Nigerian Football
Advantage Enugu Rangers as oriental table-topping league clash ends in utter confusion
The table-topping clash of the eastern teams in the Nigeria lived up to expectation and had what could easily be the biggest crowd attendance this season.
Alas, it ended in utter confusion with just few seconds to end the eight minutes of additional time. Officially scores stood at 0-0. But in the last attack of Enugu Rangers, an attacker was pulled down in the penalty box.
Even before a referee’s decision was taken, Enyimba players got furious and fans invaded the pitch. After 10 minutes of hold-up, the referee eventually put the ball on the penalty spot.
Enyimba players walked out, putting the game to stalemate. Most likely, the match will be awarded to Enugu Rangers and with three goals.
That may just be crucial to their title aspirations taking their haul to 64 and then with goal difference of 21 while Enyimba remain second, but with a likely deduction of three goals, their goal difference will drop to 12, just one above that of third placed Remo Stars who lost their match 3-2 to Lobi Stars in Lafia.
Remo Stars’ ‘catch up’ project had a set back following two goalkeeping errors that caused the first and the last goals for Lobi Stars.
But they are still in line for possible continental ticket, just like their western brothers, Shooting Stars who also their match day 35 duel with Rivers United.
The Ibadan side lost by a lone goal to hosts, Rivers United.
In another duel, Abia Warriors played goalless with visiting Bendel Insurance as Bayelsa United rallied back from two goals down to pick a draw against visiting Sporting Lagos.
Heartland of Owerri won 3-1 against Doma United and Sunshine Stars of Akure were two nil better against visiting Akwa United.
The Unity Cup last played in 2004 is resuming this year featuring Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana as well as Trinidad & Tobago.
It was at the Unity Cup that Obafemi Martins debuted for Nigeria in a 3-0 defeat of Ireland on 29 May 2004 and became a scoring debutant.
The Unity Cup used to be an invitational tournament for countries with large diasporas in London. Nigeria won the last edition.
The competition is resuming after all formalities were done on Wednesday for the event.
It will be held at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London in the last days of May 2025.
Rotimi Pedro, of AfroSport, said: “We are proud to bring back The Unity Cup. It’s been a long journey to revive this important community event, and we’re delighted that fans of African and Caribbean football will once again enjoy top-tier international football at Unity Cup 2025.
“We are grateful to Brentford FC for providing a home at the Gtech Community Stadium and look forward to what, even after 20 years, remains a cultural moment for many who attended previous Unity Cup tournaments.
“Unity Cup 2025 is a week-long celebration of our interconnected culture in food, music and comedy anchored around elite footballing talents from our home nations.”
The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on Tuesday, 27th May as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on UK soil.
The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final, which will come with all the intrigues and elements of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants.
All four teams will return on Saturday, 31st May for the grand finale, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures featuring in the third-place game, before the Final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions.
President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said: “We signed on to the tournament as it offers a vital opportunity for our team to bond ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. The Unity Cup has a special history, and the Super Eagles have always been part of that journey.”
Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, noted that “we’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October,” team captain William Troost-Ekong said: “This is a great tournament for us to reunite and continue strategizing for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games.”
Marcus Gayle, Brentford FC ambassador and former Jamaican international, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the Unity Cup back and to host it here at the Gtech Community Stadium.
“This tournament will not only showcase elite football talent from Africa and the Caribbean but also celebrate the deep cultural and sporting ties between these regions. It’s a brilliant platform for players to shine, and we’re excited about the entertainment and community spirit the tournament brings.”
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Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) are to pay a fine of N3million and another N2million to Ikorodu City for damages to their bus following security breaches that resulted in attack on. Ikorodu City contingent. Fans have also been indefinitely restricted from gaining access to Shooting Stars home games.
The incident occurred at the end of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 32 at the Lekan Salami Stadium leading to a disciplinary panel sitting on Wednesday
The Ibadan Club was found guilty of all three count of failure to provide adequate security, failure to ensure proper conduct of their supporters resulting in attack on the opponents and throwing of objects to the field of play and the Referees.
For failure to provide adequate and effective security which resulted in unauthorized persons gaining access to restricted areas and harass the match officials, Shooting Stars were fined N1million.
The second charge read, “You are in breach of Rule C9 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Premier Football League, in that on Sunday, 06th April 2025, in the course of Match Day 32 Fixture: Shooting Stars vs. Ikorodu City, you failed to ensure the proper conduct of your supporters, which resulted in the assault on the away team supporters”.
The Disciplinary panel ordered a fine of another N1m and on the third charge of not controlling their fans, they are to also pay N1m.
For breach of Rule B13.18,as a result of their supporters throwing objects toward the field of play and the match officials, Shooting Stars will pay N1million, bring to total to M3million in addition to N2m to be paid for damages to Ikorodu City bus.
According to the ruling, the panel ordered the closure of the Lekan Salami Stadium to fans for the rest of the season.
Shooting Stars, under Rule C26, is required to within 48 hours, indicate acceptance of the ruling or elect to appeal the decisions.
The road to the championship is getting tougher for Remo Stars who have to come from a two-goal deficit to get a 2-2 draw with relegation-bound Lobi Stars.
Without a home ground and playing in Enugu, Lobi Stars went ahead in the 35th minute through Johnmark Aule.
Seven minutes later, from a penalty spot, Onyekachi Okafor increased the tally as Lobi Stars went into the half time with a two-goal advantage.
Remo Stars have to rely on their bench to salvage the situation. Hadi Haruna came in for Sikiru Alimi while Abah Joseph replaced Seun Ogunribide.
The duo saved the day. First Haruna Hadi reduced the tally in the 56th minute and Abah levelled up in the 70th minute.
Remo Stars maintain their lead on the table with six points ahead of the second-placed Rivers United.
The teams have six more matches to go.
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