXTURES

Feb. 26

Kwara United vs Abia Warriors 4:00pm

Plateau Utd vs Bayelsa Utd 4:00pm

Heartland vs El-Kanemi Warriors 4:00pm

Enyimba   vs Shooting Stars 4:00pm

Kano Pillars vs Akwa United 4:00pm

Nasarawa Utd vsRemo Stars 4:00pm

Lobi Stars      vs Niger Tornadoes 4:00pm

Enugu Rangers vs Sunshine Stars 4:00pm

Feb. 27.

Rivers United vs Katsina Utd 4:00pm

Bendel Insurance vs Ikorodu City 5:30pm

EPL MATCHDAY 27 FIXTURES

Feb. 25, 2025:

Brighton vs Bournemouth 8:30pm

Wolves    vs Fulham          8:30pm

C'Palace  vs Ason Villa     8:30pm

Chelsea   vs Southampton 9:15pm

WED:

Tottenham   vs Man City   8:30pm

Nottm Forest vs Arsenal   8:30pm

Brentford       vs Everton  8:30pm

Man Utd        vs Ipswich   8:30pm

Liverpool       vs Newcastle 9:15pm

THURS:

West Ham   vs Leicester City 9:00pm

Thursday, 20 February 2025

EPL MATCHDAY 26 FIXTURES

Feb. 21, 2025

Leicester City vs Brentford 9:00pm

SAT:

Everton         vs Man Utd 1:30pm

Ipswich Town vs Tottenham 4:00pm

Arsenal      vs West Ham      4:00pm

Bournemouth vs Wolves   4:00pm

Southampton vs Brighton 4:00pm 

Fulham           vs C'Palace 4:00pm

Aston Villa     vs Chelsea   6:30pm

SUN:

Newcastle    vs Nottm Forest 3:00pm

Man City      vs Liverpool      5:30pm

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 25 RESULTS, SCORERS

*Shooting Stars 2 Lobi Stars  2

Joshua Akpan-Shooting (18th min)

Sadiq Ibrahim-Shooting (52nd min)

Ossy Martins-Lobi Stars (34th, 45+2min)


*Katsina United 2 Enyimba 1

Bello Lukman-Katsina (41st, 50th min)

Ekene Awazie-Enyimba (90+2min, pen)


*Remo Stars 2 Kwara United  0

Arinze Anakwe (79th min)

Hadi Haruna (90+4 min)


*Abia Warriors 1 Enugu Rangers 0

Ijoma Desouza (43rd min)


* El-Kanemi Warriors 0 Bendel Insurance 0


*Sunshine Stars 1 Kano Pillars 1

Chigozie Iwundu -Sunshine (59th min)


*Niger Tornadoes 2 Heartland 1

Goal-Heartland (6th min)

Ismael Sarki-Tornadoes (59th, 89th min)


*Ikorodu City 2 Plateau United 1

Albert Hilary-Plateau (38th min)

Abdulmalik Olatunji-Ikorodu (74th min)

Tosin Oyedokun-Ikorodu (80th min)


*Bayelsa United 2 Nasarawa United 2

Nasarawa -(1st min, 45+2 min)

Rabiu Abdullahi-Bayelsa (38th min)

Ogba Ifeanyi-Bayelsa (90+8 min)


*Akwa United 1 Rivers United 1

Ubong Friday-Rivers Utd (8th min)

Akwa Utd- (52nd min)

Monday, 17 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 SEASON MATCHDAY 25 FIXTURES

Feb. 19, 2025:

El-Kanemi Warriors vs Bendel Insurance 3:00pm

Sunshine Stars          vs Kano Pillars 4:00pm

Katsina United vs Enyimba 4:00pm

Bayelsa United vs Nasarawa United 4:00pm

Abia Warriors vs Enugu Rangers 4:00pm

Akwa United vs Rivers United 4:00pm

Niger Tornadoes vs Heartland 4:00pm

Ikorodu City   vs Plateau United 5:30pm

Shooting Stars vs Lobi Stars    5:30pm

Feb 20:

Remo Stars    vs Kwara United  5:30pm

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 24 RESULTS, SCORERS

 *Enugu Rangers 2 Remo Stars    1 

Isaac Saviour-Rangers (30th min)

