World Cup Qualifier: Nigeria Plays Down Ethiopia Early Kick-off
Nigeria officials have played down an early kick-off time picked by Ethiopia for a 2014 World Cup playoff in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia hosts the Super Eagles on Sunday, October 13, in a first leg World Cup playoff to next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Reports have suggested the match will be played from 2pm Ethiopian time.
“The early kick-off will not have any adverse effect on our team,” maintained the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu.
“We believe it will be a game between 11 players on one side and 11 on the other side and the best team will win on the day.”
Ethiopia have had a proposed match date of October 20 rejected by world football governing body FIFA as it does not fall within the FIFA window.
Officials said this was another ploy by Ethiopia to see if they could make it difficult for Nigeria to get their Europe-based stars released for the match.
Both teams played out a 2-2 draw when they last clashed in Addis Ababa two years ago in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Star-studded Nigeria needed a last-gasp equalizer to get a result on a day they struggled with the conditions against a highly inspired Walya Antelopes.
Relegation Fever Grips Heartland FC
…As Imo Govt Starves Club of Fund
The continued sign-on-fee saga and unpaid match bonuses Heartland FC may lead to the relegation of our once revered five time league and three time cup champions if the situation fails to improve in the next few days.
Strong indications emanating from the camp of the Naze Millionaires shows that after their unfortunate lose at Port Harcourt to Sharks fc the players are bent on having a real show down with the authorities as they intend to pack their baggage’s and walk out of the team if the Government those not make good their promises.
It would be recalled that the players after the peaceful protest on Monday at the Douglas House were they demanded for 10% of their last season’s sign-on-fees and about 90% of this season including about 13 unpaid match bonuses refusing to train ahead of their Npfl week 35 game until the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere was asked to wave into the matter by the number one citizen.
Although the players later excepted to go to Port Harcourt were they lost 3 1 to relegation threatened Sharks fc as they were promised of a favorable attention when they return from their Port Harcourt trip but the continued no action since their return means that the players who have given their best only for the Governor, Rochas Okorocha to continue promising without doing anything means the players may boycott their week 36 league game at home against El Kanemi Warriors of Medugiri.
The Owerri side have picked a paltry three points from their last five games, and have slipped down to 15th place on the NPFL Log and have only three games before the end of the season. Heartland are billed to play two straight home games against El Kanemi on Sunday and Rangers on Wednesday before travelling to Lafia for their last league encounter against Nasarawa United.
Heartland must win all their remaining home games if they are to avoid falling deeper into the relegation battle and will need all the motivation they can get before the two home encounters.
Heartland have never gone on relegation from the Nigeria’s elite division but have experienced their worst season ever losing three home games to Nembe City, Enyimba and Kwara United while drawing two home games against 3SC and Sunshine Stars. They also won two away victories at Ibadan (3SC) and Bauchi (Wikki Tourist) and will proceed on relegation in an event they lose any of their home match or fail to turn-up for their game due to non-payment of their entitlements.
NPFL WEEK 36 GAMES (6/10/13)
Heartland — El Kanemi
Rangers — Sharsks
Nasarawa — Sunshine
Enyimba — ABS fc
Nembe City — 3SC
Wolves — Akwa Utd
Kaduna Utd — Bayela
Gombe Uta — Pillars
Dolphins — Lobi Stars
Kwara Utd — Wikki T.
HON EMMA OKEWULUONU’S CUP
6/10/13
EPL FIXTURES WEEK 7 (5/10/13)
Man City — Everton @ 12:45pm
Cardiff City — Newcastle @ 3pm
Fulham — Stoke City @ 3pm
Hull City — Aston Villa @ 3pm
Liverpool — Crystal Palace @ 3pm
Sunderland — Man Utd @ 5:30pm
(5/10/13)
Norwich City — Chelsea @ 1:30pm
Southampton — Swasea @ 1:30pm
Tottenham — West Ham @ 4pm
West Brom — Arsenal @ 4pm
SPANISH LA LIGA (4/10/13)
Villareal — Granada
Malaga — Osasuna
(5/10/13)
Barcelona — Vallodolid
Elche — Espanyol
R/Valcano — R/Socieda
Levante — R/Madrid
A/Madrid — Celta Vigo
Sevilla — Almaria
Getafe — Real Betis
A/Bilbao — Valencia
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS
2/10/31
B/Leverkusen 2 –1 R/Sociedad
Shakhtar 1 –1 Man United
Juventus 2 — 2 Galatasaray
R/Madrid 4 — 0 FC Copenhagen
Anderlecht 0 — 3 Olympiakos
PSG 3 — 0 Benfica
CSKA Moscow 3 — 2 Viktora Plzen
Man City 1 — 3 B/Munich
