# 2021–22 Akwa United F.C. season

The 2021–22 season was Akwa United's 26th season in the Nigerian football league system and their 13th (non-consecutive) season in the top tier of Nigerian football.
During the season, Akwa United participated in the Nigeria Professional Football League for the ninth consecutive season and the CAF Champions League, where they were eliminated by CR Belouizdad in the first round.
They began their Nigeria Professional Football League campaign with a home tie against Kano Pillars, which they won 3-0.

## First-team squad

    As of 18 July 2022
| Squad no. | Player | Position(s) | Date of birth | Signed from | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| Goalkeepers |||||||||
| 1 | Adewale Adeyinka | GK | (1996-12-14) 14 December 1996 (age 28) | Gombe United | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Jean Efala | GK | (1992-08-11) 11 August 1992 (age 32) | Coton Sport | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Uche Okafor | GK | (1998-11-23) 23 November 1998 (age 26) | Abia Warriors | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dele Ajiboye | GK | (1990-08-07) 7 August 1990 (age 34) | Plateau United | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ifeanyi Emmanuel | GK | (2002-08-04) 4 August 2002 (age 22) | One Touch FC | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders |||||||||
| 2 | James Ajako | LB | (2003-03-09) 9 March 2003 (age 21) | Jigawa Golden Stars | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Evans Ogbonda | LB | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 22) | Ifeanyi Ubah | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Samson Gbadebo | CB | (1996-10-19) 19 October 1996 (age 28) | Rivers United | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Ekundayo Owoniyi | RB | (2001-02-12) 12 February 2001 (age 23) | Cynosure F.C. | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Charles Okafor | CB | (1999-04-04) 4 April 1999 (age 25) | Ifeanyi Ubah | 12 | 1 | |
| 12 | Denis Nya | CB | (1996-12-01) 1 December 1996 (age 28) | Plateau United | 16 | 0 | |
| 14 | Orji Kalu | CB | (1992-02-09) 9 February 1992 (age 32) | Heartland | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | John Lazarus | RB | (1998-06-06) 6 June 1998 (age 26) | Lobi Stars | 11 | 0 | |
| 15 | Elu Wilson | CB/RB | (1994-12-08) 8 December 1994 (age 30) | Ifeanyi Ubah | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | David Philip | LB | (1994-08-08) 8 August 1994 (age 30) | Go Round | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Boluwaji Sholumade | CB | (2003-03-27) 27 March 2003 (age 21) | Sunshine Stars | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Etboy Akpan | RB | (1998-11-11) 11 November 1998 (age 26) | NK Rudar Velenje U19 | 15 | 0 | |
| 32 | Christopher Nwaeze | CB | (2001-11-16) 16 November 2001 (age 23) | Kwara United | 14 | 0 | |
| Midfielders |||||||||
| 4 | Solomon Okpako | DM | (1990-05-01) 1 May 1990 (age 34) | Gulf Heroes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Adam Yakubu | CM | (2005-02-01) 1 February 2005 (age 19) | Adamawa United | 23 | 3 | |
| 16 | James Arong | AM | (2003-08-06) 6 August 2003 (age 21) | Türk Ocağı Limasol | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Adeyeye Adeyemi | DM | (1988-04-29) 29 April 1988 (age 36) | Sunshine Stars | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Seth Mayi | AM | (1999-12-18) 18 December 1999 (age 25) | | 29 | 0 | |
| 20 | Dare Ojo | DM | (1994-12-10) 10 December 1994 (age 30) | Lobi Stars | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Austin Osayande | CM/AM | (2000-12-15) 15 December 2000 (age 24) | Dakkada | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Obotu Young | AM | (1999-04-13) 13 April 1999 (age 25) | | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Ubong Essien | CM/DM | (2001-12-17) 17 December 2001 (age 23) | Welcome Time Academy | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Hamza Mubarak | CM | (2002-06-15) 15 June 2002 (age 22) | Sokoto United | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Babatunde Bello | CM | (2003-05-11) 11 May 2003 (age 21) | Sunshine Stars | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| 38 | Kaham Platini | CM/AM | (1992-10-15) 15 October 1992 (age 32) | Nasarawa United | 3 | 0 | |
| Forwards |||||||||
| 4 | Utibe Archibong | ST | (1991-10-09) 9 October 1991 (age 33) | Abia Warriors | 11 | 1 | |
| 7 | Ubong Friday (captain) | LW/RW | (1998-03-03) 3 March 1998 (age 26) | | 29 | 5 | |
| 8 | Ezekiel Bassey | LW/RW | (1996-11-10) 10 November 1996 (age 28) | El Qanah | 22 | 2 | |
| 10 | Orok Akarandut | LW/ST | (1987-08-13) 13 August 1987 (age 37) | East Riffa Club | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Leo Ezekiel | ST | (2003-05-09) 9 May 2003 (age 21) | Blue Ocean FC | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | Naibe Akpesiri | ST/LW | (1997-06-26) 26 June 1997 (age 27) | | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | Stephen Chukwude | ST/LW | (1997-06-26) 26 June 1997 (age 27) | | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | Izu Azuka | ST/LW | (1989-05-24) 24 May 1989 (age 35) | Wolaitta Dicha | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Samuel Amadi | RW | (2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 21) | Warri Wolves | 21 | 2 | |
| 28 | David Onovo | ST/LW | (1993-12-25) 25 December 1993 (age 31) | Sokoto United | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 36 | Godfrey Utim | ST | (2000-12-25) 25 December 2000 (age 24) | Inter Allies | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Franklin Matib | ST | (2002-03-02) 2 March 2002 (age 22) | | 9 | 1 | |

