Nigerian Football
Rabiu Ali Spoils Remo Stars’ Party
By Oladimeji Oshode
Top Nigerian league’s new comer, Remo Stars buoyed with the impressive Match Day 10 result in the encounter against old horse, Shooting Stars in Ibadan, were almost gunning for an impressive home win against one of the toughest clubs in the Nigerian league, Kano Pillars before Rabiu Alli spoilt their party in the 86th minute.
That deadlocked the result of what could have moved the Remo boys a little away from the relegation waters.
That did not happen. A long range shot by Rabiu Alli meant the Remo boys did not get the desired maximum points at home.
Both teams started averagely and took them 10 minutes to settle into the game with Rabiu Alli having the first chance to put the visitors ahead but he ballooned the ball.
The Sky Blue Stars then came close in the 11th minute with Oche Salefu’s chance stopped by Danladi Isah.
Rabiu Alli had another chance that hit the upright before Awazie Ekene connected well from Oche Salefu’s pass and Isah Danladi denies with a brilliant save.
Victor Mbaoma takes his goal tally to 6 after Oche Salefu’s shot spills over to him to calmly slot in for the Sky Blue Stars.
Oche Salefu builds up for Victor Mbaoma, passes the ball to Awazie Ekene but his shot was too weak to extend the lead for Remo Stars.
In quick succession, Martaba Umar had clear chances to give the home side the lead again; Isah Danladi was too quick to rescue for the Sai Masu Gida boys.
The game got more interesting in the 56th minutes with great saves from Walbe David and Osas Oknuoghae to deny Rabiu Alli and Amos Gyang from getting the equaliser.
Numerous chances were missed by the Sky Blue Stars when Oche Salefu nods from a corner kick and Martaba Umar gets the shot over the bar.
Rabiu Alli was brilliant for his side in the course of the game, he plays a free kick and Udoji Chinedu nods wide before getting an equaliser with a close range shot.
The game continued with both sides pushing for the winning goal but all attempts proved abortive as the game ended on a level term.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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