The second edition of the 2022 Unity Preseason Tournament will hold in Abuja from 17-23 October 2022.

Announcing this in Abuja, the General Coordinator of the Tournament, Patrick Ngwaogu, said this year’s edition will involve 10 Premiership clubs in the country.
According to Ngwaogu who was the former First Vice Chairman of FCT Football Association, the invited clubs for this year’s edition will include Nasarawa United, Lobi Stars, Katsina United, Wikki Tourists, Doma FC, Abia Warriors FC, Gombe Utd, Sokoto United, City FC and EFCC FC. “We have informed the various clubs, and they are enthusiastic about the tournament, this year’s edition will hold from 17 to 23 October, 2022” Ngwaogu said that the tournament is aimed at adequately preparing the teams for the new football season and providing them the opportunities of sharing some technical ideas among themselves, towards having a successful season.

Ngwaogu who was the immediate past Abia Warriors FC Sporting Director said participating teams will have the opportunity of playing more friendly matches with the numerous teams in Abuja to enable them assess all their new recruits properly.

Plateau United are the defending champions of the Unity Preseason Tournament. They defeated Nasarawa United by a lone goal to emerge winner’s last year.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that the 10th edition of the nation’s most prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues will kick off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that Remo Stars will begin the defence of its title, as the 10th edition of the nation’s most prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues kicks off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that Remo Stars will begin its title defence, as the 10th edition of the nation’s prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues kicks off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Tunde Shamsudeen, General Coordinator of the tourney told Optima Energy Gold Cup Media: “We want to use this medium to thank the over 30 different clubs, which cuts across the three tiers of our league that have taken part in the Ogunjobi Gold Cup (now Optima Energy Gold Cup).

” The tournament inception in 2012, has proven to be the best platform for teams to prepare themselves extensively against tough teams, to know their strengths, drawbacks and proffer solutions to them before going into the season.

“Also the Optima Energy Gold Cup over the years has been part of some club’s success stories from former NPFL champions Kano Pillars, Lobi Stars, MFM FC, Niger Tornadoes, FC Ebedei and now Remo Stars.

” It’s on record that one or two teams that participate in the yearly tourney either end up winning the NPFL title, qualify for the CAF inter-club tournament or gain promotion.

“As we set the ball rolling for this year’s edition, it promises to be an exciting one for the 10 teams that will be looking forward to taking part and indeed fans.

“All necessary arrangement and logistics has been put in place to ensure a hitch-free tourney as there will be much fanfare and activation.

“The tourney will be co-hosted respectively at the Remo Stars Stadium and FC Ebedei Stadium in Ikenne and Sagamu.

“Official correspondence (invitation letters) has been sent to intending clubs in the three tiers of our domestic leagues, Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nationwide League One (NLO).

” Ten (10) teams are to participate in the 10-day soccer fiesta that will begin on Thursday, September 22 and climax on Independence Day, October 1, 2022.

“Teams will be grouped into two groups of A and B with five (5) teams each, and are expected to play four (4) group matches with two (2) teams with the highest number of points qualifying for the semi-finals.

The game in Kano, which was destrupted by irate Pillars fans in the 80th minute after result stood goalless, had to be rescheduled while Pillars were docked 3points, handed a suspended 3points sanction and banished to Abuja by the LMC.

Our source, name withheld says the LMC can be likened to a bulldog that can only bark but can’t bite top NPFL clubs like Kano Pillars, who Thursday were involved in another mess that has brought the domestic league into disrepute, after their Chairman Yahaya Surajo assaulted an Assistant Referee.

As we clock down to the end of the season, the LMC must show fairness and not bias to all teams in the NPFL.

This as regards the 3points Katsina United should have been awarded by them (LMC), after ‘Untouchables’ Kano Pillars fielded seven ineligible players in an uncompleted NPFL match that was rescheduled.

Kano hosted the game but it was destrupted by some irate fans at 80th minute, then the LMC in its prompt decision ordered that the game be rescheduled to a new date and continued from 80th minute at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, where Pillars were banished to.

A new twist emerged in Abuja on the match day, as Kano Pillars produced a list of starting 11 which contained seven players that were not part of the game in Kano that was thrown into disarray.

This made Katsina United play the match under protest which according to the League Management Company (LMC) rule books, the match in Abuja was supposed to have the same team list that was used for the game in Kano.

Brilliant of Katsina United, they had the evidence as four out of the seven players started the game while the rest were on the bench. To nail Pillars finally, the goal scorer, Auwali Ali Malam was also among ineligible players.

Close to a month after the match in Abuja, the LMC are yet to deliberate or issue any statement concerning the protest filled to them, let alone punish Kano Pillars by deducting 3points from points ganarred this season and awarding Katsina United 3points, after Pillars breached the rules.

