Rivers United have been ranked the best Nigerian football club in 2017 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in its latest club world ranking.
In the IFFHS ranking covering the period between 1st January 2017 – 31st December 2017, Rivers United had 86 total points with an impressive leap from its position of 651 in 2016 to 221 in 2017.
Continue reading IFFHS Ranks Rivers United As Best Nigerian Football Club In 2017
Fortuna Sittard, coached by ex-Nigeria captain and manager Sunday Oliseh, has led the Dutch club to their first trophy in 23 years.
Sunday Oliseh guided Fortuna Sittard to a comfortable 2-1 win over Ajax Jong with the victory confirming Fortuna Sittard as winners of the second period in the Eerste Divisie – their first silverware since 1995 after finishing as league leaders at the end of matchday 20.
The Fortuna Sittard Stadion outfit have recorded consecutive league wins over RKC Waalwijk, Den Bosch, Utrecht II, Go Ahead Eagles, Helmond Sport, PSV II and Jong Ajax in their last seven league games.
Fortuna Sittard’s last league defeat was a 1-0 loss to Cambuur on November 17, 2017. A single defeat between match day 12 and 20 in the second period of the Jupiler League.
In the words of Sunday Oliseh:
“We wanted to win this for the fans because they have not won anything in over 20 years, from a club that was dying in January to a club that is winning a Period title.
Our victory over Jong Ajax 2-1 today @FortunaSittard not only makes it a record 7 victories in a row but secures us the 2nd Period title. Fortuna’s 1st title in 23 years. God is Great!”
Sunday Oliseh’s side now sits at the summit of the Eerste Divisie log with 44 points from 20 games.
Asisat Oshoala has been named the 2017 CAF Women’s Player of the Year footballer in Accra, Ghana.
Asisat Oshoala previously won the award in 2014 and 2016. She beat Cameroonian Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene and Chrestina Kgatlana of South Africa to the top prize.
“2017 has truly been an emotional journey for me.
This is truly one of the best moments in my career. I want to encourage young girls out there to not let people discourage you and to follow your own heart.”
The former Arsenal Ladies and Liverpool Ladies player inspired her Chinese side Dalian Quanjian to a double with 19 goals – the club’s second title in their history and Cup double and she was crowned the League’s Best Striker.
10 Nigerians have now won ten (10) of the fifteen (15) CAF African Women Footballer of the Year Awards.
Winners have emerged at the 4th Nigeria Pitch Awards 2017 held in Uyo.
Asisat Oshoala, who was crowned 2016 Queen of the Pitch, beat fellow Super Falcons players Onome Ebi and Desire Oparanozie to the Queen of the Pitch award.
Continue reading Winners Of The 4th Nigeria Pitch Awards 2017
Nigeria has emerged second place winner at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships with a total of 10 medals held in Mexico city.
China topped the medals table at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships with five gold, five silver and two bronze. Only two silver medals separated the Chinese from second-place Nigeria. Iran finished third followed by Egypt and Mexico. A total of 20 countries won medals in the World Championships, one more than at Dubai 2014.
Continue reading Nigeria Emerge 2nd At The 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships
Martin Odoh of Minna Cantonment Golf Club has emerged winner of the Plateau Governor’s Cup 2017 Golf Tournament in the professional category.
Martin Odoh defeated other players with the net score 298 with over 10 gross to emerge as winner and a cash prize of ₦1.864 million as his reward.
The prize money was ₦864,000 but Governor Simon Lalong gave him an additional ₦1 million as an encouragement.
Martin Odoh in his remarks after collecting the cheque, dedicated his victory to God the giver of victories. He said that he had longed for the victory and worked very hard and thanked God that he won.
The first runner-up was given ₦700,000 while second runner-up got ₦500,000 from the Governor.
In the amateur and veteran categories of the Plateau Governor’s Cup 2017 Golf Tournament, the winners went home with different gifts including televisions, deep freezers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and water dispensers.
Governor Lalong expressed happiness with the tournament having different golfers trooping to the state to compete.
The Governor said that his administration would work hard to sustain the existing peace to keep attracting people to the state.
Tang Dapoet, Captain, Lamingo Golf Club, said that it was the first time the tournament was played on 18 green holes since the club was established in 1968.
Aruna Quadri has set a new personal record for Nigeria and himself as he is now ranked 21 in the end-of-the-year ranking released by the International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF.
The ranking was released on the 7th of December 2017 by the world table tennis ruling body.
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, in a statement said:
“This has helped him to displace Egypt’s Omar Assar as the continent’s best-ranked player in the world.
In spite of not matching the record set by Assar as the first African ranked among the top 20 in the world, Quadri ends the year as the highest-ranked African in the latest rating.’’
Following victories over top-ranked players at the Swedish Open, Aruna Quadri amassed 50 points to improve from 2457 to 2507 points to be rated 21 in the world ranking.
Prior to this latest ranking, the best achieved by Aruna Quadri in the world rating was 25 and with this, he has set a new record for Nigeria and himself.
Assar’s failure to be more active seems to have affected his rating, as the Egyptian dropped from 20 to 26 in the latest ranking.
In the words of the President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon:
“The feat is commendable as Quadri continues to put Nigeria and Africa on the world map with his scintillating performance at global stage.
We are excited about this latest ranking and this goes to show that our efforts are paying off and what we just need to do is to ensure we unearth and nurture more players like Quadri.
Also, the young players should take a cue from Quadri in terms of his diligence, professionalism and dedication to the trade.
I hope and believe they can follow his footsteps in their career to make it to the top.”
In the women’s ranking, Egypt’s Dina Meshref dropped to 110 from 92.
However, she still remains Africa’s best-ranked female player in the world, while Funke Oshonaike’s lack of playing time at global level continues to have a negative effect.