The 2022–23 season was Akwa United's 27th season in the Nigerian football league system and their 14th (non-consecutive) season in the top tier of Nigerian football.
2022–23 season | |
---|---|
![]() Akwa United playing against Shooting Stars during the league season at Godswill Akpabio Stadium on 26 March 2023 | |
Chairman | Paul Bassey |
Manager | Ayodeji Ayeni[1] |
Nigeria Professional Football League | 4th (in Group A) |
Nigeria FA Cup | Round of 32 |
Top goalscorer | League: Cyril Olisema (6)[2] All: Cyril Olisema (6) |
Biggest win | 3–0 (vs. Nasarawa United (A), 22 January 2023, NPFL)[3] |
During the season, Akwa United participated in the Nigeria Professional Football League and the Nigeria Federation Cup.
They began their Nigeria Professional Football League campaign with a shock home loss against Bendel Insurance.[4] The Uyo club went into the final day of the regular season with a chance to secure a championship play-off place. They earned a 1-0 win at Gombe United, but it wasn't enough to seal qualification for the play-off as results elsewhere did not go their way.[5]
They entered the Nigeria Federation Cup in the Round of 62, where they defeated Wikki Tourists through a goal from Liman Ahmadu.[6] Their hopes of winning the Cup ended after they lost to Nigeria National League side EFCC in the Round of 32.[7]
First-team squad
edit- As of 21 May 2023[8]
No. | Name | Position | Nationality (flag) | Date of birth (Age) | Apps | Goals | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goalkeepers | |||||||||||||
1 | Godgift Elkanah | GK | 15 November 2000 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
18 | Jean Efala | GK | 11 August 1992 | 17 | 0 | ||||||||
33 | Uche Okafor | GK | 10 February 1991 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
Defenders | |||||||||||||
2 | James Ajako | LB | 9 March 2003 | 18 | 3 | ||||||||
3 | Wisdom Ndon | CB | 6 November 2005 | 11 | 0 | ||||||||
5 | Anthony Anioke | CB | 8 | 0 | |||||||||
6 | Abbey Benson | CB | 12 June 1998 | 11 | 0 | ||||||||
20 | Matthew Etim | RB | 2 September 1989 | 4 | 0 | ||||||||
21 | David Philip | LB | 8 August 1994 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
23 | Boluwaji Sholumade | CB | 27 March 2003 | 8 | 0 | ||||||||
25 | Taiye Muritala | RB | 3 June 2001 | 13 | 2 | ||||||||
29 | Abdulasam Saeed | CB | 23 December 2003 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
31 | Pascal Onunze | CB | 27 March 2003 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
Midfielders | |||||||||||||
4 | Osimaga Duke | DM | 30 July 2000 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
11 | Azeez Olamilekan | AM | 6 | 0 | |||||||||
14 | Cyril Olisema | AM | 4 March 1995 | 13 | 6 | ||||||||
15 | Salomon Chigoziem | CM | 14 | 0 | |||||||||
27 | Ubong Essien | DM | 17 December 2001 | 15 | 0 | ||||||||
30 | Ebetomame Oghenetega | AM | 4 | 0 | |||||||||
36 | Onyekachi Nwaiwu | CM | 12 November 2000 | 4 | 0 | ||||||||
Forwards | |||||||||||||
7 | Ubong Friday | LW | 3 March 1998 | 16 | 4 | ||||||||
8 | Moses Effiong | LW | 1 February 2001 | 7 | 0 | ||||||||
9 | Valentine Obilor | ST | 14 February 2001 | 4 | 0 | ||||||||
10 | Wisdom Fernando | LW | 28 February 2002 | 7 | 0 | ||||||||
12 | Ndifreke Effiong | ST | 15 August 1998 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
17 | Ifeanyi Ogba | ST | 8 | 0 | |||||||||
19 | Uche Collins | ST | 19 November 2000 | 17 | 4 | ||||||||
22 | Kehinde Olajuyin | ST | 4 December 1995 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
22 | Emmanuel Ugwuka | ST | 2 | 0 | |||||||||
26 | Ikechukwu Nwani | RW | 17 October 1998 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||
32 | Liman Ahmadu | RW | 9 | 1 |
Competitions
editWin Draw Loss
Nigeria Professional Football League
editRegular season
editGroup A
editLeague table
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bendel Insurance | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 11 | +11 | 34 | Qualification to Championship round |
2 | Remo Stars | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 14 | +7 | 33 | |
3 | Enyimba | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 12 | +13 | 32 | |
4 | Akwa United | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 32 | |
5 | Plateau United | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 23 | +6 | 26 | |
6 | Shooting Stars | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 23 | |
7 | Gombe United | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 20 | −10 | 19 | |
8 | Kwara United | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 22 | −11 | 17 | |
