Nominees emerge for July NPFL-LBA
The shortlists for the Manager and Player of July in the Nigeria
Professional Football League (NPFL) – League Bloggers Awards (LBA)
have been named after long deliberation.
Four players and four coaches were listed among the nominees on Monday
to vie for the NPFL-LBA for the month of July.
In the race for the manager’s award are Kabiru Dogo of Nasarawa
United, Plateau United’s Zachary Baraje, Rafael Everton of FC
Ifeanyiubah and Imama Amapakabo of Enugu Rangers.
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Dogo and Baraje helped their teams amass 10 points from five matches
apiece in the month under review and also lost once each. However,
Plateau United under Baraje stunned the bookmakers when they won at
Abia Warriors by a goal on July 3 and also won 1-0 at MFM FC on the
last day of July.
Nasarawa United managed by Dogo notched up two big wins at home
against Sunshine Stars and El-Kanemi with identical 3-0 scorelines
having added Rivers United to the teams they conquered in July. Their
other point came at struggling Ikorodu United where they played out a
2-2 draw on July 24.
FC Ifeanyiubah’s Brazilian trainer, Everton and Amapakabo share the
same stats for July. Both men guided their teams to unbeaten streaks
and got nine points apiece. Rangers’ 3-2 win at Akwa United proved a
major catalyst in Amapakabo making the shortlists for the manager of
July.
The tussle for the July players has quite an interesting field that
includes Plateau United goalkeeper, Danladi Isah. The custodian will
have to face the trio of outfield players in Abdulrahman Bashir
(Nasarawa United), Fortune Omoniwari (Akwa United) and Kingsley Eduwo
(Lobi Stars).
Isah kept three clean sheets in July – two on the road at Abia
Warriors and MFM FC and then at home to Enyimba. The Plateau United
goalkeeper was one of the reasons his team came out of their contest
at Abia Warriors as one-nil winners. He then followed up with superb
performances against Enyimba and MFM FC. Isah also saved a spot kick
at the Agege Stadium in Lagos to help his team to a 1-0 win over MFM
FC.
Omoniwari scored thrice for Akwa United in July in their losses at
home to Rangers and then away at Warri Wolves while Eduwo netted on
matchdays 27, 28 and 29 against Plateau United, Rangers and Warri
Wolves to take his tally to three goals in the month under review.
Nasarawa United striker, Bashir, who has been among the shortlists in
the past two months, notched up five goals in five matches against
Rivers United, 3SC, Sunshine Stars, Ikorodu United and El-Kanemi
Warriors.
The winners of the NPFL-LBA for July will be announced this week.
THE SHORTLIST FOR JULY
Players
Abdulrahman Bashir (Nasarawa United)
Fortune Omoniwari (Akwa United)
Danladi Isah (Plateau United)
Kingsley Eduwo (Lobi Stars)
Managers
Kabiru Dogo (Nasarawa United)
Zachary Baraje (Plateau United)
Rafael Everton (FC Ifeanyiubah)
Imama Amapakabo (Enugu Rangers)
George Akpayen
For LBA
