Kogi Utd to end the season on high- Gaffer

It was a white wash experience for the visitor as Kogi Utd walloped Yobe Desert Stars 3-0 in the Matchday 21 of Bet9ja Nigerian National League, NNL clash in Lokoja on Saturday, codedreporter.blogspot.com.ng gathers.


Bobby opened the scoresheet for Kogi United with guiding header from Ibrahim Mustapha's cross in the 32nd minute.


The forward became the provider in the 43rd minutes as his cut back pass was converted calmly by Idris Muye after John John had taken out Yobe defenders in the box.


Micheal Bolaji would arrived on time in Yobe's box to volleyed in a low cross from Mustapha in the 78th minutes to completed the romping for the Confluence State's club.


United could have taken the lead in the 15th minutes when Bobby was allowed to control Iwuji's pass in the Yobe's box but his shot hit the upright to sail away.


The Damaturu side survived two quick attacks from United as a goal bound shots from both John John and Victor Tale were blocked by the crowded defense.


And the goal arrived for Kogi United in the 32nd minutes when the visitors were about settling into the game as Iwuji snatched a loose ball from Ahmed Shittu and quickly found Mustapha on the run who didn't waste time with his cross that was headed in by diving Bobby.


United almost doubled their lead within two minutes afterwards as Yobe goalkeeper Mohammed Abdullahi put out John John's little tap in from Iwuji's delivery, and Beach Eagles' defender Victor Tale had his thunderous shot from set piece that went off target.


Just as both sides were preparing to retire into dugout for half time, United's second goal arrived in the 43rd minutes off a perfect team work.


Tale took the initiative to make way into Yobe's half before founding Bobby on the wing, the forward sent his cut back pass into the visitors' goal area which was sailed over by John John for Muye bury into bottom corner and give Kogi United a two goal cushion at half time.


Yobe Desert Stars upped the ante in the formative stage of the second half with quick attacks but weren't clinical in front of goal as United defended with confidence.


John John could have took the game to bed for Lokoja based club at the stroke of an hour when Yobe defenders failed to clear the ball in their box and allowed Mustapha to steal but his pass to the bulky forward met him in offside position before tapping in.


The tempo of the game went down as the match nears its final minutes but United were undone with scoring goals.


Another attack for the hosts was initiated by Muye and Iwuji on the left flank. Mustapha received the pass as he took out Yobe defenders before finding unmarked Bolaji with low cross which was volleyed in past helpless Abdullahi and sent the sizable crowd at the Confluence Stadium into wild jubilation.


Head Coach of Kogi United Tunde Abdulrahman who was excited with the result and  performance of his boys said his team were gradually back to where they should be with their output.

The former Kwara United and Wikki Tourists handler however expressed optimism that Kogi United would end the season on a high note with more decent results.


"I'm happy with the boys' response today, we have been on the rise in the last four matches, they are more committed now as they know what is at stake for the team.


"We expect to increase and improve on this result and performance in our next game, I'm sure if we can get more good results on the road by God's grace I'm sure we will end the season where we want," he told club Media.

NLO: Referees/Match Commissioner gets 1 year ban from NFF

A 66th minute disputed goal scored by Doma  United FC against FC Yarmalight that led to the disruption of the week 6 match no. 18 of the Nationwide League One ( NLO ) played on 30 June, 2017 at Patami Stadium, Gombe has earned the match officials one year suspension from officiating in the Nationwide League.

This was contained in the judgement delivered by the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF headed by Bar. Musa Amadu on Thursday after hearing from the parties involved in a meeting in Abuja.

The Disciplinary Committee of the NFF suspended the Centre Referee ( Muntaka Abubakar) from Nasarawa state,  Assistant Referee II ( Dahiru Usman Jnr) and Match Commissioner , (Mohammed Nazah ) from all football activities for the 2017/18 season.

The Committee also ruled that the match shall be continued from the 66th minute in Bauchi state with a new set of match officials on a date and time to be fixed by the secretariat of the NLO .

Furthermore, the player Garba Mohammed , a registered player of FC Yarmalight  for the 2016/17 season was also suspended for the next three games for equally being used as a vigilante to harass and intimidate the Assistant Referee II from performing his duty.

Also, some  club officials were not exempted from sanctions over their bad sportsmanship . Shafiu Ahmed , the team manager of FC Yarmalight and Suleiman Umar, Chairman, Doma  United FC are suspended for the next three games which shall be extended to next season accordingly .

FC Yarmalight is also fined the sum of N100,000.00 for using a registered player, Garba Mohammed as a vigilante to bring the game to disrepute and the fines shall be paid within 14 days from the date of this decision.

VAT Wonder Goal 10: Bashir, Chidume, Jimoh in race for VAT Wonder Goal 10

Matchday 29 goals by Abdulrahman Bashir of Nasarawa United, Victor Chidume of Remo Stars and Wasiu Jimoh of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) have been nominated to vie for this Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season's VAT Wonder Goal 10.

Out of the 16 goals recorded on Matchday 29, the strikes by the trio were adjudged to have been outstanding.

