Sports: We're very happy with the three points, says Ilechukwu

AgegePulse Magazine

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries FC coach Fidelis Ilechukwu says his team is excited after their 1-0 victory over Wikki Tourists.

The Olukoya Boys claimed yet another home win on Sunday at the Soccer Temple, Agege Stadium courtesy of a 69th minute goal by substitute, Chijioke Akuneto and moved to top of the Group A table of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The visitors gave a good account of themselves in both halves as they threatened the hosts on many occasions. The first 45 minutes of the match ended goalless.

On resumption of the second half, Ilechukwu made two early tactical changes. He substituted Akanni Elijah and Balogun Alade for Akuneto and Mubarak Said.

The two substitutes combined well after 24 minutes of play. Akuneto received a low cross from Mubarak and tapped the ball in to give MFM the only goal of the game.

The head coach expressed his excitement after the victory and promised to make some corrections before his team's next NPFL game.

"It was a fantastic win for us; before the game we talked about their team and the quality players and we analyzed them. They are a very good side, we beat them today because we prepared for it and we are very happy about it.

"It's all about three points for now.

"You know after a game even if you win you have to look at what happened to your team during the match and you must look for a way to close the lapses even when you win or draw but now we won the game and we know that we have a lot of lapses but we will work on them and make corrections maybe tomorrow before traveling for our away match," he told MFM FC Media.

The Lagos-based team currently sit in the first position on the Group A standings with nine points from five NPFL games.

Gov. Ambode to make Agege Stadium fit for CAF Champions League

Receives MFM FC, Donates N50M To Club

…Says Lagos Games Village To Commence In 2018

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday heaped praises on the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Football Club for returning the State back to the prestigious CAF Champions League sixteen years after a team from the State participated in the tournament.

Speaking at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja when he received MFM FC alongside top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as well as some ex-internationals, Governor Ambode said it was gratifying that a team from the State would be participating in the 2018 edition of the continental tournament after such a long time, just as he pledged to assist the team with the necessary support to ensure successful campaign at the championship.

While congratulating the team for the feat, Governor Ambode particularly acknowledged and saluted the vision of MFM General Overseer, Pastor Kayode Olukoya who founded the team ten years ago, saying that the State Government was proud to associate with his idea of meaningfully engaging the youths to contribute positively to the society.

Responding to some requests by the MFM FC, Governor Ambode donated N25milion to the footballers and officials of the club for qualifying for the CAF Champions League and another N25million to ensure hitch-free campaign, as well as adequately prepare for the tournament.

Already, the Governor said the State Sports Commission had been directed to ensure that the Agege Stadium, which is the home-ground being used by MFM FC, be put in good shape to meet up with CAF standard before inspection in December.

I want to also say that we have directed our sports team and the Sports Commission to make sure that everything needed, just as earlier requested, to ensure that Agege Stadium is certified by CAF is done, Governor Ambode said.

While recalling the promise he made to the people during electioneering to use tourism, hospitality, entertainment and arts as well as sports for excellence, Governor Ambode said the feat by the team aptly conform with the vision and plan of the State Government to use sports to advance the economy and positively engage the youths.

According to him, We need sports to use it as an instrument to build the economy of Lagos and also direct the energy of our younger ones to things that are very positive as exemplified by what is happening today. Beyond football, they continue to use it for their own mental ability to be able to be proud future leaders in this country and that is what we are trying to say.

It is a way of propagating new leaders and people who are properly disciplined because you need a lot of discipline to play football. There are things that are not taught in schools that you actually find in sports and that is the direction we are trying to go with youth development in this State and so I like to commend the team and the officials, the Governor said.

While speaking on other plans for sports development in the State, Governor Ambode said aside the ongoing transformation of Onikan Stadium to world class standard, a major upgrade of the Teslim Balogun Stadium would soon be carried out, while efforts were already ongoing for the Lagos Games Village located along the Lekki-Epe axis to commence in 2018.

Also, the Governor said his administration would soon invite stakeholders in the sports sector to discuss modalities for the Lagos Premier League which, according to him, would have twenty teams.

However, Governor Ambode charged the MFM FC to be good ambassadors of the State and be at their best at the tournament.
Earlier, MFM Director of Sports Worldwide, Mr Godwin Enakhena commended Governor Ambode and indeed the State Government for the support so far extended to the team, saying the assistance contributed to the feat achieved by the team to play at the continental level.

