By Wale Mustapha
Niger Tornadoes head coach Mohammed Magin has expressed confidence that the club can set its sights on continental football following their impressive 2-0 away victory over Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Sunday.
The win, which extended Tornadoes’ unbeaten run to four matches, propelled the Minna-based club into second place on the NPFL table with 17 points from 10 games.
Magin believes the team has the potential to qualify for continental competitions, provided they maintain consistency throughout the season.
“Our target for the season is to clinch one of the continental tickets,” Magin said in a post-match interview. “We have a squad good enough to achieve the target if we stay consistent and avoid injuries.”
The coach’s ambition comes after his side delivered a commanding performance against the struggling Kano Pillars, with goals securing a crucial three points on the road.
With their next fixture against Abia Warriors scheduled for the Bako Kotangora Stadium in Minna, Niger Tornadoes will be aiming to continue their strong form and further push for a continental spot.
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.
