Niger Flickers of Minna on Saturday in Abuja emerged champions of the men’s league after spanking Kada Stars 4-1 in the final match of the 2016 National Hockey Super League.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Niger Flickers have now won the title three times in a row and for a fifth time in six years.
They had won the 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 editions.
The defending champions came into the game desperately looking to secure the maximum points, so as to regain their top spot status after Union Bank had earlier upstaged them.
NAN reports that Union Bank had earlier in the day defeated El-Kanemi Flickers 1-0 to temporarily sit on top of the log with 13 points.
Niger Flickers with 12 points had then dropped to the second spot.
The defending champions started dictating the pace of the game from the onset but were surprisingly contained by a young Kada Stars team.
Niger Flickers kept pressing for a goal and had several opportunities from the penalty corner but failed to convert as Kada Stars held on for a goalless first half.
The second half was a completely different ball game as the defending champions came in with a renewed vigour and deservedly broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.
It was from a well-taken penalty corner through Yohanna Farouk.
Wilson Benard also converted from a penalty corner in the 46th minute and added a third goal three minutes later through a powerful field goal.
Shanwilu Muazu completed the rout in the 60th minute to make it 4-0, from another penalty corner.
However, Kada Stars got a consolation goal of their own in the dying minutes of the game through a well-worked field goal from John Peter to make it 4-1.
NAN also reports that Yobe Desert Rollers beat Plateau Tigers 2-1 in another match played in the men’s competition on Saturday.
Niger Flickers have now qualified to represent Nigeria in the next African Hockey Club Championship.
On Friday, El-Rufai Babes of Kaduna had won the league’s female competition ahead of former African champions Imo
Heartland Flickers who came second, while Benue Amazons finished third.
Niger Flickers’ Yohana Farouk, with five goals, emerged the tournament’s top scorer, while his teammate Shawulu Maras emerged the best player of the tournament.
Union Bank and national team’s goalkeeper Yemi Siyanbola was selected as the best goalkeeper.
Kada Stars won the tournament’s Fair Play award in the male category, while the Benue Amazons picked the same trophy for the female category.
Alfa John of El-Rufai Babes was both the tournament’s best player and top scorer for the female category with six goals.
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