Nigerian Football
Against invading Abia Warriors, Remo Stars optimistic of another win
Remo Stars of Ikenne square off against Abia Warriors this Thursday evening hoping to regain the Nigeria Professional Football League top spot which Rivers United are currently occupying.
The newcomers to the elite league have remained unbeaten so far.While they head into the contest at the Remo Stars Stadium to contest for the top position, Abia Warriors with eight points are currently eighth on the log.
Their last match away from home against Wikki Tourists has shown the quality of the side jostling to go continental next season.
Mercurial midfielder, Dayo Ojo put the Sky Blue Stars ahead with a beautiful strike after he connected well to a pass from Andy Okpe, before Abdullahi Oyedele doubled the lead from close range to give Remo Stars a chance in that encounter but Salisu Adama pushed to reduce the deficit for the Giant Elephants.
Having picked maximum points on the road against Wikki Tourists over the weekend, the Remo Stars will hope to continue their unbeaten record.
Abia Warriors on the other hand got their maximum points through Innocent Gabriel who put them ahead in the ninth minute of the encounter against Heartland FC.
Both sides last meeting was in 2017 when the Sky Blue Stars put a stop to their the Warriors’ eight matches unbeaten record through Victor Mbaoma from the penalty spot in the 90th minute at the Gateway International Stadium, Sagamu, Ogun State.
In the reverse fixture, Remo Stars stood their ground at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Umuahia to share the spoils and the ended 0-0 between both sides.
The visitors will hope to keep faith in some of their veterans like Anthony Okemiri who assisted Innocent Gabriel in their last game, experienced players such as Odah Okemute, Cletus Emotan and Godwin Obaje are also expected to be handful for the hosts.
Remo Stars’ Coach, Gbenga Ogunbote will continue to keep faith in Dayo Ojo, Stanley Okorom, Abdullahi Oyedele, Andy Okpe and safe hands Kayode Bankole as they hope to hold firm to top spot.
Morgan Agbeko is still the only injured player for Remo Stars, and he is hopeful to reunite with the squad in few weeks.
A win for host will extend the unbeaten streak to seven matches in a row, the first of its kind for the Sky Blue Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Meanwhile, Remo Stars goalkeeper, Kayode Bankole has indicated his side will not be complacent and carried away with their bright start to the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
He was instrumental to Remo Stars as they claimed total match points on the road against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in matchday six of the NPFL.
“I think it feels good, we did well in our last game against Wikki Tourists, nobody ever gave us a chance to defeat them in Bauchi, we did it, and we are so proud of the moment.”
“We will continue to keep our heads high above waters and won’t be distracted with our current performance, it is not easy topping the NPFL and every team’s target now is to stop our unbeaten streak, but we will remain focused and face each game as they come.”
“Abia Warriors are no push over in the league, they are also a good team. They have picked point on the road, but we will try our best to get our maximum points against them.”
“We will remain focused as a team to ensure we continue to win our games and permit me to use this opportunity to appreciate our fans for them support both at home and away, we happy, and we will not disappoint you because you all are our driving force.”
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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