Kingsley Maduforo-Rangers (49th min)

Hadi Haruna-Remo (89th min)


*Heartland  2  Shooting Stars   1 

Chukwuma Agor-Heartland (30th min)

Adam Mustapha-Shooting (80th min, pen)

John Bassey-Heartland (88th min, pen)


*Bendel Insurance 3 Niger Tornadoes 0

Emiloju Julius (5th min)

Uche Collins (55th min)

Kayode Solomon (76th min)


*Kano Pillars 1 Abia Warriors 0

Mustapha Umar (42nd min)


*Enyimba       1 Rivers United   0 

Imo Obot (41st min)


*Kwara United 1 Bayelsa United 0

Wasiu Jimoh (78th min)


*Plateau United 2 El-Kanemi 0

Emmanuel Ihezuo (40th min)

Olawale Doyeni (80th min)


*Lobi Stars       1 Katsina United 1

Goal -Lobi (68th min)

Promise Damala-Katsina (86th min)


*Nasarawa Utd 0 Ikorodu City 0


*Sunshine Stars 1 Akwa United 0

Samuel Matthew (29th min)



Caption:

Wasiu Jimoh, nets Kwara United's winner against Bayelsa United last weekend at the Rashidi Yekini mainbowl of the George Innih Stadium, Ilorin.


Friday, 14 February 2025

City's Akanji undergoes surgery


 Manchester City defender, Manuel Akanji, will require surgery on a thigh injury and is expected to be absent for up to 10 weeks.

Switzerland international Akanji, 29, sustained the injury in Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League knockout phase play-off defeat by Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium.

"He has surgery on Saturday. Eight to 10 weeks out," manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

The groin injury suffered by Jack Grealish in the same first-leg match is less serious. However, Guardiola said he does not think the England international will be available for Saturday's Premier League home game against Newcastle United.

On Grealish, Guardiola said: "It's not as tough as what Manu [Akanji] has done, but I don't know if he will be ready tomorrow.

"I don't think so, but we will assess him."

Akanji has started 20 of City's 24 Premier League games this season, among 30 appearances across all competitions.

City, who lost key defensive midfielder Rodri when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in September, are fifth in the Premier League - with last season's champions 16 points adrift of leaders 

Liverpool.

Akanji's injury comes after fellow defenders John Stones, Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias only recently returned from absences.

"We only wish the best recovery for Manu [Akanji]. The effort he has done this season has been unbelievable," Guardiola said.

"Him and Nathan [Ake] have played in difficult conditions. Help the team in [an] emergency. Helped in right-back.

"In the end the body said enough is enough."


NPFL 2024/25 SEASON MATCHDAY 24 FIXTURES

Feb. 15, 2025:

Kano Pillars vs Abia Warriors 3:00pm

Enyimba       vs Rivers United 3:00pm

Kwara United vs Bayelsa United 4:00pm

Plateau United vs El-Kanemi Warriors 4:00pm

Lobi Stars    vs Katsina United 4:00pm

Nasarawa Utd vs Ikorodu City 4:00pm

Sunshine Stars vs Akwa United 5:30pm

SUN:

Enugu Rangers vs Remo Stars 3:00pm

Heartland          vs Shooting Stars 4:00pm

Bendel Insurance vs Niger Tornadoes 5:30pm

EPL MATCHDAY 25 FIXTURES

Feb. 14, 2025

Brighton vs Chelsea 9:00pm

SAT:

Leicester    vs Arsenal   1:30pm

Southampton vs Bournemouth 4:00pm

Man City       vs Newcastle   4:00pm

West Ham vs Brentford 4:00pm

Aston Villa vs Ipswich   4:00pm

Fulham       vs Nottm Forest 4:00pm

C'Palace    vs Everton        6:30pm

SUN:

Liverpool    vs Wolves   3:00pm

Tottenham  vs Man Utd 5:30pm

Monday, 10 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 23 RESULTS, SCORERS

*Niger Tornadoes 1 Plateau United 1

Papa Daniel-Tornadoes (59th min)

Samuel Kalu-Plateau Utd (88th min)


*Shooting Stars 1 Bendel Insurance 

Godwin Odibo (81st min)


