Organisers of the maiden FC Ebedei/ FC Midtjylland Year-End Invitational Tournament billed to kick off on Friday November 18, have released fixtures for the event.

One of Africa’s best professionally administered football clubs, whose products have helped Nigeria win silverware since the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, FC Ebedei, iconic football brand Shooting Stars of Ibadan, and two Nationwide League One (NLO) Tradesafe and Cornerstone FC are taking part in the four-team mini tourney.

The FC Ebedei Stadium, Apele-Sagamu and the recently refurbished Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba-Ibadan are the host venues of the five-day FC Ebedei/ FC Midtjylland Year-End Invitational Tournament.

Fixtures made available by the Local Organising Committee(LOC) of the tourney informed that Tradesafe and Shooting Stars will lock horns in the first game of MatchDay 1 at 8am, while FC Ebedei takes on Cornerstone FC at 3 pm. Both matches will be played at the FC Ebedei Stadium Apele-Sagamu.

MatchDay 2 will be observed as a rest day, as action resumes at the FC Ebedei Stadium on the 20th with a Matchday 3 clash of experience and apprentice as Shooting Stars go head-to-head with FC Ebedei at 3 pm.

It will be a clash of two NLO teams on MatchDay 4 as Cornerstone FC hosts Tradesafe FC at the FC Ebedei Stadium.

Final fixtures on MatchDay 5 will be interesting as both matches will be played simultaneously at 3pm and the two different match venues.

The FC Ebedei Stadium will host the game between FC Ebedei and Tradesafe FC while Cornerstone FC will hope to slay the Oluyole Warriors in Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The winner of the tournament will get an automatic qualification to the next edition of the Gold Cup and also take part in an invitational tournament in Europe.

Abdul Maiyadi and Miko Dalha’s strikes in each half ensured the only Nigerian club in the International Youth Championship Denmark qualified for the final fixture of the 2022 edition in the sports city of Hjørring.

The game proved to be harder for unbeaten Mailantarki Boys in the first quarter of the encounter as the game traffic moving from either side and of course Varbergs forward forced our goalie Edward Ameh for an early safe after diving to his right to push away the goal-bound effort.

In a swift response, the Amazon Kayakers from Nigeria embarked on an impressive attacking run masterminded by Ibrahim Sani Dembele to the part of Miko Dala who blasted an effort just for the goalie to make a brilliant safe but he can not stops Abdul Maiyadi’s curling effort few minutes later as he got beaten into his far post from the edge of the box to give Mailantarki boys the lead at the break.

Both teams resumed from the locker rooms with much vigor but our boys were much better as they took many shares of the possession courtesy of the 4-3-3 formation with Hamza Sani, Ibrahim Sani and Abdul Maiyadi in the middle of the park.

The club president Honourable Khamisu Mailantarki who is with the team at the tournament was highly impressed with the masterclass performance of his boys for being unbeaten coupled with the record-breaking 39 goals so far ahead of the final game tomorrow against Vidar FK of Norway.

“I thank Almighty Allah for the huge success we achieved so far, we still need to take this display to the final and we are very much confident we will bring the trophy to Nigeria”.

The final fixture will take place tomorrow (Saturday 30th July l, 2022) by 2:15 pm (1:15 pm Nigerian time) at the main Nord Energy Arena Stadium in Hjørring, Denmark, and it’s going to be streamed live via a dedicated DanaCup22 channel.

By: Abdulquadir Adedapo

New Super Eagles invitee Akinkumi Amoo signed off for the international break with style as he scored in his debut start for Danish side FC Copenhagen inspiring them to a 1-0 win over FC Nordsjælland wrapping up the regular season as leaders.

Having been made to patiently wait for his first start for the club, the 19-year-old was handed his first league start since his big-money move from Sweden as he started on the left hand of the attack with fellow Nigerian Paul Omo-Mukairu starting on the other flank.

The former Golden Eaglets attacking midfielder hit the ground running from the blast of the whistle, needing just seven minutes to show himself to the fans present at Parker as he tapped home from four yards following an assist from Khouma Babacar to make it 1-0.

The hosts continued to dominate the first period in search of a second goal but the visitors showed resilience in defense as Amoo’s goal was the only difference at the break.

The Nigerian was then replaced on the hour mark as he received a standing ovation from the fans with his goal separating both teams as Copenhagen maintained their lead at the top into the playoffs season.

Speaking to the club’s media after the game, the match-winner praised the fans for their part in the victory stating that the goal meant a lot to him and his family.

“I’m so happy to score my first goal today! It means a lot to me and my family. It was great to be the match-winner and secure the victory, even though we should have scored more goals in the match. It took hard work to get the three points, but that’s how it should be, “said Akinkunmi Amoo, continuing:

He further stated that “It’s great to be able to help the team and at the same time make sure the fans go home happy. It was an important victory and we have to fully focus on the championship,” Amoo concluded.

The pacy attacker had a fantastic game rating of 8.7, the highest rating in the game, making four key passes, the most in the encounter, creating one chance and also putting in a defensive shift with two interceptions and one tackle.

Abdul Sule who played for Herning Fremad between 1997 and 1999 was a cult hero scoring memorable goals that turned the club to a force to reckon with in Denmark.

Sule who has previously played for NUB in Kaduna, Stationery Stores of Lagos, BCC Lions of Gboko and Qatar SC in Qatar before he was signed by former manager Ove Pedersen.

Sule would then make history in 1999 when he moved to Akademisk Boldklub, AB with the then Danish record transfer of €9m.

In a video chat with top official of the club, Sule recounted how he was able to settle down quickly at Herning, motivation from Coach Pederen, his refusal to pick ball from the bush with fear of snakes and sundry.

“I was in Qatar when Pedersen met me a asked if I would like to play in Denmark, then I agreed to come.

“At first I was worried how I would settle down and get to understand the new environment, new team mates and weather, but I was lucky I came in the summer which was almost similar to where I came from and I also found my team mates supportive.”

Sule who is currently the chairman of Kogi United and Confluence Queens played in the Super Eagles between 1992 and 1994.

The President of Nigeria National League, NNL Club Owners played ten times for Eagles.

Sule also talked about his first training experience and best friends at Fremad.

“When I first moved to Herning and we were having the shooting training, and when I shoot the ball and went into the bush, I tried to pretend not to go in there and Ove Pedersen asked me ‘Why are you not going to pick the ball and I was like I’m afraid of the snake, then he told to go in and pick the ball that there’s no snake in Denmark. I was shocked to hear that but he truly told there’s no snake in Denmark.

“I have so many friends then, Kenneth Frumm, he’s one of my best friends, we were very closed, he would always pick from home to training and take me back home, and I also have Steve Pedersen, I have a couple of best friends then.”

See video of Abdul Sule’s interview with Herning Fremad: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=241114570448109&id=301491883257253