Bashir's goal helped Nasarawa United claim a 1-0 success at Sunshine Stars which eventually proved to be their first away victory of the campaign. It was a goal that started from the back when Nasarawa United goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso served out the ball to Ocheme Edoh who did well to cushion the ball and pass it to Aminu Kadir. Kadir's pass over the Sunshine Stars defence teed up Bashir and the striker calmly lobbed the ball over a despairing Sunshine Stars goalkeeper Henry Ayodele for his goal.

In a see-saw match at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi that produced five goals, Chidume scored a gem of a goal for Remo Stars who eventually lost 2-3 to Lobi Stars. The Sky Blue Stars picked the pocket of Lobi Stars in midfield and immediately the ball fell to the feet of Chidume, he instinctively aimed his attempt at goal from the centre circle leaving eggs in the face of Lobi goalkeeper Okiemute Odah when the ball nestled in the net.

Jimoh's goal for Shooting Stars in a 1-0 win over Katsina United at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan was from a free kick. The ball was touched for the midfielder, who rifled the ball into the top right corner of Katsina United goalkeeper Danjuma Dami Paul.

Matchday 29 VAT Wonder Goal is now open for voting till 11.59pm of Friday, 4 August. Voting will take place via the Twitter handle @LMCNPFL and on the website, www.npfl.ng.

I am still pained by the way I was removed as NFF President- Lulu

Former President Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, said he is still pained by the way and manner he was impeached and removed as the President of the federation, after serving meritoriously for four years.

Lulu expressed his bitterness while featuring as a guest of the Osun Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)'s monthly stakeholders forum tagged "Osun SWAN Platform" in Osogbo on Wednesday.  

According to him; "As I am talking to you here, I am not a happy man because some people sat and stop me from giving my service, my sincere service to my great country.

"Temporarily, in my life, one minute in 24 hours, I can say I am a very pained man. I am always bitter knowing I am still facing court prosecution on allegations of mismanagement of funds.

"I sometimes have to trek to Abuja while members of my administration, impeached with me, have to spend money to come to Abuja to attend court proceeding that had been on since I was removed in 2010."

He said despite all that happened, he is still a patriotic Nigerian, who believes in the fight against corruption of the current administration, stating that he is optimistic, that soon, the fight would extend to his case and he would be vindicated of the charges against him.

"To show that I am innocent, the congress of the NFF impeached me in July 2010 but they quickly retracted the impeachment by December of the same year after I took the case to Court of Arbitration for Sports.

"I should be recalled as the NFF chairman after my impeachment was retracted but nothing of such was done but instead, the EFCC was invited to investigate me and the NFF did not come to my defense.

"I am battling bitterness with this development but I remained prayerful and patient because I know God will vindicate me and I also believe that this present administration that doesn't condone corruption will bring out the truth in my case" he said

Lulu however said he had put behind any ambition of returning as NFF chairman, either now or in the future, because he has nothing to go and pick in the Glass House but would rather concentrate on his Football Academy (Fosla) as a way of giving back to Nigeria.

Lulu established Folsa Football Acadamy in 2010/11 in Abuja (to assist and develop talented indigent secondary school students) after leaving the NFF, where he served as chairman from 2006 to 2010.

FIFA Appoints Gambian & Egyptian Referees for Nigeria Vs Cameroon 2018 WCQ Back To Back Game

World football –ruling body, FIFA, has released appointments of officials for the Matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying race (Africa series), with Egyptian top official Ghead Grisha and respected Gambian Papa Gassama to take charge of the two potentially –explosive encounters between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Grisha, full name Ghead Zaghloul Ibrahim Selim Grisha, has been designated to be at the centre for the big clash between the reigning African champions and the three –time African champions in Uyo on Friday, 1st September 2017, to be assisted by Redouane Achik (Moroccan, Assistant Referee 1), Waleed Ahmed Ali (Sudanese, Assistant Referee 2) and Mahmoud Zakaria Mohamed (Egyptian, Fourth Official).
Former FIFA referee Felix Onias Tangawarima from Zimbabwe has been assigned as Referee Assessor, with Congolese Jean Médard Kossa as Match Commissioner.

 The match will start at 5pm Nigeria time at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

For the return leg scheduled for the Stade Omnisports, Yaounde on Monday, 4th September 2017, Papa Bakary Gassama will be at the centre, to be assisted by Jean Claude Birumushahu (Burundian, Assistant Referee 1), Aden Marwa Range (Kenyan, Assistant Referee 2) and Maudo Jallo (Gambian, Fourth Official).


Jerome Kelvyn Damon, a former FIFA referee from South Africa, will be Referee Assessor, while Sudanese Osama Ataaelmanan Hassan will be Match Commissioner. The match starts at 6pm Cameroon time.

Grisha, 41, and who has been an international referee since 2008, also took charge of Nigeria’s Matchday 1 encounter against Zambia in Ndola, which the Super Eagles won 2-1. Gassama, 38, was at the centre when the Super Eagles thrashed the Fennecs of Algeria 3-1 in Uyo on Matchday 2.