Optima Energy Gold Cup: Akpan, Anakwe Jostle For Golden Boot Award

 

Optima Energy Gold Cup: Akpan, Anakwe Lead Race For Golden Boot Award

Shooting Stars attacking midfielder Joshua Akpan and his rival in Remo Stars Samuel Anakwe are leading in the race to grab the top scorers award of the 10th edition of the Optima Energy Gold Cup.

Akpan and Anakwe both have four (4) quality goals each after they bagged a hat trick and a goal respectively.

Akpan was first to hit three goals in the Oluyole Warrior's 4-1 thrashing of Beyond Limits on Matchday One at the FC Ebedei Stadium.

The midfielder got two goals from two free-kicks and added another via penalty. He was also the unsung hero against FC Ebedei.

Anakwe on his part scored three of his goals from open play in the 4-2 flogging of their Ogun State derby rivals, Gateway United and one in the win against Hammola FC.

On their tail are Shooting Stars Samuel Ayankinde and Remo Stars Captain Fantastic' Nduka Junior, as they are two goals each.

Meanwhile, the Taiwo Ogunjobi Foundation will gift cash rewards and plaques to the top scorer and Most Valuable Player(MVP) of the Optima Energy Gold Cup.

Olanrewaju Ogunjobi, one of the sons of former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) late Taiwo Ogunjobi in the statement said: "We are proud to be part of the tourney as it has set the standard for other preseason tournaments in Nigeria.

"It's our delight that the tourney which has a meaningful mark of our father is in its 10th edition.

"On our part, and in memory of our father, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi 'Skippo', the Taiwo Ogunjobi Foundation will reward the top scorer and Most Valuable Player(MVP) of this year's Optima Energy Gold Cup with cash sums and plaques."

Optima Energy GoldCup: Omoluabi Advocates For Youth Exposures, Lauds Organisers

 

Optima Energy GoldCup: Omoluabi Advocates For Youth Exposures, Lauds Organisers 

The Chairman of Nigeria Nationwide League One outfit Offa FC, Comrade Azeez Olarewaju 'Omoluabi' has called on Club Owners to redefine futures for talented sensations within their folds by exposing them to phenomena and activities that will help stimulate and shape their careers.

He stated this while entertaining questions from Journalists at the ongoing Nigeria's First Preseason Tournament tagged, Optima Energy GoldCup in lkenne. 

The astute football administrator cum business tycoon whose side (Offa  FC) narrowly missed out on promotion to Nigeria's second tier league (Nigeria National League) during promotion play-off in Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, wants clubs to intensify their efforts in bringing youths from grassroots to limelight by constantly exposing them to opportunities and giving them platforms to excel.

"Numerous talented players are scattered across the country, it is disheartening to see our apex clubsides recycling old war horses within their ranks.

"No proper scouting activities that will unearth the hidden ones and that's why Nigeria is depending on foreign imports at the national levels.

"When you see what Hon. Kunle Soname is doing with Remo Stars, you won't hesitate to give him hundred percent mark because of his nose and passion in raising young guns from the scratch. Most of the clubs needed ready made players to sign, they didn't think about the grassroots. I saw Remo Stars looking for grassroots players to use in Premier League. This they have been doing successfully.

"I therefore call on our managers of talents and trainers to look inward and sharpen the careers of our youths." Omoluabi stated.

While giving kudos to organisers of the ongoing Optima Energy GoldCup which enters its Tenth Edition, the Kwara born administrator said, good officiating, classical infrastructures, improved playing quality has been the hallmark of the soccer fiesta.

_Seyi Akanni_

HMK FC Growing In Leaps And Bound - Adesiyan

 HMK FC Growing In Leaps And Bound - Adesiyan

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Licensed Football intermediary and CEO of LEO Sports Agency, Isaac Opeyemi  Adeshiyan says HMK Football Club and Academy has the quality to thrive as a business as it's equipped to train football talents that are bound in Osun State and indeed Nigeria.

HMK Football Club and Academy are a Nationwide League One (NLO) side and client of LEO Sports Agency.

