Title-chasing Remo Stars have consolidated their lead in the Nigerian Premier League after inflicting back-to-back 2-1 defeat on Akwa United on Sunday.

With the win, and the 2-1 loss by Rivers United, Remo Stars are five-point clear of the second-placed sides.  Akwa United now have their woes compounded as they sink deeper into the relegation zone.

Their hope of using the Remo Stars game as the turning point for revival has failed to materialise. Yet they got into the game with a dream start after opening scoring in the sixth minute through debutant, Uche Sebastine.

They held on tenaciously to the lead until the 75th minute when Samuel Anakwe levelled up for Remo Stars. Ten minutes later, Olamilekan Adedayo put the league leaders in front.

The other match that impacted the Akwa United versus Remo Stars game was that of Plateau United duel with Rivers United.

Olawale Doyeni put Plateau United ahead in the 21st minute.

The home boys held on to a first-half 1-0 lead before Rivers United rallied late into the game to level at 1-1 in the 87th minute through Ndifreke.

Rivers United thought they had clinched a valuable point.  But in the added time, Emmanuel Ihezuo restored the lead for Plateau United.

In Owerri, Heartland continues their climbing with a 1-0 defeat of visiting Lobi Stars.

John Bassey’s header from a corner kick taken by Chijioke Opara in the 57th minute was the game-decider.

RESULTS

Akwa United 1-2 Remo Stars

Plateau United 1-2 Rivers United

Heartland 1-0 Lobi Stars

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For his services to Nigeria sports, especially football, the president-general of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Dr Rafiu Ladipo will at this month’s end be conferred with the fellowship of the Nigerian National Institute for Sports.

The announcement was made through a notification sent by the country’s highest sports institution to Dr Ladipo.

In the letter dated 12 December 2024 and co-signed by the NIS Director General, Prof O.A Moronkola and Registrar, Belmond Benson, the NIS remarked that the conferment of the fellowship is based on the immense contribution that Bako has contributed to sports development in Nigeria.

The conferment will be made during the ninth convocation of the institute which will be held on 30th January at the Gymnasium of the NIS at the National Stadium, Lagos.

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BY MFON PATRICK.

Akwa United will resume their 2024-25 Nigeria Premier Football League season with a home fixture against league leaders Remo Stars at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Sunday in what will be their first league match in the new year.

The Promise Keepers ended the first round of the season in 19th position following a run of five victories, four draws and ten loses, managing 19 points from the same number of matches.

The 2021 league champions appears solid and ready for the second stanza following some technical changes effected by the management of the club which has seen the return of coach Kennedy Boboye as the head coach following the resignation of coach Muhammed Babaganaru who left the club before the end of the first round.

Coach Boboye who led Akwa United to their first league triumph in 2021 arrived in Uyo with his assistant coach Ifeanyi Nwachukwu and both have teamed up with other assistant coaches to embark on a redemption mission of taking the club to a comfortable position on the log by the end of the second stanza of the season.

The management and the technical crew have fortified the team with the signing of some quality players; they are forwards Uche Sabastine from PSports Academy and Orji Chisom from Sporting Lagos. Midfielders Ogar Sabastine and Samuel Tochukwu both from PSports Academy as well as defender Adamu Umar from Sunshine Stars while right-back Asuquo Etiene has been recalled to the team from his loan spell with Dakkada FC.

The two-time FA Cup winners have executed three mid-season friendly games; 5-0 thrashing of Immortality Academy was followed by a 3-0 win over NNL side Godswill Akpabio United FC before playing a 1-1 draw with NPFL outfit Abia Warriors as parts of preparations for the commencement of the second stanza of season.

Back to a familiar terrain, coach Boboye will be looking forward to making a positive start with the club and he will be expecting his players to be at their best especially strikers Chijioke Alaekwe and Friday Apollos (who have scored nine goals between them in the first round) to continue with their scoring form in the second stanza.

Akwa United lost 2-1 to Remo Stars in Ikenne in the first installment of this fixture on matchday 19 and they will be hoping to maintain their dominance over the visitors who are without a win in all their previous visits to Uyo.

The head-to-head record between the two teams shows that Akwa United has enjoyed a superior advantage having recorded six victories to Remo Stars three wins while one of those games ended in a 2-2 draw in Ijebu Ode back in 2017.

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