Initial leaders, Remo Stars are back on the summit of the Nigerian Premier League after they defeated El Kanemi Warriors 2-0 in Ikenne on Sunday while Rivers United crumbled to a 1-0 defeat in their encounter with defending champions, Enugu Rangers.

With both top teams without some of their regulars who were in Super Eagles Team B preparing for the CHAN encounter against Ghana next week, host Enugu Rangers were on the front foot from the start putting the visiting Rivers United side on the edge but in the 18^th minute, Collins Ugwueze puts the home side in front from close range.

All attempts visiting side to level up were unsuccessful till the end of the match.

Rivers United, for the loss, has dropped to second position with 29 points against Rangers in the third on the ladder at 27 points.

In Ikenne, Remo Stars’ domination of the first stanza earned two goals off Peter Onuoha in the 31^st minute. The forward pounced on a goal post and rebounded for a header that beat El Kanemi Warriors’ goalkeeper to the wrong side.

Franck Mawuena doubled the lead in the added time of the first half and the result put them back at the summit with 29 points.

In Yenagoa, high-ridding Ikorodu City had to endure a late goal conceded in the 79^th minute for the host Bayelsa United to secure a hard-earned win over the Oga Boys.

While in Jos, Coach Emmanuel Amuneke’s side Heartland were coasting home with another massive away win but host Plateau United turned the heat late in the second half to win at 3-2.

The host opened the score in the 6^th minute via Anthony Sunday and held on till the end of the half but the visiting side turned the heat in the second half with two quick goals by Tobi Ige in the 51^st and 57^th minute.

But Anthony Sunday restored parity in the 70^th minute and Mafeng Pam scored the winner in the 90^th minute. The result dropped Heartland to the 13^th position while Plateau United maintained the 15^th position with 18 points.

Kano Pillars were the better side with a lone goal win against visiting Katsina United and the only goal was scored by Abba Adam in the 33^rd minute.

While Abia Warriors were 2-1 better against visiting Niger Tornadoes in Aba. Ijoma Desouza put the host in front in the 21^st minute an own goal but Ernest Onyeka doubled the lead Ahmed Family pegged the score from the spot in the 90^th minute.

Earlier on Saturday, Shooting Stars of Ibadan had secured a lone goal away win over Sunshine Stars of Akure. Alex Aghahowa Otakho scored the only goal in the 28^th minute.

In another encounter, Nasarawa United pipped embattled Lobi Stars with a lone goal scored by Omar Adegoke in the 12^th minute. The result leaves in the dropped zone at 18^th position with 16 points while Nasarawa are just a little up the relegation zone at 16^th position with 18 points.

NPFL RESULTS

Rangers 1-0 Rivers Utd

Plateau Utd 3-2 Heartland

Kano Pillars 1-0 Katsina Utd

Abia Warriors 2-1 Tornadoes

Bayelsa Utd 1-0 Ikorodu City

Remo Stars 2-0 El Kanemi

Sunshine Stars 0-1 Shooting Stars

Nasarawa Utd 1-0 Lobi Stars

Shooting Stars made a major strike on Saturday evening getting valuable points as they continue their gradual rise to the top of the Nigeria Premier League table.

In a Western derby at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, where Sunshine Stars played their home match, Shooting Stars got a 1-0 away win that temporarily put them in fifth place.

Before the match, they were in the eighth position and had at a time in the season found themselves in the backwaters.

Shooting Stars last won the Nigerian league in 1998 and set a negative record of being the first Nigerian reigning champion to go into relegation the following season.

But now, they are within shouting distance of getting to the top. Great thanks to the 28th-minute strike of Otakpo Aghahowa which enabled the long-time former champions to secure full points.

Elsewhere, Lobi Stars are confined to the relegation zone after a 1-0 loss to Nasarawa United. The goal that compounded Lobi Stars woes was scored in the 12th minute by Qamar Adegoke.

France’ women’s national team, Le Bleues continue their winning run in encounters with the Super Falcons of Nigeria after a 2-1 win on Saturday night. The match marked the fourth time both teams met and all ended in victories for France.

However, the Super Falcons redeemed their image as Ifeoma Onumonu  scored Nigeria’s  goal in the added time of the first half.

The goal has entered the record books as the first Super Falcons player to score against France whose tally in encounters with Nigeria has increased to 12.

Little wonder the French coach, Laurent Bonadei remarked that his team was well in control of the match.

 “We controlled this match well, especially in the first half, despite this goal on the counterattack just before the break.

“We knew that Nigeria was a powerful and solid team. But we shot 19 times for 11 shots on target.

 “It was a convincing performance. There were some good things and some things to improve, in terms of rhythm.

“But I am also happy to have rotated and given playing time to players, young players in particular like Lou Bogaert or Alice Sombath.

The 3-4-3 allows us to play with three attackers in the centre, to be in numerical superiority. It also worked thanks to the application of the instructions.

“The defensive work and positioning were respected. The players showed a lot of intelligence and complicity.

“Personally, I feel good, but you always feel better after a victory than after a defeat. It was our first match after the first two friendlies last month, it’s interesting, we’re making a turnover..”

The match also raked up some salient statistical information. The match marked the seventh time in their 53-year history that the Les Bleues played in the city of Angers

The match was the 519th in the history of the Bleues (record: 306 wins, 92 draws, 121 losses, 1,123 bp, 498 bc). 
► 3rd match for Laurent Bonadei at the head of the Women’s A since his appointment on August 23, 2024. Record: 2 wins, 1 loss
► 14th match of the year 2024 for the French Women’s Team. Record: 9 wins, 5 losses (21 bp, 17 bc).
► 4th confrontation between France and Nigeria, since the first in June 2011. Record: 4 wins, 12 goals scored, 1 conceded
► 1st selection for Alice Sombath, starting at kick-off.
► 80th cap for Sakina Karchaoui, 90th for Grace Geyoro
► 166th appearance for Wendie Renard (39 goals), now the only 6th most capped player. The 5th, Camille Abily, has 183.
► 197th selection for Eugénie Le Sommer, now one length from the record of Sandrine Soubeyrand (198).