Nigerian Football
Remo Stars, Rivers United unrelenting…remain unbeaten
Rave of the moment, Remo Stars continue struggling for dominance in the Nigeria Professional Football League as they held one of the powerhouses of the league, Kano Pillars to a goalless draw and thus pick another valuable away point.
They continue to breath down the neck of another powerhouse, Rivers United who consolidated their leadership on the league log with a 2-1 defeat of Dakkada in Port Harcourt.
Both Remo Stars and Rivers United who played 1-1 draw in Ikenne on Sunday remain unbeaten.
Rivers United went up with a goal in their home game with Dakkada through Isaq Rafiu who also salvaged the win with another goal when Dakkada initially levelled up at 1-1.
In Ibadan, Shooting Stars appear to be back to winning form when they massacred Heartland 4-0. All the goals came in the second half.
Scorers for the Shooting Stars in what is easily their biggest win in ages are Daniel Kolawole, Taofeek Malomo, Ayo Adejubu, and Nafiu Raheem
Shooting Stars who face the unbeaten Remo Stars on Sunday in Ikenne have been able to navigate their ways from the league’s backwaters to sixth position.
Plateau United are third on the log following a 1-0 away win against Enugu Rangers. Holders Akwa United were held to a 1-1 draw by Kwara United at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.
Stephen Chukwude put the home team ahead on 18 minutes, while Samad Kadiri equalised for Kwara United 20 minutes from time.
Eight-time champions Enyimba lost 2-1 against Nasarawa United in Lafia. Victor Mbaoma gave Enyimba the lead in the 13th minute.
Tolulope Oluwole equalised for the Solid Miners five minutes later, Mohammed Shamassu scored the winning goal on the dot of 90 minutes.
In Makurdi, Lobi Stars and Niger Tornadoes battled to a 1-1 draw.
Shamsudeen Hashim put the visitors in front three minutes after the break, while Ifeanyi Ogba levelled scores for Lobi Stars in the 57th minute.
In another matchday 10 fixture, Abia Warriors defeated Wikki Tourists 3-0.
Valentine Odoh bagged a brace, while Godwin Obaje scored the other goal.
All the Results
- Kano Pillars 0-0 Remo Stars
- Rivers United 2-1 Dakkada
- Shooting Stars 4-0 Heartland
- Nasarawa United 2-1 Enyimba
- Lobi Stars 1-1 Niger Tornadoes
- Abia Warrious 3-0 Wikki Tourists
- Enugu Rangers 0-1 Plateau United
- Katsina United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
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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