Nigerian Football
Remo Stars target year-end table topping
Remo Stars of Ikenne look set to hold on to their position as pace setters in the current Nigerian professional league as they could get their third straight win and take their point-haul to nine.
They are having a back-to-back home game, hosting Nasarawa United at the lush green Remo Stars Stadium this Wednesday.
If they do win, as it appears, they will be heading the table going into the New Year.
They have picked maximum points away from home on the opening day in Lagos and followed up with a mouth-watering 3-0 defeat of Heartland on Sunday, a victory aided by brace-scoring lanky forward, Andy Okpe.
The Sky Blue Stars are currently top of the NPFL table with six points from two games with five goals alongside Enyimba FC of Aba.
Meanwhile, visitors Nasarawa United are 12th on the table after getting just two points. They have drawn their first two matches against Heartland and Gombe United.
The Solid Miners will hope to get a positive result against the Sky Blue Stars in Ikenne-Remo and they will be looking at Abubakar Abdullahi and Ajibola Otegbeye who have gotten four goals for them this season to come to the party.
The Sky Blue Stars on the other hand will continue to have faith in Andy Okpe who already scored three goals to his name alongside Akanni Qudus, Samuel Anakwe and Abdullahi Oyedele upfront to get the job done for the host.
This encounter will be their third in the NPFL after they previously met twice in 2017 when Eric Dufegha helped the Sky Blue Stars defeat them 1-0 at the Gateway International Stadium, Sagamu and the reverse fixture saw the Solid Miners beat the Remo Stars 3-1 at the Lafia Township Stadium with Awoyemi Abdulrasheed getting the only goal for Remo Stars.
The Coach Gbenga Ogunbote led side will also push to maintain their clean sheet in the ongoing NPFL, the only club to still have that record this season.
A win for Remo Stars FC will see them maintain the top position on the NPFL table while a win for the visitors will see them climb up the ladder.
Nigerian Football
Remo Stars win Star War against Sunshine Stars to take temporary NPFL lead
Remo Stars on Saturday made it two straight wins in the Nigeria Premier League after labouring to a 1-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars of Akure to follow-up their last weekend 2-0 away win over Abia Warriors.
On Saturday, under eight minutes they shot ahead through Shuaibu Ibrahim. That was where the story ended as Sunshine Stars came up strongly and almost stalemated scores.
The win, though narrow, is enough to temporarily take Remo Stars to the top of the log after two games.
They are followed by Rivers United who beat Heartland 3-1. It is the second consecutive 3-1 loss that Heartland are getting in the two-week old season.
The situation could change on Sunday when other matches are played.
On the card are: Akwa United hosting Abia Warriors while Kano Pillars will be away to Bayelsa United.
Katsina United host Bendel Insurance and Niger Tornadoes will be home to Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars will host Plateau United.
Nigerian Football
Westerhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, who was in Arnhem, Netherlands.
Former Nigeria manager, Clemens Westerhof has recommended one of his former players, Samson Siasia as the substantial coach for the Super Eagles.
Siasia was one of his players of the famed golden generation of the Super Eagles.
“I called him last month to greet him for his birthday and also to celebrate with him for the end of his five-year ban”, Westerhof told Sports Village Square at his house in Arnhem in the Netherlands.
According to him, Siasia is just like Keshi and that he has the capacity to turn the Super Eagles around for the better. Westerhof, the author of the famed ‘Golden Generation’ of the Super Eagles made his suggestion shortly after Germany’s Bruce Labbadia turned down the Nigerian job offer.
Westerhof remarked that he was surprised about the choice of Labbadia in the first instance and that the now Mali coach, Tom Saintfiet who is his friend could have been a better choice.
Saintfiet, a Belgian, was speculated among the coaches initially short-listed for the Super Eagles’ job. But Westerhof, before the naming of Austin Eguavoen, another member of his famous 1994 squad, strongly back Siasia for the job.
He remarked that he was in touch with the former striker as well as Austin Okocha whom he met with in London recently.
To Westerhof, Siasia has the same quality like Stephen Keshi to handle the Super Eagles. “He has done it before and I think he can still do it.”
Nigerian Football
Plateau United’s Doyeni is first scorer of Season 2024/25
The balls hit the nets 17 times this Sunday as the Nigeria Premier League Season 2024/25 burst into life this Sunday.
The first of the goals was from Plateau United’s Olawale Doyeni who converted a 24th minute penalty kick against Katsina United in an eventual 1-0 home win.
Another star-man of the the day is Enyimba’s Clinton Jephta who has become the season’s first hat-trickster. His three goals in the 65th , 70th and 73rd minutes sank heartland 3-1 in their home match.
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