Nigerian Football
REMO STARS HOLD ON TO LEAGUE LEADERSHIP
Two second half goals from Akinsanmiro Ebenezer and Agbeko Morgan earned Remo Stars FC a 2-0l victory over Apex Krane FC at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State in matchday 17 of the ongoing Nigeria National League.
Head Coach, Daniel Ogunmodede made five changes to the side that lost 2-1 against Ibom Youth FC in Akwa Ibom. Agbeko Morgan, Akinsanmiro Ebenezer, Wisdom Samuel, Dada Oladimeji and Victor Osuagwu were called upon to be part of the game.
Both sides started brightly and it was the Sky Blue Stars that got the first attempt when Nduka Junior located Oyedele Adebayo who tried to get the ball at the back of the net but Njoku Ochenna cleared at sight.
Akanni Qudus with a brilliant run found Oyedele Adebayo on the left, he took the shot immediately but the visitor’s goalkeeper, Israel Kologwu parried and the referee sounded his whistle to indicate he was in an offside position.
The visitor came closer to get a goal after Njoku Ochenna found his way the final third of the host, he tried to square the ball towards James Collins and Bankole Kayode calmly intercepted.
The Sky Blue Stars were given a chance to go ahead from the spot after Oyedele Adebayo was infringed inside the visitor’s box, Agbeko Morgan took the kick and it went wide.
The host continued to find a goal, Agbeko Morgan got a beautiful pass from Akanni Qudus, he took anxiously and his attempt hit the side net.
Towards the end of the first half, the visitors through Uthuko Egbo and John Collins combined well to get the lead but Bankole Kayode rushed out of his box to intercept an attempt from John Collins.
The Sky Blue Stars had two beautiful attempts in the closing minutes through Agbeko Morgan but Israel Kologwu saved and immediately Agbeko Morgan got the ball to locate Akinsanmiro Ebenezer, but he couldn’t get to the ball early enough.
The second half started from where the host stopped with Agbeko Morgan getting another chance to give his side the lead but Israel Kologwu was brilliant enough to stop him yet again.
The host kept on knocking to get a goal after Akinsanmiro Ebenezer sent a thorough pass towards Agbeko Morgan, he swiftly dribbled Okoro Paul to shoot but it went over the bar.
Substitute Dada Oladimeji picked the ball from his half to find space upfront to locate Adah Mathias who immediately sent a pass to Akinsanmiro Ebenezer, he took anxiously and it went over the bar.
The goal finally came in the 75th minute after Adah Mathias found his way into the final third of the visitors, he took but the woodwork denied his chance and Oyedele Adebayo calmly located Akinsanmiro Ebenezer who then put the host ahead from close range.
Agbeko Morgan doubled the lead for the Sky Blue Stars Adah Mathias beautifully squared in a pass, and he was there to make it count for his side.
The host continued to push to get their third of the day after Dada Oladimeji raced with the ball towards the corner flank, he sent in a beautiful cross but Adah Mathias wasn’t there to put the ball at the back of the net.
In the closing minutes the Sky Blue Stars got their third goal after Aneka Bless located a free Victor Osuagwu who sent towards immediately to Dada Oladimeji to score but the referee ruled it offside.
Up next for the Sky Blue Stars is an away trip to Otujeremi Ughelli Stadium to face J. Atete on Saturday in one of match day 18 fixtures.
Meanwhile, Head Coach of Remo Stars FC, Daniel Ogunmodede has hinted that he told his boys not to be anxious to impress him but play to get the three points against Apex Krane FC.
The head coach who celebrated his birthday told the boys that the three points are more important because he would always celebrate his day but the points can’t be gotten back if lost.
The Sky Blue Stars defeated Apex Krane FC thanks to the second half goals from Akinsanmiro Ebenezer and Agbeko Morgan in the matchday 17 of the ongoing Nigeria National League.
In his words to RSFC Media, he also disclosed that he was tensed at half time when his boys haven’t gotten the goals during the first half of the game.
“Like I told the players at the interval, my birthday is not as important as the three points. The three points is the most important because I will always have another birthday but the three points if we had lost it will never come back again, so I let that know that we can’t afford to loss it.”
“They were very anxious, they wanted to impress me and make me happy, having a young boy like Morgan carrying the load of the team is difficult, the young boy wanted to impress. This is his second time losing a penalty consecutively, I don’t blame him but I know over time he will grow past this stage.”
“I was so tensed at the end of the first half, in all sincerity, I was so scared because I know we have to win, and we have to win to remain on top of the table, also to take pressure away from these kids.”
“They are small boys playing in the league for the first time, they are most of our youth players and I feel for the boys not really for me because not scoring in the first half brought a lot of pressure for us and the guys were unable to deal with the pressure.”
“I told them we have to win, if we don’t then we might likely end up third on the table, and we will feel more pressured than this game that we have just played. So instead of feeling the pressure upfront, let’s eliminate the pressure now with this game, we can do it, and they came out to do it.”
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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