## Management team

| Position | Name |
| Manager | Ayodeji Ayeni (from 24 March 2022) Kennedy Boboye (until 14 February 2022) |
| Assistant coaches | Ali Jolomi |
| Assistant coaches | Ebenezer Atayero |
| Assistant coaches | Edward Edemekong |
| Fitness coach | Abdullahi Umar |
| Goalkeeper coach | Moses Effiong |

## Competitions

Win  Draw  Loss

### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Nigeria Professional Football League | 19 December 2021 | 17 July 2022 | Matchday 1 | Ninth | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 034.21 |
| CAF Champions League | 12 September 2021 | 19 September 2021 | First round | First round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 050.00 |
| Nigeria FA Cup | 30 July 2022 | 7 August 2022 | Round of 64 | Round of 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 066.67 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 43 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 43 | 40 | +3 | 037.21 |
Source: Flashcore.com.ng

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Rivers United | 38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 58 | 24 | +34 | 77 | Qualification for the Champions League |
| 2 | Plateau United | 38 | 21 | 4 | 13 | 50 | 29 | +21 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League |
| 3 | Remo Stars | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 43 | 26 | +17 | 62 | Qualification for the Confederation Cup |
| 4 | Kwara United | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 58 | |
| 5 | Enugu Rangers | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 41 | 30 | +11 | 56 | |
| 6 | Nasarawa United | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 53 | |
| 7 | Enyimba | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 52 | |
| 8 | Gombe United | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 52 | |
| 9 | Akwa United | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 52 | |
| 10 | Wikki Tourists | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 52 | |
| 11 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 51 | |
| 12 | Niger Tornadoes | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 51 | |
| 13 | Abia Warriors | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 50 | |
| 14 | Dakkada | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 49 | |
| 15 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 48 | −12 | 49 | |
| 16 | Shooting Stars | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 48 | |
| 17 | Katsina United | 38 | 15 | 3 | 20 | 34 | 42 | −8 | 48 | Relegation to the NNL |
| 18 | Heartland | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 47 | Relegation to the NNL |
| 19 | Kano Pillars | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 45 | Relegation to the NNL |
| 20 | MFM | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 26 | 51 | −25 | 36 | Relegation to the NNL |
* ↑ Niger Tornadoes initially had 2 points deducted by the LMC but were restored by the NFF.
* ↑ Kano Pillars had 3 points deducted by the LMC and a further 3 points by the NFF.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 18 July 2022. Source: Flashcore.com.ng

#### Matches

On 24 November 2021, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.

### Nigeria FA Cup

Akwa United secured a place in the Aiteo Cup after beating Sir Monty to reach the final of the Akwa Ibom State FA Cup.
They entered the competition in the round of 64, and were drawn against Essien Ayi.