Nigerian Football
Gombe United end Remo Stars’ unbeaten run
Remo Stars have slipped into the third position following their 1-0 loss to Gombe United on Sunday. It was the team’s first loss as the Nigeria Professional Football League gets into matchday 12.
Ibrahim Yahaya’s goal in the 15th minute changed the order on the league table as Rivers United regained the top position following their 3-0 defeat of Wikki Tourists on Saturday while Plateau United also moved to the second position with 24 points after an away 1-0 defeat of Kano Pillars.
Sunday Anthony’s 85th minute goal proved highly profitable for Plateau United.
On Saturday, Enyimba and Niger Tornadoes shared the spoils, 1-1 at Aba Stadium. On the same day, Katsina United got the better of Kwara. Nafiu Ibrahim’s 65th minute goal was the difference between the Changi boys and Kwara at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.
In Uyo, reigning champions Akwa United are still struggling to find their rhythm as they failed to beat Heartland, ending the tie at 0-0 after failing to convert two penalty kick awards.
Nasarawa United and Sunshine Stars also shared points at the Lafia stadium. Visiting Sunshing Stars had gone up in the first half with a Leonard Ugochukwu strike. Lawal Shehu levelled up in the 40th minute.
Shooting Stars who recently returned to winning way had to wait till the 80th minute before Sunday Faleye scored the goal in the 1-0 defeat of Dakkada.
In Markurdi, the road to relegation appeared to being well paved for MFM as they were defeated 2-1 by Lobi Stars.
Rangers defeated Abia Warriors 2-1 to take all three points at stake. Christian Nnaji got the Flying Antelopes ahead from the spot before Valentine Odoh leveled up for the visitors in the 66th minute. Chidiebere Nwobodo, however, netted for the home side to ensure that Rangers edge out the Imama Amapakabo boys.
Matchday 12 Results
- Akwa United 0-0 Heartland
- Nasarawa United 1-1 Sunshine Stars
- Gombe 1-0 Remo Stars
- Shooting Stars 1-0 Dakkada
- Lobi Stars 2-1 MFM
- Rangers 2-1 Abia Warriors
- Kano Pillars 0-1 Plateau United
- Katsina 1-0 Kwara United
- Enyimba 1-1 Niger Tornadoes
- Rivers 3-0 Wikki Tourists
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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