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.

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.”

With title-chasing Rivers United and Plateau United not in action until Thursday, the spotlight shifted to the downside of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) standings where several teams continued the fight for another stint in the elite division.

Katsina United, on19th position before the start of Matchday 24 actions, shrugged off a stubborn Shooting Stars to record a 3-1 win that helps their fight to avoid relegation this season. Madaki Alkali Dauda had opened the scoring for Katsina United in the 34th minute, but Sochima Elum restored parity after he met a loose ball with a sweet strike in the 53rd minute. However, the Chanji Boys regained their lead after Dauda converted a 59th-minute penalty kick while Aliyu Musa’s goal in the 91st minute secured a vital win that lifts the hosts to the 17th spot.
In Makurdi, Endurance Ebedebiri put Lobi Stars ahead against Gombe United on the stroke of half time while Chinonso Okonkwo doubled the lead from the penalty spot on the hour mark. AlAmeen AlAmeen came off the bench to half the deficit for the visitors in the 76th minute but Lobi Stars held on for their first win in four games, and a climb to the 16th position.
In Ikenne, Remo Stars turned out in style to grab their first ever win over Dakkada in the NPFL. Following a 33rd-minute opener from Tolulope Ojo, the visitors gave a scare by drawing level through Dan Etido’s effort six minutes later. However, the Sky Blue Stars showed class in the second half as goals from Qudus Akanni, Andy Okpe, and Sikiru Alimi earned the hosts a 4-1 win and another charge on a qualification for a CAF spot next season.

Kwara United’s up and down form continued as Abia Warriors forced a 1-1 draw in Ilorin. Samuel Tiza had broken the deadlock few seconds before the half time, but Valentine Odoh’s goal, ten minutes into the second half, earned the visitors their fifth away point of the season.
The push of Rangers Internationals for a continental tournament next season was dented by a 2-1 defeat against Niger Tornadoes. Goals by Segun Alebiosu and Musa Wakili in the 33rd and 82nd minutes respectively sandwiched Kenechukwu Agu’s equalizer on the hour mark.
The remaining five fixtures for Matchday 24 will hold across different centres on Thursday.

NPFL Matchday24 Results (Wednesday)
Lobi Stars 2-1 Gombe United
Katsina United 3-1 Shooting Stars
Niger Tornadoes 2-1 Enugu Rangers
Kwara United 1-1 Abia Warriors
Remo Stars 4-1 Dakkada FC

Thursday’s fixtures
Sunshine Stars vs Rivers United
Akwa United vs Nasarawa United
MFM FC vs Wikki Tourists
Heartland FC vs Plateau United
Enyimba International vs Kano Pillars

The 2021 NPFL/La Liga U15 Promises final takes place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium on Sunday with Katsina United facing Warri Wolves.

Defending champions Katsina United are bidding for their third crown, whereas Wolves are gracing the biggest stage of U15 football in Nigeria for the first time and would be one of the most surprising winners in the competition’s history.

The current crop of players discovered in Enugu have the ability to ensure that the next decade or so is fine for Nigeria, with some of the best young players and quality in every area of the pitch.

Katsina United

The omens are there for Katsina United, then, but it has not all been plain sailing up to this stage; they were lackluster in the semi-final against MFM FC but pulled through 4-2 on penalties.

With the exception of the MFM FC match, Kastina United have relied on defensive solidity more than attacking flair, but with Nafiu Dahiru and the likes of Yakubu Sadiq, Umar Bala and Umar Abubakar in their ranks they are certainly capable of turning on the style in the final third should the need arise.

The talent at the team’s disposal meant that his side were always among the favourites to lift the trophy in Enugu.

Warri Wolves

Wolves’ journey to the final has been described as remarkable, and with the talent they have in their team it is easy to overlook just how big an achievement it is.

There is no getting away from the fact that Wolves have had a tough route all the way to the final, with most of the pre-tournament favourites devoured by the Seasiders.

