2022–23 Akwa United F.C. season
| 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] |
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.
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[edit]
Win Draw Loss
Nigeria Professional Football League[edit]
Regular season[edit]
Group A[edit]
League table[edit]
| Pos | 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 |
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: Besoccer
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Matches[edit]
On 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.