ILORIN AGOG FOR ABS, KWARA UTD TIE
The Ilorin Township Stadium will today be agog again as the two Premier League side from the city, ABS and Kwara United trade tackles in a Week Five match of the Nigerian Premier League.
The encounter which happens to be ABS FC's first home game this season will see them hoping to replicate last season's 3-0 victory over the Afonja Warriors. On the other hand, Kwara United would want to continue their fine form of the season by using the game as a ladder to climb up the log.
Speaking to Inside Out Premier League in Ilorin, ABS injured attacking-winger, Abdulkadiri Aminu said the Saraki boys are poised to repeat their three goals thriller over the Afonja Warriors today.
'We intend to repeat last season's triumph again this weekend against Kwara United. We hope to play better football on the pitch because our plight rests on it, else it might be difficult to run away with the three maximum points,' Aminu said.
In a sharp contrast to that of Aminu, Kwara United caretaker Administrator, Alhaji Toyin Olukoba said his lads will take all three points from the game to move up the log of the league.
'We are going to take the three maximum points from the game. This is because we do not want to disappoint our teeming supporters again. We have improved drastically from our first game against Ocean Boys, so I am optimistic that will win the tie,' Alhaji Olukoba said.
Gombe boss contented with team's performance
Chairman of Gombe United Football Club, Alhaji Auwalu Umar has conveyed his contentment over his team's performances since the league commenced first week of January this year.
Speaking on phone to Inside Out Premier league from Gombe, the Gombe State Treasury employee said the energy seen in the team over the few games, would be sustained till the end of the season.
'The team is solid in terms of goals scoring which is the joy of every club administrator. I am elated with the three games played. I am sure we will be able to maintain the momentum not only in the early stages of the league, but also throughout the season,' Alhaji Umar said.
Amapakabor declares Jigawa win no fluke
Sharks FC of Port Harcourt assistant coach, Imama Amapakabor has defended his team's victory against new-comers Jigawa Golden Stars mid-week, saying it was not a fluke but a deserved one.
Amapakabor told Inside Out Premier League from Port Harcourt that his side had suffered two straight defeats and could not allow it repeat itself so they had to put all their might in the game which actually paid off.
He reiterated that only victory with lots of goals would have satisfied them and he was happy seeing his boys delivering the goods.
'The game was just one of those that the boys knew we had to win with a wide margin. Things went our way, we lost a lot of scoring opportunities and even the referee on the day refused to award us a clear penalty. We had already lost two games which is not good for us as a team intending to contend for the league shield. Picking every point will matter when the chips are down at the end of the season,' Amapakabor said.
Commenting on his team's weekend tie against Warri Wolves at the Shark Stadium, he said, 'Every game is different from the other but we hope to approach the game with the same mentality which we did last week,' Amapakabor added.
I know they will want to stifle us in other to get something out of the game, but we will display our winning spirit on the pitch of play,' Amapakabor added.