9 | Nasarawa United | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 14 | Relegation to the National League |
10 | El-Kanemi Warriors | 18 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 10 | 28 | −18 | 10 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Matches
editOn 28 December 2022, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.[9]
8 January 2023 1 | Akwa United | 0-2 | Bendel Insurance | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Report | Imade Osarenkhoe 38' Ismail Sarki 41' |
Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
18 January 2023 2 | Enyimba | 0-0 | Akwa United | Aba |
15:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Enyimba Stadium |
22 January 2023 3 | Nasarawa United | 0–3 | Akwa United | Jos |
15:00 GMT | Report | James Ajako 43' Ndifreke Effiong 47' (74) |
Stadium: New Jos Stadium |
29 January 2023 4 | Akwa United | 1–0 | Plateau United | Eket |
15:00 GMT | James Ajako 79' | Report | Stadium: Eket Stadium |
1 February 2023 5 | Kwara United | 2-1 | Akwa United | Ibadan |
15:00 GMT | Wasiu Alalade 15' Dagbo Muritala 86' |
Report | Cyril Olisema 69' | Stadium: Lekan Salami Stadium |
5 February 2023 6 | Akwa United | 3–1 | Remo Stars | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Cyril Olisema 15' (pen.) Uche Collins 45+2' Olalere Segun 60' (o.g.) |
Report | Qudus Akanni 24' | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
12 February 2023 7 | El-Kanemi | 1–1 | Akwa United | Maiduguri |
15:00 GMT | Junior Agnasa 85' | Report | Uche Collins 45' | Stadium: El-Kanemi Stadium |
16 February 2023 8 | Akwa United | 1–0 | Gombe United | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Uche Collins 8' | Report | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
19 February 2023 9 | Shooting Stars | 2–2 | Akwa United | Ibadan |
15:00 GMT | Joshua Akpan 14' Ibrahim Ajani 45+6' |
Report | Uche Collins 20' Liman Ahmadu 27' |
Stadium: Lekan Salami Stadium |
26 March 2023 10 | Akwa United | 2–0 | Shooting Stars | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Ubong Friday 53' Taiye Muritala 55' |
Report | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
29 March 2023 11 | Bendel Insurance | 1–1 | Akwa United | Benin City |
15:00 GMT | Imade Osarenkhoe 3' | Report | Cyril Olisema 34' | Stadium: Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium |
2 April 2021 12 | Akwa United | 1–0 | Enyimba | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Uche Collins 73' | Report | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
9 April 2023 13 | Akwa United | 2–2 | Nasarawa United | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Cyril Olisema 21' Victor Collins 56' (own goal) |
Report | Victor Collins 20' Anas Yusuf 87' |
Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
16 April 2023 14 | Plateau United | 1–0 | Akwa United | Jos |
15:00 GMT | Ibrahim Mustapha 36' (pen.) | Report | Stadium: New Jos Stadium |
24 April 2023 15 | Akwa United | 3–1 | Kwara United | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Taiye Muritala 19' Cyril Olisema 27' Ubong Friday 45+3' |
Report | Samad Kadiri 49' | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
30 April 2023 16 | Remo Stars | 1–0 | Akwa United | Ikenne |
15:00 GMT | Nduka Junior 45+3' (pen.) | Report | Stadium: Rem Stars Stadium |
7 May 2023 17 | Akwa United | 2–0 | El-Kanemi | Uyo |
15:00 GMT | Ubong Friday 10' (62) | Report | Stadium: Godswill Akpabio Stadium |
21 May 2023 18 | Gombe United | 0–1 | Akwa United | Gombe |
15:00 GMT | James Ajako 30' | Report | Stadium: Pantami Stadium |
References
edit- ^ "Akwa can't afford to drop points – Ayeni". The Cable. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Table of top scorers NPFL 2023 - Besoccer". Besoccer. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Akwa United Thrash Nasarawa United 3-0 In Jos". Daily Trust. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Insurance Shock Akwa United 2-0 In 2023 NPFL Opener". Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Ayeni sad with Akwa United's failure to qualify for NPFL Super Six playoff". Daily Post. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Federation Cup: Akwa United pip Wikki Tourists". Gazettengr. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Fed Cup: Enyimba, Akwa United, Kano Pillars eliminated". aclsports. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Squad of Akwa United". Besoccer. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "IMC releases approved venues for NPFL matches". Sunnewsonline. Retrieved 22 June 2023.