The 2018/2019 NWPL Super 4 ended on a high note with Rivers Angels emerging champions after losing out on the AITEO Cup trophy earlier in the season.
Four teams – Adamawa Queens, Bayelsa Queens, Confluence Queens and Rivers Angels all participated in the NWPL Super 4 which took place in Lagos and these 11 players stood out at the Agege Soccer Temple in Lagos.
Read also Nnadozie helps Rivers Angels to Super 4 trophy
A 3-4-3 formation will suffice basically to accommodate a lot of the wingers and forwards who played really well and were impressive during the NWPL Super 4 in Lagos.
Goalkeeper – Chiamaka Nnadozie.
There is absolutely no contention about this because Chiamaka Nnadozie was the goalkeeper of the tournament. Her command of her area and interaction with her defenders is brilliant. She faced five penalties: saved one, dived in the direction of the two spot kicks which struck the upright and conceded the last two.
Apart from her penalty heroics, Nnadozie made one super save in each of the two matches to keep Rivers Angels in the game. You know those kind of flying saves goalkeepers make and you almost feel like their stomach will burst open once they land? Yes, she made two of those. Worthy of mention was the last minute save in the final from a curling effort that was heading to the top corner of her post. Nnadozie tipped it on to the cross bar to the amazement of the spectators in Agege. She deserves every accolade she gets and even more.
Hauwa Abdullahi – Amaechi Ojini – Mary Ologbosere.
Abdullahi plays as a left back for Confluence Queens. She’s athletic and reads the game very well. She made it difficult for Vivian Ikechukwu (a very good winger by the way) to play her game and hurt her team from the right wing. When she doesn’t have much defending to do like against Adamawa Queens, she pushes forward to help the attack.
Ojini was a rock in centre back for Rivers Angels all through the tournament playing the “last man” role and ensuring no ball went beyond her.
Ologbosere is an engine room. She is Rivers Angels’ right back. She is also very athletic, strong and energetic, makes timely tackles, contributes to the attack with very good forward runs, has a good cross on her and is very aggressive on and off the ball.
Anjor Mary – Adebisi Saheed – Evelyn Nwabuoku – Precious Christopher.
Anjor is a young, pacy and very talented winger for Bayelsa Queens. She is good on the ball, can take on Defenders and connects well with her team mates in attack. The only downside to her game is her profligacy in front of goal but she’s still young and can work on it. Her team mate Adebisi is a very brilliant footballer. A creative mind with all the right defence splitting passes. One of the hallmarks of a good creative midfielder is awareness and knowing what to do with the ball before it gets to you and Adebisi is very sound in this aspect.
For Nwabuoku, another brilliant player who excels and does the play making role so well from deep. She helps control and recycles possession for Rivers Angels in the middle of the park. A veteran in her own right and captain of the team.
Precious Christopher is another young attacker. The Confluence Queens right winger who is left footed is very good with set pieces and almost popped one against Rivers Angels but Chiamaka denied her with a good save. She is fast, skillful, very good on the ball and also helps out defensively. The only downside to her game is that she takes too many touches.
Arit Usang – Esther Kanu – Vivian Ikechukwu.
Confluence Queens duo of Usang and Kanu were very impressive upfront especially for a team with a debut NWPL Super 4 appearance. Usang scored a first half brace in the first match against Bayelsa Queens and was very impressive all through. But an ankle injury in that game prevented her from featuring in the final. Esther Kanu is a proper number 9. A target man. She plays with her back to goal when necessary, connects well with her teammates, plays them in just like a proper striker would do. Her overall hold-up play is brilliant especially for a team that plays good expressive and expansive football.
Ikechukwu was a late addition to this team. She is a very good winger. Fast, has good movements, strong and dangerous on the ball but her decision making atimes lets her down. In all, there’s always room for improvement.
Finally, with the beautiful football played by Confluence Queens it’s only fair that Coach Whyte Ogbonda is the head coach of the tournament’s starting XI.
