By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Abdul Maikaba, Coach of Akwa Utd FC of Uyo said the continued one goal concede by the team in all matches played in the current Nigeria Professional Football League is a challenge that has given him a worry.
Speaking in Uyo on Sunday after the team had conceded a goal to the visiting Ifeanyi Ubah FC of Aba at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Mr. Maikaba said Akwa Utd is having a goal keeper crisis making it difficult to maintain a choice keeper.
According to Maikaba, he will continue to change a Goal keeper in subsequent matches until he can get a Keeper who will not concede goal especially during home matches.
“I refused to be consistent with one goal keeper because I am trying to choose a goal keeper who will keep a clean slate by not conceding goal, especially in home matches. Our records of performance in the current professional league both home and away show that in all matches, our three goal keepers have been conceding one, one goal to our opponents. This is not a good development for our points aggregate”, Maikaba retorted.
Nevertheless, our players are playing well despite poor officiating by referees in outside matches, a development which have affected our position on the log, he added.
During last Sunday encountered with Olufemi Kayode as a goal keeper, Akwa Utd again conceded one goal within three minutes of play to Ifeanyi Ubah but managed to equalize at 74 minutes through a brilliant short by Alhassan Ibrahim. By the 1 – 1 draw, Akwa Utd has moved from 8th position to 9th with 20 points in 15 matches on the league log.
Meanwhile, schools in Oruk Anam local government area of the state emerged the overall winner at the just concluded 1st Akwa Youth Sports Festival winning 79 gold, 51 silver and 25 bronze medals.
Itu local government came up 2nd with 36 gold, 37 silver and 26 bronze medals while Uyo went home with 36 gold, 24 silver and 9 bronze medals
Speaking at the occasion, the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel reassured his administration avowed determination to invest in meaningful infrastructure in the state including sports.
He said that sports festival was a bold step by the state to discover budding stars that will make the state proud for future challenges in sports, besides producing the likes of Serena Williams, Ronaldo, Kanu Nwankwo J.J Okocha etc.
Udom, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo said that the state government would provide good environment to allow the discovered budding stars to maximize their talents.
Noting that the task of developing sports in the state as a collective effort, Governor Emmanuel urged people of the state to be conscious of the direction the state government was going and keyed into it.
He congratulated all the participating schools at the festival, assuring that government would make the event an annual calendar in the state.
The 1st Akwa Ibom Youth Sports festival was Governor Udom Emmanuel show of passion to promote sports development in the state, discover new talents, groom and ensure that within the nearest future, the state would become a new hub of champions made possible be a dedicated long term programme.
Made for primary and secondary schools otherwise called “catch them young” through the various ranks, promote their education in the process while offering these budding talents the overwhelming opportunities to be exposed to world class sporting facilities like Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, venue of the sports fiesta.
Games that featured at the 5day event which commenced from March 22 to 26 included football, handball, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, tennis, chess, judo, karate, taekwondo and other track and indoor events.
