NPFL Challenge: Top-dog Giwa to ‘eat’ dog food at Aper Aku stadium

Welcome to the second edition of the NPFL Challenge.

On the hot seat is a renowned journalist, Harry Iwuala.

Harry, the vuvuzela-blowing fan of Heartland and Arsenal, has won a number of awards reporting the league in the late 1990’s and rose to become sports editor of the defunct Post Express.

He started his journalism journey with the Guardian sports desk as an intern and then moved to AM News as sports reporter. He worked with telecoms giant Globacom Limited from 2003-2011 and founded Youdees Integrated Services Limited, a PR and sports management consulting firm.

Currently, he’s the head of special projects at the League Management Company (LMC), organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

And this is one of those special projects!

ENYIMBA V SHARKS

Harry: Enyimba and Sharks have started the season on an indifferent note and the results so far aren’t doing their reputation any good. Having said that, Enyimba still look better placed to win considering that Sharks haven’t got a result from Aba in their last three visits.

Harry’s prediction: 2-0

Victor’s prediction: 1-0

Bayelsa United v Gabros

Harry: First, there is no team called Ifeanyi Ubah in the NPFL.

Victor: No team called Ifeanyi Ubah?

Harry: There’s no team like that. You can check the official website of the NPFL for clarification. Back to the game, Bayelsa have been very poor since their ouster from CAF Confederation Cup last season and barely retained their place in the premiership with a win on the last day against Heartland in Owerri.

Harry’s prediction: 1-1

Victor’s prediction: 2-1                

LOBI STARS V GIWA

Harry: Lobi are yet to find victory in their newly renovated Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi and Giwa have shown a capacity to embarrass big teams on the road seeing what they did to Rangers in Enugu on Match Day 4. I see Lobi shrugging off their draw toga to earn maximum points.

Harry’s prediction: 2-1

Victor’s prediction: 1-0

AKWA UNITED V DOLPHINS

Harry: Zakary Baraje was saved some jeers last Sunday when a late minute strike turned the gloom at Uyo Township Stadium’s bad pitches to the eruption of joy on the stands. Up against an angry Dolphins may be another trying game for Baraje’s Akwa United. This game can go to either side for a very marginal win.

Harry’s prediction: 0-1

Victor’s prediction: 1-0

ENUGU RANGERS V EL KANEMI WARRIORS

Harry: It is redemption time at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium for Kelechi ‘Caterpillar’ Emeteole. Enugu fans of the Flying Antelopes are angry and hungry for victory and the players and their coach are condemned to produce on this Sunday. It ended 3-3 last season but expect a narrow Rangers’ win.

Harry’s prediction: 1-0

Victor’s prediction: 3-1

SUNSHINE STARS V WIKKI TOURIST

Harry: Sunshine Stars finally found the magic to enlist the 12th player (the fans) as their stands are now filled to capacity. Newly promoted Wikki Tourists must have become so accustomed to playing in a near empty arena but can’t be easily written off.

Harry’s prediction: 3-1

Victor’s prediction: 1-0

WARRI WOLVES V HEARTLAND

Harry: Hot, hot Heartland heads to Warri as the poster team at the moment and very audacious at home and away grounds. They may find their heartbreak in the hands of Wolves who were nearly wounded by the team from Congo in the CAF Confederation Cup. A draw will please both sides.

Harry’s prediction: 1-1

Victor’s prediction: 1-0                

ABIA WARRIORS V SHOOTING STARS

Harry: This fixture forms part of the very first Aba doubleheader as the game will also be played at the Enyimba International Stadium and broadcast live. It will precede the Enyimba v Sharks game and being the very first meeting between both sides in the elite league, Ladan Bosso is such to insist on an outright win.

Harry’s prediction: 2-0

Victor’s prediction: 1-1

KWARA UNITED V NASARAWA UNITED

Harry: Nasarawa has been a shadow of the side that challenged for the title last season and only missed out from the top four on the last day. Fresh from hosting champions, Kano Pillars, Nasarawa are guests to one of the most dangerous teams in the league – forget that they were brought to their knees by Heartland. A win for the Afonja Warriors is on the cards.

Harry’s prediction: 2-0

Victor’s prediction: 2-1           

     

KANO PILLARS V TARABA

Harry: Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will have an away win this day as the only match left is one that cannot fez the hosts, Kano Pillars. Emerging from their Champions League disappointment, Pillars will seek to replicate last season’s 3-1 win as they host FC Taraba. Good win for Pillars.

Harry’s prediction: 3-0

Victor’s prediction: 2-0

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH HARRY IWUALA

 

Which team among the 20 NPFL clubs do you support?

I grew up in Aba but never supported Enyimba. I started from Spartans which today is Heartland and because of Muda Lawal, I also favoured IICC Shooting Stars.

Who’s your favourite current player?

Hard to pick but I do like Emeka Eze of Rangers, a midfield pocket dynamite and one of the few players with a university degree.

 

When did you attend your first league match?

That must have been about 1981 whilst still in secondary school and Spartans had a league decider against Rangers. Unfortunately, crowd incidence meant that the game was shifted to Calabar and I couldn’t travel that far as my parents wouldn’t permit that. The legendary Festus Okubule was the centre referee and Rangers paraded Okala, Chukwu, Stanley Okoronkwo, etc.

Who was your first league hero?

Kevin Onwana of Spartans. He had a way of running the flanks to always get the equaliser in a year – 1985 – Spartans were dubbed draw specialists.

What was your most memorable match?

Sharks versus Iwuanyanwu Nationale in Port Harcourt. It ended in a draw but the hype was something else. Iwuanyanwu had just returned from a playing tour of Brazil and paraded an array of stars, Benji Nzeakor, Mike Obi, Andrew Uwe, Friday Ekpo etc.

If you had a time-machine, which league player or team would you go back and see play?

I would love to see a replay of Spartans v Shooting Stars in 1985. Rashidi Yekini and Samson Ozogula scored fantastic goals in the opening 15 minutes and I was right there behind the Spartans goal post. Ozogula’s was a powerful header from outside the box and Yekini’s was a blaster from 20 metres. However, in the second half, Kevin Onwana entered as a substitute and wriggled his way through to end the match 2-2. But I would give a gift to see Benji Nzeakor re-enact those running leg-overs and other fancy footwork that bewildered his markers.

Who has been the most interesting league person you have interviewed?

Hmmm, there are quite a lot but the one that readily comes to mind is coach Monday Sinclair. The soundness of his mind and the flow of his language marvelled me all the time.

That’s our programme for today; join us same time next week for another bumper package of NPFL Challenge.