Nigerian Football
NPFL axe falls on Shooting Stars
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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Rivers United have closed up an initial five-point gap that Remo Stars established at the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after a hard-won win in a table-topping contest in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The duel was drawing into a barren draw before Boluwaji Sholumade scored five minutes into regulation time, offering Rivers United a 1-0 win. But Remo Stars still hold on to the first position, even with an outstanding match against Lobi Stars.
The contest for the third position is still very tense. Abia Warriors still hold on to the third position with 50 points to peg Shooting Stars at the fourth position. Shooting Stars had the opportunity to claim the third position, but they were denied the chance by Ikorodu City who held them to a 0-0 draw in Ibadan.
Abia Warriors could have consolidated on the third position after taking an initial 1-0 against former multiple champions, Enyimba in an Abia State derby.
Enyimba fought back gamely to snatch a 2-1 win. Just as the contest at the top is keen, so also it is at the backwaters. Sunshine Stars thought they could navigate their way upstream after taking a 1-0 lead over fellow backwaters team, Lobi Stars, but the latter fought back to snatch a 1-1 draw that keeps both sides in the murky waters of relegation.
Both teams are kept at the bottom with Lobi Stars taking the 20th position while Sunshine Stars are 19th.
RESULTS
- Rivers United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Lobi Stars 1-1 Sunshine Stars
- Enyimba 2-1 Abia Warriors
- Plateau United 0-0 Kwara United
- Niger Tornadoes 2-0 El Kanemi Warriors
- Nasarawa United 2-0 Akwa United
- Katsina United 1-1 Bayelsa United
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The Nigeria Premier Football League is on the home stretch this season with direct confrontations of table toppers and also those battling against relegation. The teams have all to fight for as their destinies are still within their hand reach.
For the table-topping battle, second-placed Rivers United will be hosting leaders, Remo Stars. Former African powerhouse, Shooting Stars are hoping to return to the continental competition for the first time in 26 years.
After recent fluctuating fortunes, they hope to regain steam as they face former battler against relegation-turned top four aspirants, Ikorodu United. A win for Shooting Stars will see them in top contention to return to the continent where they last featured in 1999.
Remo Stars, even with a match still outstanding will remain on top if they lose their away match to Rivers United. But losing may not be an option for them as a win will put them at the cusp of their first elite national success since bringing the first NPFL match to the now sportingly bubbling Ikenne on 26 December 2021.
The clash with Rivers United will undoubtedly be the most challenging in the remaining five matches in the season.
Abia Warriors who started the season with a home loss are now seeing a silver lining in the possibility of picking a continental ticket which they missed last season after losing in the President Federation Cup. This Sunday, they face Enyimba in Aba in an Abia State derby.
A win will secure their current third place. But a loss could see them losing the spot to Shooting Stars who are hosting Ikorodu City in a Southwest derby. A win by Enyimba could see the former multiple champions bouncing back into the reckoning to get a top-three slot as the season winds down.
Just as the battle is fierce at the top, so also is it tough at the backwaters as teams fight for a lifeline against relegation.
The 19th-placed Nasarawa United host fellow relegation battler, Akwa United. It is a relegation battle that could save or make a team sink deeper into the abyss. Nasarawa will be banking on home support. But Akwa United has shown resilience in recent times and could come out of the battle with at least a point.
Matchday 32 Fixtures:
- Bendel Insurance 0-0 Enugu Rangers
- Heartland FC 2-0 Kano Pillars
- Rivers United vs Remo Stars
- Shooting Stars vs Ikorodu City
- Plateau United vs Kwara United
- Lobi Stars vs Sunshine Stars
- Katsina United vs Bayelsa United
- Niger Tornadoes vs El-Kanemi Warriors
- Nasarawa United vs Akwa United
- Enyimba vs Abia Warriors
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