Nigeria’s national team coach, Eric Chelle was among the crowd that watched Remo Stars tighten their grip at the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League, on Thursday as they beat Kwara United 2-0 following late goals in the hard-fought battle.

With the win, Remo Stars are now 10 points ahead of the second-placed Shooting Stars.  

To further tighten their grip at the top, they have established a goal difference of 16 to become the only one with double digits.

It was an easy match as they had to fight almost to the end of the encounter before they could secure the three points at stake.

They dominated the encounter, especially in the first half where even the national coach informed Sports Village Square that he was impressed with the passing of the ball and the smooth transition from defence through the midfield into the attack.

But they lack the cutting edge in the final quarter. They missed many chances and hit the woodwork three times.

The match seemed to be heading towards a barren draw before Samuel Anakwe broke the deadlock for Remo Stars in the 79th minute.

Deep into added time, a substitute player who had added sparks to the strike force of Remo Stars, Hadi Haruna sealed the full points with a second goal.

Elsewhere, Katsina United beat Enyimba 2-1 at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.

Katsina United took a 2-0 lead courtesy of Bello Lukman’s brace before substitute Ekene Awazie reduced the deficit for Enyimba in stoppage time.

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A day after their major rivals stumbled by dropping valuable points, Remo Stars have been gifted the chance to stretch their lead in the Nigeria Premier Football League as they host Kwara United in their fortress in Ikenne.

This season, only initial rivals, Rivers United have been able to scrape a point out of the 36 obtainable so far in 36 home matches.

That way, Remo Stars have obtained 34 points at home and an overall of 48. A win against Kwara United will take their haul to 51, 10 more than the 41 obtained by their closest rivals, Shooting Stars, and 12 more than the 39 points by third-placed Rivers United.

But it won’t be a stroll in the park for Remo Stars. Kwara United actually truncated Remo Stars’ winning streak after their defeat of Abia Warriors, Sunshine Stars, Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers in the first stanza of the league.

They were on the verge of getting their fifth consecutive win before Kwara United terminated it.

For Remo Stars, this Thursday’s match is not just a quest to stretch their lead, it is also vengeance-laden.

Other Match

Katsina United v. Enyimba

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Former Nigerian sprinter and broadcaster, Hameed Adio has thrown his weight behind his home team, Kwara United to excel in this Thursday’s encounter away to Remo Stars in Ikenne.

Adio, who captained Nigeria at the Moscow ’80 Olympic Games was also a former commissioner for Sports in Kwara State and an unrepentant backer of his home team.

His comment on the Remo Stars – Kwara United duel:

“Hmm when in the first week of this month, yours truly posted on several platforms nationwide, the conquest of both Enyimba and El Kanemi Warriors by Kwara United all within a week, I remember my good friend and colleague, Kunle Solaja of Sports Village Square, one of Africa’s finest Sports journalists while sending a warning to my handle said and I quote “Wait until you face the undisputed leaders, REMO STARS OF AFRICA” (emphasis his).

“Now, after waiting this long, today is the D-Day for Kwara United to prove their mettle in an away encounter on the lush green turf of the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne,  a place they are no strangers to having participated in the pre-season Value Jets tournament which took place there.

“Agreed, Remo Stars apart from home advantage, parade some of the finest players in the nation’s domestic league but I hasten to say that the new-found confidence, composure, resilience, character and fighting spirit of Kwara United will provide the much-needed tonic the ‘Afonja Warriors’ need to give the homers a bloody nose in today’s match which will be played under floodlights a phenomenon our dear United players are equally used to since the kick-off is slated for 5,30 pm.

“Go all the way boys and secure that victory on the road to further improve your position on the league table and also allow me to tell my good friend Kunle that at last ‘we did it our way.’ UP KWARA UNITED!”

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