Yes! It's NO LONGER NEWS that while the (2024/2025)
NNL Season for the SOUTHERN CONFERENCE, Entered WEEK 10 this Weekend! The
(2024/2025) NPFL Season Berthed MATCH DAY 24, this Weekend too! Yes! SLIDING
TACKLES in keeping with our avowed Mandate of WATCHING LEAGUE GAMES, where THEY
are AVAILABLE, ACCESSIBLE and AFFORDABLE? Yes! We DECIDED to ANCHOR at OWERRI
where 2 FRONTLINE CLUBS (NNL KUN KHALIFA FC and HEARTLAND FC); had HOME GAMES,
against STRONG OPPOSITION, this Weekend!
Yes! Our FOOTBALL WEEKEND dutifully STARTED on
SATURDAY (15 March) with the Credible SOUTH EAST (NNL) Derby between NNL (GROUP
A) Clear FRONT-RUNNERS, KUN KHALIFA FC of OWERRI vs STRUGGLING (but RESURGENT)
New baby, ABAKALIKI FC of ABAKALIKI! Yes! SLIDING TACKLES knew that the
Brotherly CLASH between (PROMOTION Favourites) KUN KHALIFA FC who have WON 7
MATCHES; DRAWN ONE MATCH and LOST ONE MATCH; are LEADING GROUP A with 5 POINTS!
And! DEBUTANTS, ABAKALIKI FC who is BATTLING for LIFE in the NNL; Would be a FEROCIOUS
ENCOUNTER!
Yes! Our PREDICTION on the High-riding KUN KHALIFA vs
ABAKALIKI FC Game, indeed TURNED TRUE, as the MATCH was a CLASSICAL EPIC where
the 2 CONTESTANT'S, DIDN'T SPARE ANY PUNCHES! Yes! The KUN KHALIFA vs ABAKALIKI
FC Match up, was a FLOOR GAME, Very EXCITING to BEHOLD!
Yes! The ENCOUNTER was also a "STRIKERS
GAME"; as the 2 TOP STRIKERS of KUN KHALIFA and ABAKALIKI FC (Chijioke
AHIAEKE of KUN KHALIFA and Lanky Okoro CHUKWU of ABAKALIKI FC); STOLE the SHOW
and LIMELIGHT! However! Table-topping KUN KHALIFA FC, had their Well-deserved
1-0 UPPER HAND with a SWEET Intelligent GOAL from KUN KHALIFA Hitman, CHIJIOKE
ANIEKE (who is the NNL Leading GOAL-SCORER with 9 GOALS from 9 MATCHES)! But!
It was the (Ball-playing) Lanky ABAKALIKI FC Hitman (OKORO CHUKWU) who WON the
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD for the Highly ENTERTAINING ENCOUNTER! Yes!
OFFICIATING was again TOP NOTCH with the REFEREES, DEFENDING their OFFICIATING
BADGES, Creditably! Kudos to the MATCH OFFICIALS of the KUN KHALIFA FC vs
ABAKALIKI FC (NNL) GAME, yesterday!
Then! SLIDING TACKLES was Again at the DAN ANYIAM
STADIUM, Owerri today (16 March) for arguably the STAR MATCH of MATCH DAY 24
NPFL, involving 2 POWER-HOUSES of the NPFL (HEARTLAND FC of OWERRI vs 3SC of
IBADAN)! Yes! Today's NPFL MATCH-UP HEARTLAND FC (Fondly Called - the NAZE
MILLIONAIRE'S) and 3SC (Affectionately Styled - the OLUYOLE WARRIOR'S) is
Always a HUGE PAIRING, Anyday because BOTH SIDES have WON the PREMIER LEAGUE
TROPHY Severally in the PAST!
Yes! The HEARTLAND vs 3SC NPFL BLOCKBUSTER even became
MORE SPECIAL because the 2 COACHES of CONTESTING TEAMS, COACH EMMANUEL AMUNIKE
of HEARTLAND and COACH GBENGA OGUNBOTE (the ORACLE); are ONE of the BEST of the
NPFL! Yes! Both COACHES are highly EXPERIENCED TACTICIANS with TITLE-WINNING
MENTALITY! Yes! COACH AMUNIKE is the 2015 FIFA U17 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
WINNING COACH with the (Nigeria) GOLDEN EAGLETS! While COACH OGUNBOTE has WON
the NPFL TITLE with RANGERS FC of ENUGU! Yes! The HEARTLAND VS 3SC CRACKER, is
a GREAT PAIRING because BOTH TEAMS are in EXCELLENT FORM, at Moment! Yes! Just
as was EXPECTED, the ENCOUNTER between HEARTLAND vs 3SC Lived up to IT'S
BILLINGS! Yes! Both TEAMS CAME OUT TO PLAY FOR THE 3 POINTS at STAKE! Yes! The
ENCOUNTER was a MATURED CRACKER where the 2 TEAMS PLAYED GOOD FOOTBALL; to the
DELIGHT of the OWERRI FANS!
And! There was NO TIME-WASTING, as USUAL with NPFL
AWAY TEAMS! Yes! But SLIDING TACKLES feels DUTY BOUND to REPORT that the CENTRE
REFEREE of today's BEAUTIFUL HEARTLAND vs 3SC MATCH; NEARLY BUNGLED the highly
INTERESTING Encounter with an UNWARRANTED highly INCOMPREHENSIBLE PENALTY to
3SC from NOWHERE! Yes! SLIDING TACKLES can AUTHORITATIVELY CONFIRM that PENALTY
AWARDED Against HEARTLAND, towards the END of the CRACKING GAME, was highly
DUBIOUS and UNCALLED FOR! Yes! That "OUT-OF-BLUES" Nocturnal PENALTY which
GAVE 3SC, the EQUALIZER; was ONE of the MOST PROVOCATIVE REFEREEING DECISIONS,
I have COME ACROSS in FOOTBALL!
Yes! Many THANKS to the ALMIGHTY GOD that HEARTLAND
FC, GOT THEIR "WINNING GOAL" Some FEW MINUTES to the ENDED of the
HOTLY CONTESTED ENCOUNTER! Or! ALL HELL WOULD HAVE BEEN LET LOOSE! SLIDING
TACKLES is hereby CALLING for THOROUGH INVESTIGATION by the NPFL and the NFF
MATCH OFFICIALS APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE, on that SPURIOUS PENALTY AWARD, which
ALMOST BUNGLED THE FINE MATCH!
With my Ever-dependable Pals, the Performing CHAIRMAN
of the IMO STATE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION , BARRISTER IFEANYI DIKE (On WHITE) and
the GENERAL MANAGER of Table-topping NNL SIDE ( KUN KHALIFA FC ), CHARLES NNADI
(On MILK COLOUR), during the CRACKING MATCH UP!
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