Nigerian Football
Lobi Stars go atop as Remo Stars treat fans to goal feast in Ikenne
The unpredictability of the current Nigeria Premier League continues as leadership changes after every match day. In fact a live table on matches days has been fluctuating illustrating the keenness in the power struggle.
As curtain falls on Matchday 8, Lobi Stars climbed over initial leaders, Enugu Rangers, Shooting Stars and Remo Stars to have a fragile stay atop.
Lobi Stars owe the delicate at the top to a 1-0 win over visiting Sporting Lagos. All thanks to the 29th minute goal by Sunday Chukwu.
In added time of their encounter with Kwara United in Ilorin, Shooting Stars conceded a goal that stalemated scores at 1-1 and tumbled from the second position on the log to number 4.
It was in similar fashion that previous table-toppers, Enugu Rangers navigated their way again into contention when an added time goal by Jonas Emmanuel gave them a valuable point after a 2-2 draw with Sunshine Stars in Akure.
Rangers went ahead after just four minutes when Godwin Obaje shocked the hosts, Sunshine Stars who fought back and levelled up in the 13th minute through Ibrahim Yusuf.
It appeared Sunshine Stars were going for a memorable win when Moses Onome Omoduemuke put them ahead in the 76th minute before Rangers late fight-back.
While goals were scanty everywhere else, it was almost a goal-rain in Ikenne where Remo Stars pummelled visiting Gombe United 4-0.
Top scorer contender, Sikiru Alimi was on fire, scoring two goals in the 27th minute and again seven minutes to regulation time. His two goals were complemented with others from Franck Mawuena and Okon Aniekeme.
With a match outstanding, Remo Stars have 15 points and are second on the log. In Kano, Abba Adam broke the stiff resistance of Enyimba in the 71st minute as Kaon Pillars won 1-0.
Katsina United moved up the ladder to the 11th position after a 1-0 defeat of Rivers United. Great thanks to the 47th minute goal by Saleh Mansour.
ALL SUNDAY RESULTS
- Kano Pillars 1-0 Enyimba
- Kastina Utd 1-0 Rivers Utd
- Kwara Utd 1-1 Shooting Stars
- Lobi Stars 1-0 Sporting Lagos
- Niger Tornadoes 0-0 Bendel
- Plateau Utd 3-1 Abia Warrior
- Remo Stars 4-0 Gombe Utd
- Sunshine Stars 2-2 Rangers
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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