He recalled how the State Government released Agege Stadium to MFM FC free of charge for use as home-ground and other security arrangements, as well as logistics, adding that the immense support of the government was well appreciated.

Enakhena, who spoke on behalf of Pastor Olukoya, however, urged the State Government to continue to support the team especially financial support and also make Agege Stadium suitable for CAF Champions League, the requests which were instantly granted by the Governor.

MFM FC bring Continental football back to Lagos after 13 years ...We will not miss Steven Odey in the continental says MFM Coach,

After 13 years absence of continental club football action in Lagos State, modest Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries FC have rewritten history as they sealed qualification  to the apex club football competition in Africa.

MFM claimed the deserved spot in the next edition of CAF Champions League after defeating Nassarawa United 2-0 in the Match Day 37 game of the NPFL in Lagos courtesy of goals from Okorom Stanley and Tchato Giscard.

The Olukoya Boys beat the imagination of many to do the unthinkable following their victory over the Solid Miners in one of NPFL Matchday 37 fixtures played on Sunday at the Soccer Temple, Agege Stadium.

Nasarawa United started the exciting encounter guns blazing with series of sleek passes but they later surrendered to the resilient of the Lagos-based team after the first five minutes of exchange.

The man of the match, Okorom was the first to make a statement for MFM FC two minutes after the visitors surrendered their dominance when he tested Suraj Ayeleso with a right-footed shot but the Nasarawa United goalkeeper saved his effort.

Olatunbosun Sikiru was brought down near the edge of the visitors’ box and the referee signalled for a free kick in the 12th minute. Okorom scored from the free kick spot following a superb strike that left Nasarawa United defenders in dismay.

The right-back capped his man-of-the-match performance with an assist when he delivered a well tailored cross to Tchato Giscard to head home the second goal in the first minute of the added time. The second half ended with MFM FC maintaining a comfortable 2-0 lead.

MFM FC Coach, Ilechukwu Fidelis in a brief interview said the club would not miss Steven Odey in the continental competition, boasting that MFM FC would develop new poachers, the same way it developed new FC Zurich man. "We are ready for the continental and our boys are ready to make our country proud."

AgegePulse HEADLINES TODAY

AgegePulse HEADLINES TODAY 

[MON-06-MAR-2017]

Olu Agege HRM Oba Kamila Isiba to mark 5^th year anniversary on Throne

AgegePulse Magazine celebrates second year anniversary on Social Media,

Abule Egba Bridge FlyOver nears completion, to be open for commuters soon.

