Orkula Shaagee
10 January 2009
Coach Justin Tenger of Niger Tornadoes says a win in tomorrow's away tie against host Heartland of Owerri is necessary for the Minna-based soccer outfit to confirm its exit from the relegation zone.
Tornadoes, which was at the basement of the table at the early stage of the league are currently 15th on the 20-team league table with 19 points from 17 matches; and Tenger who was brought in to salvage some ride for the Minna side says the team's recent wining streak will not abate until he was sure of its exit from relegation.
But his counterpart in Heartland, Bulgarian Mitko Dobrev told reporters after a friendly tie against the Flying Eagles at the Abuja National Stadium that this year is for the Naze soccer lords to claim league diadem.
So, as the two sides clash at the Dan Anyam Stadium in Owerri tomorrow, expectations are high that it will be fire works from the start to the end of the match.
Soccer fans are therefore promised the best of attacking and entertaining football throughout the duration of the encounter.
A win for Heartland will secure them a first place position on the league table, especially if Bayelsa United who are current occupants of the position succumb at home to the attacking forays of Warri Wolves.
Heartland, though with same number of points as Bayelsa are occupying the second position on the table due to Bayelsa's superior goal difference.
Still nursing the pains of their 1-2 loss to Kano Pillars last week, Heartland who also lost 0-1 to the Flying Eagles last Wednesday would go hard on their visitors to claim all three maximum points at stake and sustain their aspiration for a fourth league title.
The Owerri team, then known as Iwuanyanwu Nationale dominated the Nigerian football scene in the early 80s and 90s, wining three league crowns in 1988, 1990 and 1993; as well as an FA Cup trophy in 1988.
The club also lost the league title narrowly last year to Kano Pillars, thus it picked one of the tickets to represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League competition.
Heartland, which is enjoying great and positive results in ongoing football league have their backs against the wall, as they require total victory in today's encounter to return to the top of the table.
The Naze soccer lords, tutored by Belgian Mitko Dobrev that looks to be driving the style and tempo of Nigeria's league to a new level face one of the toughest league battles in the league, as Tornadoes seem to have found their winning pattern, since the hiring of former Wikki Tourist of Bauchi coach Justin Tenger, and the change of guards at the manfement level, which brought in former NFA board member Suleiman Davids as Chairman.
Though they will be missing the services of Tswanya Emmanuel who is away for a national assignment with the Flying Eagles in wanda, Tornadoes will be relying on the prowess of Joshua Daniel and new recruits Paul Onobi, Dio Bala, Eugene Salami, Abubakar Ndanusa, Kelechi Agu, and Eugene Salami to come out victorious in tomorrow's encounter.
On their part, Heartland tactician, Mitko Dobrev will unleash on Tornadoes such great ball winners like Shehu Mohammed Goro, Emeka Nwanna, Oparaugo Obi, John Owoeri, Igho Otegeri, Agba Uchenna and Ghannaian import Aziz Ansah for another victory of the season.
They will also be counting new signings Adikwu Gabriel from Kogi United, Salaudeen Ajao from Kwara United, Efugh Chinedu from Rangers International, Kennedy Chinwo from Sherif Moldova and Orji Kalu Okagbua who was signed from Mighty Jets of Jos.
In terms of style, panache and overall technique, the Heartland, with he highest number of foreign players in the Nigerian league are considered among the very best in the Nigerian league.
But football is not about the big names, but what the players can practically do pon the field on play, and tomorrow's encounter will provide such an opportunity for the two teams to see what their players could do.
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