*Akwa United 2 Enyimba 1

Ogunleye Olayemi-Akwa (26th min)

Isaah Mohammed Enyimba (39th min)

Uche Sabastine-Akwa (75th min)


*Rivers United 1 Lobi Stars 0

Timothy Zechariah (88th min)


*Bayelsa United 0 Enugu Rangers 0


*Abia Warriors 3 Sunshine Stars 0

Chigozie Iwundu (18th min, own goal)

Ijoma Desouza (36th, 90+2min)


*Ikorodu City 2 Kwara United 1

Junior Aimufua-Kwara Utd (2nd min)

Toyeeb Ajeyigbe--Ikorodu (7th min)

Shola Adelani-Ikorodu (64th min)


*El-Kanemi Warriors 1 Nasarawa United 0

Umar Al-Amin (29th min)


*Katsina United 1 Heartland 0

Mohammed Ibrahim (74th min)


*Remo Stars 2 Kano Pillars 1

Sikiru Alimi-Remo (5th min)

Ibrahim Aboubaker-Remo (40th min)

Abba Adam-Pillars (45+8min)

Friday, 7 February 2025

Agbonlahor defends EPL players on goal celebrations




Gabby Agbonlahor has defended Premier League players as chiefs consider implementing sanctions on celebrations.

Excessive celebrations have been a hot topic of late with Myles Lewis-Skelly imitating Erling Haaland’s signature move during Arsenal's 5-1 win over Manchester City last weekend.

The 18-year-old did not receive any punishment but the same cannot be said of Everton's Iliman Ndiaye against Brighton, who received a yellow card after he netted the winner and flapped his arms like a seagull.

The Premier League's chief football officer, Tony Scholes, said: “There's a balance. I think we all like to see celebrations. Some of the celebrations have been very funny, entertaining, but there's a line.

“Once it crosses over into mockery or criticism then we would need to deal with it.”

If the Premier League were to introduce celebration regulations they would be following in the footsteps of the NBA and NFL.

Tottenham beat Arsenal to record-breaking transfer for Irish wonderkid after deadline day

NFL referees have clamped down on prolonged celebrations, violent or offensive acts such as mimicking gunfire, sexually suggestive moves and taunting opponents.

This can result in an on-field punishment or a hefty fine.

Similar to the NBA where players can receive what is called a technical foul which comes after unsportsmanlike conduct.

Receiving two in a game will result in the player being ejected from the match permanently. 

Phil Foden and Joshua Zirkzee who have their own signature gun celebrations will be the most likely to receive punishment for celebrations if the PGMOL were to clamp down on them.

Jamie Vardy has also been known to ridicule rival fans as he did against Tottenham last month after pointing to the Premier League badge in mockery of Spurs’ lack of trophies.

He also imitated an Eagle after he scored against Crystal Palace in 2019 and did not receive a card.

talkSPORT host Agbonlahor used Vardy as an example when defending Premier League players over their celebrations.

The former Aston Villa striker said on talkSPORT Drive: "From playing the game and being one of those guys when they score, you celebrate in front of the away fans or home fans.

"Players get called every name under the sun by fans, Jamie Vardy for instance, he gets all sorts called to him, if he wants to run over to the Spurs fans and show them the Premier League badge...

"Just do what you want to do."

Agbonlahor continued to label the potential rule change as 'embarrassing' while Andy Goldstein added more on the topic.

Fellow talkSPORT host Goldstein said: "The only line that can be crossed is if something is offensive or has racist connotations.

"If someone scores and flaps their arms, let him flap his arms.

"If someone wants to sit on the floor and cross their legs like they're doing an Erling Haaland celebration, let them do it.

"It's called housery, it's called banter and it's what makes the world go round. It's doing no harm whatsoever."

One potential concern over the celebrations is that they may cause some unsavoury scenes on the pitch between players.

Usually, celebrations do not lead to players clashing on the pitch but that was not the case for Neal Maupay last season.

The Frenchman mocked James Maddison’s darts throw celebration which led to a passive-aggressive exchange with the two holding each other and slapping their chests.