They pipped Akwa United 1-0 in the semi-final with Okiki Oghenevwegba on song at the Cathedral.

There is no doubting their heart, then, and they have the smatterings of a promising talent to go with it – from Okiki, who is a top candidate for best player of the tournament, and Uwakwe Samson to Angayama Jeffery and Mamah Stephen.

Whether that quartet can have as much of an impact against Katsina United remains to be seen – it certainly appears to be the best midfield and defence they have come up against so far – but they have made it this far on merit and should they pick up one more victory then it will be a remarkable feat.

Team News

All eyes will be on Umar Abubakar on Sunday as the youngster plays like Rashidi Yekini.

Doing so would be a fitting finale to a stunning tournament from the attacker, and while it is far too soon to suggest that he may go on to enjoy a career like Yekini, rarely does such a prodigious talent emerge and then perform on the biggest stage.

Such has been Umar’s impact that others have had to play the supporting act, including Khalifa Aminu.

Muhammed Sani is expected to keep his place in the side.

Momentum seemed to give the Katsina United players an extra boost. So, the technical crew are unlikely to make any changes if they can avoid it.

There are no injury concerns, and Okiki Oghenevwegba’s performance in the semi-final is expected to have earned him another starting spot for the final.

Angayama Jeffery was Wolves’ main dangerman against Akwa United and he should be crucial again today.

Katsina United possible starting lineup: Abubakar Anas, Aminu Sani, Kasimu Abdullahi, Yakubu Sadiq, Umar Bala, Muhammed Sani, Nafiu Dahiru, Khalifa Aminu, Abubakar Yasir, Ummaru Sule, Umar Abubakar

Warri Wolves possible starting lineup: Onakpoya Marho, Richard Eriga, Usen Emmanuel, Isaac John, Alatan Azuka, Believe Nse, Uwakwe Samson, Asomusho Kelly, Mamah Stephen, Angayama Jeffery, Okiki Oghenevwegba

This is contained in a congratulory message sent to the young Seasiders after they beat Akwa United by a lone goal in the semi-finals on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Etu said the Warri Wolves U-15 team came into the tournament as unsung heroes, thanking the Delta State Government through the Delta State Sports Commission, DSSC, led by Tonobok Okowa for supporting the team morally, financially, and otherwise.

He stated emphatically that the allowances and bonuses of the Junior Wolves have taken care of accordingly.

“They should go for the trophy on Sunday against Katsina United,” Etu said in the club congratulory statement issued by him on behalf of the Seasiders.

“Nothing short of the cup. We should go out for the cup now.”

“They came to the tournament as unsung heroes. But with the support of the executive chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Tonobok Okowa, who approved their budget, their allowances and bonuses have been regularly paid.”

“When I say regularly, I mean regularly. They’ve justify the confidence and investment in them.”

“They should not allowed anything distract them now. They should be at their best again against Katsina United and bring back the trophy.”

“The executive chairman of the state sports commission will lead the state delegation to Enugu on Sunday.”

In their first Pool B game of the league, the Junior Wolves had beaten Katsina United 4 – 1.

On Sunday, the young Seasiders will their rivalry with the young Changi Boys from Katsina in the final game.

Kickoff time is 4pm.

Warri Wolves Media

The encounter had ended 0-0 at regulation time, as Katsina United got to the finals.

MFM FC striker Lucky Akinleminu was wasteful in front goal as he missed six chances. But credits should go to goalkeeper Abubakar Anas who was brilliant behind the sticks.

In the shootout, the team from Lagos rued their afternoon after two of their players missed from the penalty spot.

In the other semi final between Warri Wolves and Akwa United, the Seasiders won 1-0.

A 20th minute solo effort from Okiki Oghenewvegba was enough to set the high flying Junior Wolves against Katsina United in the final.

Okiki picked up the ball from the edge of the arc and skipped past four Akwa United players before finding the back of the net to deliver a golden moment for the young Seasiders’ team, who have been one of the best sides in the competition.

