Nigeria Premier League

League Table

2012 Nigeria League Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Kano Pillars	20	9	6	5	22	12	+10	33	Qualification to the 2013 CAF Champions League
2	Enugu Rangers	20	9	6	5	23	14	+9	33
3	Dolphins	20	10	3	7	22	18	+4	33	Qualification to the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup
4	Template:Fb team Wikki Tourists	20	10	2	8	18	20	−2	32	Qualification to the WAFU Club Championship
5	Enyimba	20	9	4	7	19	13	+6	31
6	Lobi Stars	20	9	3	8	22	17	+5	30
7	Template:Fb team Akwa United	20	8	6	6	19	15	+4	30
8	Sharks	20	9	3	8	21	23	−2	30
9	Warri Wolves	20	7	8	5	20	16	+4	29
10	Gombe United	20	8	5	7	24	21	+3	29
11	Heartland	19	7	6	6	19	17	+2	27
12	Template:Fb team ABS	20	7	5	8	23	20	+3	26
13	Shooting Stars	20	7	5	8	15	20	−5	26
14	Sunshine Stars	19	7	4	8	21	18	+3	25
15	Kwara United	19	7	4	8	15	13	+2	25
16	Template:Fb team Jigawa Golden Stars	20	7	3	10	13	24	−11	24
17	Niger Tornadoes	20	6	5	9	17	24	−7	23	Relegation to the Nigeria National League
18	Kaduna United	20	7	1	12	17	25	−8	22
19	Template:Fb team Rising Stars	20	5	6	9	9	16	−7	21
20	Ocean Boys	19	4	7	8	12	24	−12	19

Updated to games played on 22 April 2012
Source: Nigeria Premier League

Former Super Eagles Striker Rashidi Yekini Dies at 48

Mon, May 7, 2012

Former Super Eagles Striker Rashidi Yekini Dies at 48

Nigeria most prolific striker ever and goal banger, Rashidi Yekini, is dead. The two-time African Footballer of the Year died on thurday evening in Osogbo after a prolonged illness. He was just 48 years old. Yekini was Nigeria's national team highest/record goal scorer, scoring 37 goals in 58 appearances.

He's survived by two children. So so sad. May his soul rest in peace, amen.

Premier League - Arsenal plan friendly in Nigeria

Fri, 04 May 11:34:00 2012

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Arsenal are planning to visit Africa for the first time in 19 years by travelling to troubled Nigeria for a pre-season friendly.

The opposition for the August 5 match is not yet known but is likely to be a leading African national team, the London club said on their website on Friday.

The friendly will be played at the 60,000-capacity Abuja National Stadium.

Arsenal, who are also planning pre-season games in China, Malaysia and Hong Kong, last visited Africa for a tour of South Africa in 1993.

The Islamist group Boko Haram has been fighting a low-level insurgency in Nigeria for more than two years.

Although its attacks are mostly in the north of Africa's most populous nation it has bombed several targets in the capital Abuja, located in the centre of the country.

The office of local newspaper This Day was hit on April 26 by a car bomb and last year United Nations headquarters and the office of the chief of police were struck by suicide bombers.

The sect, which wants to impose an Islamic state on Nigeria's evenly mixed population of Muslims and Christians, has been blamed for hundreds of killings since its uprising against the government in 2009.

Bolt may face surprise challenge in 100 meters

Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt could have an unexpected challenger when the Jamaican world record holder runs his first 100 meters on Saturday. Asafa Powell, who held the world record before Bolt became athletics' biggest name, is considering switching from the 200 to the 100 at the Jamaica International Invitational because of a minor groin injury.
Meeting official Donald Quarrie said no decision had been made, but the sprinter's agent said they were evaluating all options.
Powell originally had been scheduled to run the 200 against 100 meters world champion Yohan Blake, but the groin injury has the world's third-fastest man contemplating a move to the shorter, less stressful distance.
"If I don't run the 200 and get in the 100, that would be fine with me because this is what I'm training for and I have to be ready at anytime," Powell told Reuters. "I feel good so we'll see."
With the London Olympics less than 85 days away, Bolt is hoping to make the race a test of his preparations with or without Powell. His only race of the season has been a 4x100 meters relay.

Sir Alex Ferguson:  City's title race in their hands

Fri, 04 May 1:41:10 2012

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Sir Alex Ferguson has rejected Roberto Mancini's insistence that Manchester United remain favourites for the Premier League title.

Despite Manchester City's victory over United on Monday, which took them back to the top of the table on goal difference with just two matches remaining, Mancini continues to regard his team as underdogs.

His theory is that United have an easier run-in, which in some senses is correct given City must travel to face in-form Newcastle on Sunday.

However, Ferguson does not believe that is any basis for thinking City are going to blow their chance to secure a first championship since 1968.

"What do you think?" said Ferguson when Mancini's theory was put to him during Thursday's press conference. "They've got two games left. If they win their two games they win the league.

"People talk about goal difference, but it depends how many they win by. Say they win 3-0 on Sunday, their lead would be 11 and they still have QPR at home. That would be impossible."

 

Premier League - No deal talk yet said RVP

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Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was relaxed about his future as he collected the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award on Thursday evening, insisting no matter what happens during the rest of his career he would "always be a Gunner".

The Netherlands striker, 28, topped the poll of journalists with a landslide victory ahead ofManchester United duo Wayne Rooney andPaul Scholes, with Fulham's Clint Dempseyfourth.

Van Persie's 35 goals in all competitions have helped propel Arsenal into the top four of the Premier League, leaving them on the brink of automatic promotion to the Champions League next season, a European campaign Van Persie looks set to be part of as he plans summer talks over a new deal.

He said: "That is still the plan, we haven't set a date but I will have a meeting with the boss like we did before, now we will be having a meeting about my future, and lots of other things.

"Arsenal is an unbelievable club, the player I am today is because of Arsenal. When I actually signed the deal (to join Arsenal) it was a dream come true.

"If you ask the likes of Robert Pires how he feels, what he feels like he will say 'I feel like a Gunner' - and whatever happens with me I will always be a Gunner."