Aside from that, the Katsina United team bus Pillars fans destroyed, has not been fixed. The entire Katsina United team have been put into traumatic stress on match days, as they go to hire buses to move their players to venues or they stoop low, go begging other Katsina State Ministries to lend them any available coaster bus when they don’t have enough funds to hire one.

Lastly after vandalizing the team bus, Pillars fans looted the bus making away with handsets, other valuables of some players and whatever they could find like training equipment, which consists of kits and match balls.

The Katsina United management have not asked for too much, as the LMC should just award the team the 3points, 3goals, sanction Pillars management to fix the team bus and replace the players phones and training equipment that were carted away by their fans.

The striker who was signed along 10 other players at the start of the season gave a good showing of himself during the team’s pre-season scoring a total of 3 goals in 4 appearances leading to the season proper.

However since the commencement of the season, he’s majorly played a bit part role featuring in matches involving Katsina United , Akwa United, Lobi Stars, Plateau United and Gombe United.

The 19-year-old forward who has got a bulky built and whose strength lies in his shooting and aerial ability as well as his positioning, says he will keep giving his best in training to win the confidence of his coaches and in no distance time will break into the first team.

In his words, “I fully respect the choices and decisions of the coaches and I won’t stop putting my best in trainings. I am confident that whenever I am giving the chance, I will definitely justify my inclusion in the team.

“So far, I have had some game time against some high profile side and I believe the confidence I have gotten from those games will help me in future games.

” I am looking to get my first NPFL goal as I know that will not only boost my confidence but will also allow the coaches to trust me with more games” concludes the North West FC product.

It was a result that boosted one side’s chance of beating the drop and the other side seeing their continental football hopes shattered as Kano Pillars beat Kwara United 2-1 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja.
While Pillars boosted their chances of getting out of the relegation, Kwara United slipped farther from reckoning in the quest for a continental ticket. 
For Kwara United, it was three points lost having led at halftime and looking set for a crucial away victory. Samad Kadiri had tapped in in the 35th minute after Ayobami Junior had put the ball on a plate for him.
With Pillars rarely threatening Kwara keeper Dele Aiyenugba in the first half, not many fancied the hosts to come away with maximum points on the evidence of that below par first half performance. 
But whatever Salisu Yusuf told his wards in the dressing room paid off as Pillars came out smoking in the second half.
They were on the front foot from the restart and in a space of six minutes, they were ahead with two nodded goals.
In the 52nd minute, Mustapha Jibrin’s cross off a free kick was nodded in by Jerry Eze. Six minutes later, Ifeanyi Eze was the provider, crossing for Auwalu Ali to head past Aiyenugba. 
It was a result of sustained blitz in the visitors’ box. 
In the first half, Pillars had difficulties getting behind Kwara United’s back four and were restricted to speculative long range efforts. 
But Salisu and co must have spotted an obvious shortcoming in the opponent’s central defence partnership as the shorter Deji Bamidele struggled in aerial contests.
There was a conscious effort to deliver crosses into Kwara United’s box after the break. This led to the two goals.
With their noses then in front, it was all down to game management as Pillars held on for a very important win. 
Pillars moved from 19th to 18th, just a point away from the dreaded red zone. Meanwhile, Kwara United are 6th, five points adrift of third-placed Rangers. 
Team ListsPillars
Akpan Bassey, Mustapha Jibrin (Abdulahi Ali 75′), Fahad Usman, Abdullahi Musa, Emeka Onyema, Jerry Alex, Tamara Ezekiel (Nelson Ogbonnaya 90′), Daniel Mark (Yusuf Maigoro 75′), Auwalu Ali Malam, Rabi’u Ali (Bright Silas 90′), Ifeanyi Kelvin Eze (Kokoete Udoh 61′)
Substitutes not used: Idris Ibrahim, Ismaila Muhammad Nasir
Kwara United
Dele Aiyenugba, Musa Abdulafeez, Muritala Lawal, Deji Bamidele, Isaiah Ejeh, Kabiru Balogun (Abdulsalam Abdulsalam 60′), Junior Ayobami, Samad Kadiri (Stephen Jude 72′), Jide Fatokun, Alao Danbani (Junior Lokosa 60′), Issa Magaji (Issa Gata 72′)
Substitutes not used: Abdulateef Ishola, Chinedu Udeagah, Jide Williams
Cautions
Mustapha Jibrin (36′), Tamara Ezekiel (56′); Samad Kadiri (33′), Junior Ayobami (38′), Stephen Jude (79′)
Stats
Pillars 2-1 UnitedCorners 0-2Fouls 10-20Attempts 14-5On target 4-2Throws 22-17Offside 5-15Cautions 2-3

Katsina United FC and Shooting Stars FC U-15 sides have both made it through so the semi-final stage of the ongoing NPFL Laliga U-15 Promises Youth League, sponsored by ValueJet, with MTN standing strong as elite Partners.

shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan beat Sunshine Stars of Akure 2-1, while defending Champions, Katsina United peeped Wikki Tourists by a lone goal in the second match of the day to complete the semi final pairings.