Wolves will face Katsina United in the final on Sunday.

The battle for slots in the last four wasn’t determined until today as the young lads thrilled at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

Ajibona Uthmann became the first player to net a hat-trick in this year’s tournament as MFM FC disgraced Lobi Stars 6-1.

Madu Ebuka registered a brace while Akinleminu Lucky also scored for the Olukoya Boys.

Ihuee Bernard accounted for Stars’ solitary goal.

Akwa United humbled Heartland 2-0, thanks to goals from Idorenyen John and Ofofon James.

In their last game in Pool B of the competition, Wolves defeated Kano Pillars 2-1 in a keenly contested tie.

Prior to the encounter, Kwara United and Katsina United had played a barren draw in the first Pool B game of the day.

That result had set the stage for a-winner-takes-it-all clash between Pillars and Warri Wolves, as the young Seasiders had garnered four points from their two Pool B games earlier, while Kano Pillars were on three points.

The young Sai Masu Gida campaigners went ahead in the 35th minute of the tie through Ishaq Muktar from the penalty spot.

Four minutes later, Wolves had their perfect response when Jeffery Angayana scored the equalizer.

In the second half of the encounter, Manah Stephen scored the winner and deflated all hopes of qualification for Kano Pillars.

Meanwhile, MFM FC have a tricky semi-final test against defending champions Katsina.

The other fixture will see Warri Wolves lock horns with Akwa United.

Both games will take place at the Cathedral on Friday.

Umar Abubakar and Khalifa Aminu handed Katsina United a two-goal lead at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

Ahmad Hassan set up a tensed home stretch when he reduced the deficit for Pillars.

Heartland defeated Lobi Stars 1-0 thanks to Uzom Testimony’s 19th minute goal.

MFM FC weren’t potent in front of goal and they drew 0-0 against Akwa United.

Kwara United and Warri Wolves settled for a 0-0 draw to wrap up the day’s games.

Akwa United are on top of Group A with four points same with MFM FC. Heartland are third with three points while Lobi Stars are pointless after two games in the second group phase of the competition.

In Group B, Warri Wolves have accumulated four points from two games, Kano Pillars and Katsina United have three points each. At the bottom is Kwara United with one point.

Day 10 Results:

Kano Pillars 1-2 Katsina United

Lobi Stars 0-1 Heartland

MFM FC 0-0 Akwa United

Warri Wolves 0-0 Kwara United.

Day 11 Fixtures – Wednesday 28th April, 2021

Lobi Stars Vs MFM FC

Akwa United Vs Heartland

Kano Pillars Vs Warri Wolves

Katsina United Vs Kwara United

Kano Pillars, Warri Wolves, Akwa United and MFM FC all recorded victories at the NPFL/La Liga U15 Promises on Monday.

The Day 9 games produced a total of nine goals at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

First half of the game between Kwara United and Kano Pillars ended goalless.

The match opened up in the final 10 minutes, with Idriss Khamsa and Imrana Musa helping Pillars conquer the Harmony Boys 2-0.

Defending champions, Katsina United were the next prey of Warri Wolves in a 4-1 defeat.

Umar Abubakar cancelled out Abdul Samuel’s opener.

But Wolves went hunting with Nwakwe Sampson, Vwegba Solomon and Uchenna Ejiogu successful in crushing the prey.

Nsikak Umoh was on target as Akwa United pipped Lobi Stars 1-0 at the Cathedral.

Wastefulness in front of goal from Heartland cost them as they were defeated 1-0 by MFM FC. Akinleminu Lucky accounted for the solitary goal.

Day 9 Results

Kwara United 0-2 Kano Pillars

Katsina United 1-4 Warri Wolves

Akwa United 1-0 Lobi

Heartland 0-1 MFM FC

Day 10: Tuesday 27th April, 2021

MFM FC v Akwa United

Lobi Stars v Heartland

Warri Wolves v Kwara United

Kano Pillars v Katsina United