By Wale Mustapha
Abia Warriors Technical Adviser, Imama Amapakabo, has called on his players to maintain their intensity and focus as they push for a historic top-three finish in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Following their impressive 3-1 victory over Shooting Stars on Sunday, the Umu Chineke side climbed into third place on the league table — a major step towards potential qualification for continental competition.
Amapakabo praised his team’s determination and resilience, emphasizing that the goal remains firmly in sight with just three matches left in the season.
“We started the season with the goal of playing for every point, and that mindset has brought us this far,” he told Abia Warriors Media.
“With three games to go, we will keep working hard and believing in our ability to get the results. Our expectations are in sight, and we must keep our heads down and stay focused until we reach our destination.”
Abia Warriors will next face Niger Tornadoes in Lafia on Matchday 36 as the race for the NPFL top spots enters its final stretch.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
