Remo Stars maintain grip in NPFL title race
Nigeria Premier Football League leaders, Remo Stars, bounced back from their slip last week with a commanding 2-0 victory over Heartland FC in Ikenne on Sunday to keep their eight points gap at the top of the table, NewsNGR Sports Extra reports.
Goals from midfielder Olamilekan Adedayo and new signing Samson Olasupo were enough for the Southwest club to reignite their title charge following a 2-1 defeat to Bendel Insurance in their previous outing.
Adedayo opened the scoring in the 31st minute before Samson Olasupo sealed the win in the 80th.
The Sky Blue Stars got off the blocks as quickly as possible with a flurry of chances from Fabian Nworie, Sodiq Ismail and Franck Mawuena in the opening 15 minutes.
They got the breakthrough after the half-hour mark with Adedayo drilling low to the bottom right of the goalkeeper off an assist by Mawuena.
Togolese striker Mawuena was denied yet again after the restart as Remo pushed for a cushion which eventually came off the boots of second half substitute Olasupo. The former Sunshine Stars striker got his second goal for the club in three games with a header off a cross from Tochukwu Michael to seal the win.
The defeat left Heartland, coached by ex-international Emmanuel Amuneke in 17th place, just one point above the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Finidi George’s Rivers United kept up the chase on Remo with a hard-fought 2-1 away victory over El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri.
After a tense first half, they broke the deadlock just two minutes after the restart through Taofeek Otaniyi. Samson Bossa Obi doubled their lead in the 61st minute before El-Kanemi halved the deficit in stoppage time through Risilanu Ismail.
In Uyo, Shooting Stars suffered a major setback in their title pursuit, falling 2-0 to relegation-threatened Akwa United at the Nest of Champions.
Match-day 29’s thrills hit the roof at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos where Ikorodu City and former champions Enyimba played out a dramatic 2-2 draw in front of a packed stadium.
Ikorodu City captain Tosin Oyedokun put the hosts ahead in the 41st minute, but Enyimba responded in the second half with two quick goals from Mojeeb Odufeso in the 66th minute and Joseph Atule.
While Atule’s goal seemed to have secured all three points for Stanley Eguma’s men, second-half substitute Ayomide Cole struck deep into stoppage to salvage a point for the hosts as the race for the continental spot also heats up.