Ajayi Samuel gave Shooting Stars the lead with volley from 20 yards out in the 9th minute while Juwon Adeyemi cancelled the lead for Sunshine 12 minutes later. The lads from Ibadan kept piling up the pressure and asking all the questions until Wahab Azan made it two in the 56th minute to ensure their semi final ticket is in the bag.

Coach of Shooting Stars FC, Adeyemo Ayodeji, in his post match briefing stated this: “The match was really tough for us, and I think it largely because our boys didn’t play to instructions. We hope to correct whatever mistakes made here today in our next game.

in the second match of the day, Abubakar Yasir’s 26th strike was all it took the defending Champions to book a semi final slot, as all efforts by the Bauchi based side to initiate a come back proved abortive.

Handler of Katsina United, Tukur Hassan in his post match reaction, said: “We have been facing this competition one game at a time and so far, it has worked for us. The boys actually played their hearts out in all departments and I’m proud of them.

Recall that this Katsina United side has qualified for the last four since the inception of the NPFL Laliga U-15 Promises Youth League in 2017, and lifting the coveted trophy in 2019 and 2021.

The semi final pairings of the U-15 Youth League will see Kano Pillars FC clashing with Remo Stars FC, and the second match of the day is a duel between Shooting Stars FC and Katsina United FC, on Thursday 5th May, 2022.

The quarter-final showdown of what could be termed Yhellow Football Fiesta (NPFL Laliga U-15 Promises Youth League), went down today at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, and the first match of the day was between Kano Pillars FC and Gombe United FC.

The end of the Ramadan fast ensured both teams played physical football unlike how they approached their previous games in the competition.

Pillars drew the first blood in the 20th minute through Imran Musa, who showed class with his pace and dribbling skills by taking on Gombe United centre backs to bury the ball in the net.

Idris Khamis doubled the lead for Kano Pillars U-15 side shortly after the restart having being located by a pass from Aliyu Auwal, after a few midfield interchanges.

The Gombe United U-15 side finally threw caution to the wind and went all out in a quest for a comeback but matters only got worse as the Kano lads took advantage of a fast break and increased the tally to three via a long range shot from Imran Musa.

Their relentless effort soon paid off, but it was a little too late as Abdullahi Bello’s 52nd minute strike and Miko Dalha stoppage time penalty only served as consolation.

In his post-match reaction, the coach of Kano Pillars U-15 side, Suleiman Aliyu said: “I am a little accomplished that the boys gave out their all in today’s game and I believe they would come all out to play in our next match because the Ramadan fast is over.

“I am sure the boys will consolidate on this victory in our next match; we will have a full complement of our team in all areas.”

The MFM FC vs Remo Stars game became the match of the day, as it stole the shine off the first match.

Both teams expressed themselves in all ramifications, especially in the midfield and the spectators who came never regretted they did, as the young lads entertained the crowd beyond expectations.

Peter Adejimi of Remo Stars fired his side into the lead in the 10th minute from a Promise Meliga’s assist, while Stanley Ohaemesi doubled the lead 8 minutes later via a goal mouth scramble.

Francis Ajibola of MFM FC pulled one back from the spot after being fouled in the penalty area by Nse Believe, but that wasn’t enough to bring them at par before the final whistle.

Remo Stars Director of Youth football, Tiago Conde, in his post match reaction stated that: “We came into the game with the right mentality and the boys gave a good account of themselves.

“We decided to infuse a few players into the game in the second half to correct a few mistakes, but it didn’t work out as planned.

Day two of the quarter-final parents will see katsina United playing against Wikki Tourists FC, while Sunshine Stars FC will square up against Shooting Stars Sports Club.

As anticipated, the encounter started on a very sound footing by both teams, but the visitors drew the first blood when they went ahead fifth minute on the clock, after Ifeanyi Okoye’s reckless charge was spotted and a foul awarded to the visitors, meters away from the box; NPFL veteran, Rabiu Ali picked up the ball, placed it in a good position and sent a curling shot into the net, leaving Lucky Abdullahi bewildered as the entire stadium watched in in absolute amusement. Legend Indeed!

Tornadoes were forced to make an early change as Lucky Abdullahi looked demoralized and jittery since conceding the goal, George Michael replaced him on the fifteenth minute.

The hosts took control of the game and dominated proceeding with no goals to show as the team lacked the much needed cutting edge, forcing the technical bench to make double substitutions as Munir Idris and Mas’ud Danjuma were introduced.

The hosts were awarded a Free kick after a reckless challenge on David Emmanuel on the edge of the box, but Adeyinka Najeem’s free kick went over the bar.