Adeshiyan who was in Ikenne and Sagamu, host venues of the 10th edition of the Optima Energy Gold Cup, told the media about their pet project.

"HMK Football Club is in the third division of the Nigerian domestic league, we are poised to empower the youths in Osun State and its environs and make the dreams of talented players come through by marketing them to the leagues in Africa and Europe.

 "We are a business-oriented football side and professionally run as we provide the basic and modern training programmes for our players.

"Football as we all know is capital intensive, the management of HMK has done its research on the football business in Nigeria and understands the short and long-term challenges. Given this, we are focused, and ready in our capacity on investing more into this project to achieve our set targets. 

"We started the academy in 2019, and the project has a 10-year plan. We have used more than three years and progressing day after day. 

"HMK Football Club and Academy started from the NLO Division 3 and is now in Division 1, certainly in the coming years, the project will get to the top.

"Going forward, we did learn one or two lessons in our debut season in the NLO Division 1, we hope to improve on these shortcomings going into the new football season.

"Three years down the line, we are still networking with the top clubs in and outside Nigeria,  as we try to market the good talents. We hope shortly, the club will record success with our players moving to some of the top leagues in the world."

Akpan Credits Hat-Trick To Ogunbote, Teammates

 

Akpan Credits Hat-Trick To Ogunbote, Teammates

Shooting Stars hat-trick hero against Beyond Limits, Akpan Joshua has given credit to Gbengba Ogunbote and his teammates following his goal scoring form on Matchday One of the Optima Energy Gold Cup which kicked off on Thursday in Ikenne and Sagamu.

It took Akpan 13 minutes to score three goals after Beyond Limits Ebenezer Akinsanmiro had scored the first goal of the tourney with a cool finish in the 30th minute.

Akpan scored from two free kicks in the 52nd and 60th minute and put the icing on the cake with a finish from the penalty spot in the 63rd to hand Beyond Limits their biggest loss in the Optima Energy Gold Cup.

"Ogunbote was furious with us at halftime as we were a goal down, he told us about the few mistakes we made and going forward, he said we should keep pressing as Beyond Limits players would make theirs half, Akpan said.

"At the end that happened as we scored from open play, got two free kicks, and a penalty. 

"I want to thank him for giving me the chance for proving myself and my teammates for the support, as we try to understand ourselves on the pitch better."

The former Abia Comets midfielder who is trying to seal his place in the Oluyole Warriors ahead the NPFL season, says he hopes to score more goals and help the club to win the Optima Energy Gold Cup.

"With the support of everyone, I hope to keep scoring, win the Optima Energy Gold Cup and be in shape for the upcoming season."

After securing the 3points, Shooting Stars will be up against Gombe United in their second Group B game on Saturday at the FC Ebedei Stadium in Sagamu.

Lagos To Host Nationwide League One Super 8 Tourney On October 3

The much anticipated Nationwide League One (NLO) will kick off in the sports city of Lagos, Surulere, from 3rd to 8th October.

Secretariat of the nation's third-tier domestic league announced via its media department that the Legacy Pitch, National Stadium in Surulere will host the six days.

Eight teams of Smart City FC (Lagos State), Madiba FC (Lagos State), FC Ebedei (Ogun State), Police Barretta FC, Kun Khalifa FC (Imo State), Aspire FC (Anambra State), Jnr Danburan (Katsina State) and Mailatarki Care FC of the Federal Capital Territory, will slug it out in the championship play-off to determine the overall winner for the NLO 2022 season.

The league body has also informed the team that it has made provision to accommodate a 25-man contingent, (made up of 20 players and five Officials) of each team.

The arrival date for all teams is fixed for Sunday, October 2nd while the kickoff date is 3rd October.

Opening fixtures of the championship play-off are Mailatarki Care FC versus FC Ebedei and Smart City versus Kun Khalifa FC billed for 2 and 4 pm respectively.

 

Meanwhile, the final is fixed for October 8th   at the Legacy Pitch.