Thursday, 6 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 SEASON MATCHDAY 23 FIXTURES

Feb 8:

Katsina United   vs Heartland   3:00pm

El-Kanemi          vs Nasarawa Utd     3:00pm

Remo Stars        vs Kano Pillars  4:00pm

Shooting Stars   vs Bendel Insurance 5:30pm

SUN:

Rivers United vs Lobi Stars 4:00pm

Akwa United vs Enyimba 4:00pm

Bayelsa United  vs Enugu Rangers 4:00pm

Abia Warriors vs Sunshine Stars 4:00pm

Niger Tornadoes vs Plateau Utd 4:00pm

Ikorodu City   vs Kwara Utd    5:30pm

Tuesday, 4 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 21 RESULTS, SCORERS

*Bayelsa United 4  Sunshine Stars 1

Ogba Ifeanyi-Bayelsa (15th, 68th min)

Waheed Adebayo-Sunshine (37th min)

Auwal Sadiq-Bayelsa (51st min)

Eyong Ofem-Bayelsa (90+5min)


*El-Kanemi Warriors 2 Enugu Rangers 1

Salihu Nasiru (18th, 73rd min)

Isaac Saviour-Rangers (63rd min)


*Akwa United 1 Lobi Stars 1

Onyekachi Okafor-Lobi (27th min)

Friday Apollos-Akwa (72nd min)


*Remo Stars 3 Abia Warriors 2

Ezekiel Ayodele-Abia (25th min)

Ijoma Desouza-Abia (26th min)

Olamilekan Adedayo-Remo Stars (38th min)

Jabbar Malik-Remo (45+1min)

Franck Mawuena-Remo (53rd min)


*Ikorodu City 4 Kano Pillars 1

Shola Adelani-Ikorodu (3rd min)

Austin Uzondu-Ikorodu (20th min)

Abba Adam--Pillars (44th min)

Rabiu Ali-Own goal (54th min)

Marvellous Freedom-Ikorodu (70th min)


*Shooting Stars 2 Nasarawa United 0

Tijani Kabiru (14th min)

Sadiq Ibrahim (82nd min)


*Enyimba 1 Heartland 1           

Daniel Ekpo-Heartland (18th min pen)

Joseph Atule-Enyimba   (55th min)


*Niger Tornadoes 2 Kwara United 1   

Ifeanyi Okechukwu-Tornadoes (2nd min)

Abdulrasheed Dabai-Tornadoes (86th min)

Kwara Utd's goal (90+2 min)   


*Katsina United 1 Plateau United 0 

Goal (90+5 min, pen)   


*Rivers United   2 Bendel Insurance 2 

Meyinwa Oritseweyinmi-Bendel (6th min)

Uche Collins-Bendel (49th min)

Ubong Friday-Rivers Utd (34th, 51st min)

Saturday, 1 February 2025

NPFL 2024/25 MATCHDAY 22 RESULTS, SCORERS

*Sunshine Stars 1 Remo Stars 2

Alex Oyowah-Remo (9th min)

Auwalu Abubakar-Remo (28th min)

Samuel Matthew-Sunshine (67th min)


*Plateau United  1 Shooting Stars 1

Tijani Kabiru-Shooting (74th min)

Albert Hilary-Plateau Utd (76th min)


*Kano Pillars 0 Bayelsa United 0


*Nasarawa United 2 Niger Tornadoes 0

Anas Yusuf (3rd min pen, 71st min)


*Lobi Stars 0 Enyimba 1

Ifeanyi Ihemekwele (40th min)


*Enugu Rangers 2 Ikorodu City 0

Godwin Obaje (45th min)

Isaac Saviour  (89th min)


*Heartland 2 Rivers United 0

Christian Molokwu (62nd, 74th min)


*Abia Warriors 2 Akwa United 0

Ijoma Desouza (26th min)

Samuel Christian (90+3 min)


*Bendel Insurance 1 Katsina United 0

Emiloju Julius (26th min)


*Kwara United 2 El-Kanemi Warriors 0 

Wasiu Alalade (39th min)

Wasiu Jimoh (89th min)


Caption: 

Shooting Stars' Tijani Kabiru, in a world of his own during Sunday's NPFL matchday 22 clash with Plateau United. His goal was cancelled out by Albert Hilary.