Another begging chance went the way of
Jonas Emmanuel but his long range volley was smartly parried by goalkeeper Bassey Akpan as the Ikon Allah Boys went into the break behind.

Tornadoes continued from where they left off at half time, as they resumed with similar urge in a bid to find the leveler, pressure paid off 52nd minute on the clock when Jonas Emmanuel benefited from Munir Idris’ pass off a good team play, as he fired a low shot into the net, to restore parity, in what was his fifth goal of the season, second since joining the Ikon Allah Boys.

Twice Munir Idris came close to grabbing a second but was intercepted inside the box and moments later, his free kick sailed over inches away.

In the dying moment of the game, 90th minute on the clock, Munir was set free on goal, in a one-on-one situation with the Bassey Akpan in goal for the visiors, but in an attempt to pull a save, the goalkeeper fouled speeding Munir inside the box and the referee was left with no choice than point to spot kick. Musa Wakili conveterted from the spot in a dramatic fashion to send the entire stadium into raptures.

Five home matches, five wins. A fortress!

*Munir Idris put the National Team disappointment behind and proved quite important to the team, as he was instrumental to the two goals, an assist and a late minute penalty.
*An outstanding performance by Sunday Akinmoladun the (Birthday Boy) to prove his leadership mettle and total commitment at the heart of defence.
*Jonas Emmanuel, again, Fantastic, full of potential. A lot more is expected from the versatile forward.
*Musa Wakili, another substitute appearance, another goal. He has proved quite instrumental to the teams quest to beat the drop. Fourth goal of the season. SUPER SUB.
*Overall an outstanding team performance.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
15′ George Michael In, Lucky Abdullahi Out.
35′ Masud Danjuma In Segun Alebiosu Out,
Edoh Ocheme Out, Munir Idris In.
72′ Mohammed Sani Rabiu In, Masud Danjuma Out. Musa Wakili In, David Emmanuel Out.

UNUSED:
Bolaji Adeyemo
Abdulrazak Yusuf
Nasiru Aliyu Laba

Up Next
3SC Niger Tornadoes

Alhassan Mohammed Kutigi
Media Officer,
Niger Tornadoes FC, Minna

Kano Pillars FC U-15 side have progressed to the quarter-final stage of the NPFL Laliga U-15 Youth League currently holding in Ikenne, Ogun State, with both ValueJet and MTN playing pivotal roles as competition sponsor and elite partners respectively.

Bashir Muhammad brightened Pillars’ hopes of qualification when he gave the Sai Masu Gida side the lead in the first half, creating a scare for MFM FC who earlier booked their qualification to the next round, with 6 points from the first two games.

Two second half goals from Idris Khamis and Shamsudeen Mohammed sealed the victory for Kano lads, leaving MFM FC’s fate hanging in the balance, at least, until after the group decider between Lobi Stars FC and Plateau United FC.

In his post-match reaction the MFM FC, Adesina Mustapha stated that: “We only had a bad day in the office today, I know this is not how we play even on the average. I guess the boys actually became reluctant and loss of focus set in, probably as a result of the fact that we’ve already amassed 6 points from our first two games.

The match between Plateau United FC and Lobi Stars was meant to decide who joins Kano Pillars as the runners up to the quarter-finals from the group.

Lobi Stars FC had to play for nothing but pride after losing their first two games in the competition while Plateau United needed a victory by any margin to stake a claim for a quarter-final ticket.

The young lads from Jos considered two quick goals from Lobi Stars via some expensive goalkeeping errors and a second half consolation was not enough to see them through.

It was a battle of supremacy between Shooting Stars and Katsina United FC to determine the group winners, as both of them were tied on the same points going into the last group games of the competition.

After a barren first half that was characterized by physical abilities and individual skills from both teams, Katrina United took the lead through Kasimu Abdullahi’s strike from 30 yards out, but with about two minutes left to play in regulation time, Samuel Ajayi drew his side level with a swift volley that rendered the goalkeeper helpless.

The coach of shooting stars U-15 side had the following to say during the post-match press briefing: “We gave the match our best and I had faith in the boys that they would deliver because we had a decent preparation coming into this competition.”

Nwagua, whose side lost to the Pride of Rivers 2-0 away, hinted that Kano Pillars will come out differently when they host Akwa United as they plan to avenge their first leg 1-0 loss in Uyo.

“First of all, I will clear the fact of watching our game, you have to know that sometimes your away strategy is different from home system so watching our game has no difference, we will still maintain our home record and keep our head focused.

“Right now, we are not taking about the one that has passed, we are actually focusing on the one that is coming so his presence has nothing to do with us because we want to win the league title besides he got his 3 points at home so we want to do the same.”

Kano Pillars remain unbeaten at home this season and will face an uphill task when they welcome table toppers Akwa United to the Ahmadu Bello Stadium on Sunday.