Nigerian Football
Quest for the Nigerian champion: Enyimba, Remo Stars kick-off Super League
The renamed Nigerian top division football league, the Nigerian Premier League begin the Super 6 that will produce three of the four Nigerian clubs for continental competitions next season.
Former Nigerian champions, Enyimba and Remo Stars kick off the 15-match festival of football at the Nigerian oldest football pitch, the waterfront Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
The curtain raiser begin at 2pm. This is immediately followed with Sunshine Stars taking on Rivers United at 4pm.
Bendel Insurance chasing two continental tickets in two fronts – the Federation Cup and the Super 6 – will take on Lobi Stars in last match of the day.
On Monday, Enyimba will again have to endure the scorching 2pm sun when they take on Lobi Stars at 2pm. Rivers United and Remo Stars follow up at 4pm while Bendel Insurance will still have the privilege of playing in more clement weather at 6pm when they take on Sunshine Stars.
The match day 3, on Wednesday, will again see Enyimba under the 2pm sun as they take on Bendel Insurance. Two hours later, the ‘Star War’ and South West derby of Remo Stars and Sunshine Stars will be unfolded. Lobi Stars and Rivers United will play the last game of the day at 6pm.
Next week Friday is the Matchday 4. Rivers United and Bendel Insurance, the winners of both Group B and Group A respectively will clash at 2pm. It will be followed by another ‘Star War’ as Lobi Stars take on Remo Stars at 4pm. Sunshine Stars and Enyimba will meet at 6pm.
The Super 6 comes into conclusion on the eve of Nigeria’s Democracy Day. A third ‘Star War’ will be unfolded as Sunshine Stars take on Lobi Stars at 2pm.
The seemingly bitter rivalry of Remo Stars and Bendel Insurance will be settled when booth teams meet at 4pm. Enyimba and Rivers United will bring to conclusion the Super 6 at 6pm.
All the fixtures
Day 1: June 3rd
- Enyimba FC Vs Remo Stars – 2pm
- Sunshine Stars Vs Rivers United – 4pm
- Bendel Insurance Vs Lobi Stars – 6pm
Day 2: June 5th
- Lobi Stars vs Enyimba FC – 2pm
- Rivers United Vs Remo Stars – 4pm
- Bendel Insurance Vs Sunshine Stars – 6pm
Day 3: June 7th
- Bendel Insurance Vs Enyimba FC – 2pm
- Remo Stars Vs Sunshine Stars – 4pm
- Lobi Stars Vs Rivers United – 6pm
Day 4: June 9th
- Rivers United Vs Bendel Insurance – 2pm
- Lobi Stars Vs Remo Stars – 4pm
- Sunshine Stars Vs Enyimba FC – 6pm
Day 5: June 11th
- Sunshine Stars Vs Lobi Stars – 2pm
- Remo Stars Vs Bendel Insurance – 4pm
- Enyimba FC Vs Rivers United – 6pm
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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