By Wale Mustapha
Heartland FC are heading into their Matchday 22 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) showdown against Rivers United with a boost, as two key players make their return from injury.
Suraju Lawal and Tobi Iyanda are back in training with the Naze Millionaires after several weeks on the sidelines due to injury.
Their return provides a welcome lift for Emmanuel Amuneke’s side as they prepare for the crucial home encounter.
However, there remains uncertainty over the availability of midfielder Daniel Ekpo, who will undergo a late fitness test to determine his readiness for the match.
Heartland, currently riding a three-match unbeaten streak, will be looking to extend that run with a positive result against Rivers United at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri this Sunday.
Last season, the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in the same fixture, with Onyekachi Okafor scoring for Heartland and Farouk Mohammed netting the equalizer for Rivers United.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
