Nigerian Football
Remo Stars aim to continue their dream run
BY OLAMIDEJI OSHODE
Rave of the moment, Remo Stars of Ikenne will be attempting to build on their spectacular dream start in the Nigerian Professional Football League as they host Heartland of Owerri in their lush green home turf on Sunday.
The newly promoted top division side exceeded all expectations as they beat home boys, MFM to become the first male side to win a match at the rebuilt Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
Akanni Qudus and Andy Okpe scored to give the Sky Blue Stars the needed victory in that encounter.
Remo Stars will hope to continue their unbeaten home record dating back to their moments in the Nigeria National League, NNL since moving to their stadium in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.
The visitors, Heartland FC will want a quick response back to full potentials after playing a 3-3 draw against Nasarawa United at home last Sunday.
The Naze Millionaires rallied late to grind out a point thanks to Ikenna Stephen, Chukwudi Nwaodu and Chinedu Ohanachom who saved them from embarrassing home defeat.
The last time both sides met was in a friendly that ended 0-0 at the Remo Stars Stadium on the 9th of December, 2020.
The host will push to get a victory against Heartland FC just to build their confidence in the NPFL and to get a top spot on the table after matchday two in the league.
A win for the Sky Blue Stars will also help the team get their first win at home in their NPFL history after previously losing 1-2 to Plateau United in 2017 and playing out a 1-1 draw against Bendel Insurance in 2019.
Remo will also hope to make another history with a win which will be their first back to back victories in the NPFL.
As a build-up to Sunday’s match, Remo Stars coach, Gbenga Ogunbote remarked that his team will try to build on the away victory they recorded in the opening fixture and noted that his average young team that is also young in experience in the NPFL will strife to consolidate on the victory in Lagos.
“Remo Stars are young in the NPFL system and all we need is to consolidate on the victory we had in Lagos against MFM FC.”
“No doubt we are going to push to get a victory and we will be happy to get another important win against Heartland FC on Sunday. We pray that Almighty God crown our efforts with success which is the maximum points against the visitors.”
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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