NPFL: MFM 1-0 Remo Stars, goal from Stephen Odey

Ibile Peaceful Assembly Inaugurate over 3,000 members in Oyo

Lagos holds community rehabilitation programme

PUNCH NEWS

FG to recover assets illegally converted to private use

Govt removes 10% contribution on mortgages below N5m

Onnoghen: Saving a judiciary on the cliff

CBN new forex policy fails to excite foreign investors

Firm to invest $6bn in electricity generation

Naira may reverse losses this week on dollar injection

Economic recovery'll be driven by technology, innovation 'Udoma

Nine accounting mistakes small businesses must avoid

Property market not likely to bounce back soon ' Akomolede

Experts highlight opportunities in LFTZ, Dangote refinery

We paid retirees N801m in February ' LASG

All MDG projects will be completed 'FG

UnityKapital introduces e-payment channels

Omatek founder, Florence Seriki, dies at 54

NCF expresses concern over sand mining in Lagos

IEI gets shareholders' approval to raise N13bn

Kaduna increases workers pension savings to 20%

Environmentalist seeks better wetland management

VANGUARD NEWS

Senate uncovers alleged N10trn fraud in NNPC

3,000 cultists submit arms to cleric in Rivers

N10m bribery scandal: Court admits statement implicating CCT boss

FG creates assets database

No threat of famine in Nigeria ' Ogbeh

To evade arrest smugglers abandon canoe-load of rice, jump into river

Bayelsa LG bosses move to resolve Odioma, Obioku land dispute

Chinese national dead, 3 injured in Bauchi-Jos road auto crash

FG's policies on N-Delta, anti-graft war get kudos

HOSTCOM hails FG's order to oil firms on relocation of Hqtrs

13% derivation fund: Why we must review sharing formula in N-Delta 'Ikponmwen

Auchi Poly: Community, traders beg unions to end strike

Five missing after 122 migrants rescued off Libya

S.Africa vows to pay 17 million welfare grants despite crisis

11 Malian soldiers killed in attack on border base

Buhari calls Obasanjo

Gale of deportations of Nigerians

We are proud of your legacies, achievements; PDP tells Obasanjo

THE NATION NEWS

Senior citizen Bolaji's plight

Candidate Mugabe's Corpse

INEC probe panel on N23b bribe: REC got N140m cash

Banks get 24hrs for BTA, PTA requests

Akeredolu'll give account soon

I'm not under pressure to step down, says Makarfi

Mbang: Obasanjo best President Nigeria ever had

Minister laments poor power supply to Abuja

Masari bans unlawful assembly in Katsina

Fertiliser to cost below N6,000 per bag, says Ogbeh

Okada rider brutalises The Nation man

Why Southern Kaduna crisis may not end, by CAN

Operator seeks low cost capital for domestic carriers

Funding projects with savings bond

Ikeja Electric to cut supply

Speculators lose N100m as CBN pumps dollars into interbank

Misuse of hazard lights

Transcorp optimistic on improved performance in 2017

THISDAY NEWS

Supreme Court Affirms FG's Decision to Void OPLs 321, 323 to KNOC

Florence Seriki, ICT Icon, Passes on

Buhari Calls Obasanjo, Bello from London

Southern Kaduna Killings: Catholic Bishops Accuse FG of Indifference

FG Tasked on Attractive Environment for Private Sector Engagement

Survey Shows CFOs Remain Pessimistic about 2017

Investors Stake N44.39bn on Shares in January and February

Concerns over Non Payment of N5.4bn Premium for Group Life Insurance

Ilaje Residents Cry Out

Why Cant South Africans Love Nigerians in Return

Kano Pillars Crush Enyimba as Plateau Hangs on to the Summit

Dutch Coaches Confirm for Greensprings/Kanu Football Camp

Western Naval Command Wins 2017 Nigerian Navy Games

Solanke, Aregbesola, Win Oshonaike Junior Tourney

17 Schools Get Set for SEast Cricket Championship

Agege Stadium Turns Carnival After MFM NPFL Survival

It was carnival like yesterday when Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL team, MFM secured a last day victory over FC Ifeanyi Ubah to survival relegation to the lower league in a dramatically tensed 90minutes of football.

You recall AgegePulse Magazine had earlier reported the people of Agege resolve to troop out enmass to support their MFM to ensure the team acquire all three points needed to survive relegation. The supporters didn't disappoint as they frustrate the visitors with different songs all through the match.

A first half volley goal from MFM Stanley Okoro was enough to win the game by a lone goal while both the home and away team were reduced to 10 men each for decent. FC Ifeanyi Ubah pressed high to reply the goal but to no avail and later missed a penalty kick.

The stadium was thrown into a frenzy mood when news of Heartland Fc, another relegation zone team took the lead flew into the stadium, before Plateau United levelled the scoreline. However, the ecstatic fans that could not wait till the end of the match were jubilant at the sound of the final whistle, singing praises of their darling club.

Agege Rally Round MFM for NPFL Survival

The recent unconvincing form of Nigerian professional football league team, MFM FC is a source of concern for lovers of the round leather game in Agege. Since the beginning of the season, Agege football enthusiasts have adopted MFM as their official NPFL team and they never cease to register official presence whenever the team files out for home matches at the prestigious Agege Stadium, thanks to the Six (6) Agege born players in the team (Steven Odey, Abisoye Tunde, Bashiru Monsuru, Sikiru Olatunbosun Fhifhina Monday and Ifeanyin Ifeanyin).

However, despite MFM flying start to the season, the club's recent deep in form that places them lurking around relegation zone in 15th positions with 42 points and a matches to go has been source of worry for the fans yet remain unperturbed.

AgegePulse recently chat with some fans of MFM in Agege. One statement they all echoed is that they will give massive support to the team when they file out for their final match of the season in Agege to ensure the team survive relegation. The fans believe the presence of an NPFL team in Agege week in-week out has brought prominence to Agege Stadium and the Agege community at large, hence promise to rally round the team. MFM is set to take on Ifeanyin Uba on Sunday 2nd, October 2016. A win and favourable results from other relegation rivals would give MFM another top flight stint in the NPFL.