Baraje, Bashir are NPFL-LBA winners for July
Plateau United coach, Zachary Baraje and Nasarawa United striker,
Abdulrahman Bashir, have emerged as the Manager and Player for July in
the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) – League Bloggers
Awards (LBA).
Baraje and Bashir were named among eight shortlists earlier this week
by the LBA to compete for honours in the month of July.
The Plateau United trainer beat the trio of Kabiru Dogo of Nasarawa
United, Imama Amapakabo of Enugu Rangers and FC Ifeanyiubah’s Rafael
Everton to win the manager’s award for the month under review.
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The Jos club under Baraje, especially since his return from suspension
after an initial poor run of results at the start of the season, have
moved out of the drop zone and the month of July was instrumental in
achieving that feat as they lost just once at Lobi Stars. Baraje’s men
notched up 10 points last month, a feat only equalled by Nasarawa
United.
However, Baraje and his team did the job mostly on the road – winning
at Abia Warriors and MFM FC – and also getting just a win and a draw
against champions Enyimba and Akwa United respectively leaving his
other contenders Amapakabo and Everton, who guided their teams to
unbeaten run, with no chance to upstage his July performance with
Plateau United in July.
In the player’s category, there was no doubt about the man who would
claim the NPFL-LBA individual prize. Bashir was in the thick of things
attacking-wise for Nasarawa United and his goals helped them win 10
points out of 15 available last month.
He scored a goal each in all five matches in July against Rivers
United, 3SC, Sunshine Stars, Ikorodu United and El-Kanemi Warriors to
fend off any sort of challenge from Plateau United goalkeeper, Danladi
Isah, Fortune Omoniwari of Akwa United and Kingsley Eduwo of Lobi
Stars.
The LBA will present Baraje and Bashir their awards on a later date.
George Akpayen
For LBA
