Nigerian Football
At Half-way Mark Lobi Stars Lead The NPF As Enyimba Beat 3SC In Ibadan –
Lobi Stars’ ambition to return to the continental scene seems to remain alive as the club has held tenaciously to the top spot of the Nigeria Premier League which hit its halfway mark this weekend.
It has been the most competitive season ever as the top position has been held by as many as seven clubs from MatchDay I and the gaps separating the teams are very narrow.
Former champions, Lobi Stars of Makurdi who have led in the past two match days maintained the top spot after a lone-goal win over Plateau United on Sunday evening at the township stadium.
It was Suur Kumaga’s lone strike in the 23rd minute that cancelled Remo Stars’ momentary lead at the top following an early-minute goal against Abia Warriors at the Ikenne stadium in the 8th minute.
The win by Lobi Stars takes the team to 36 points with a goal difference while Remo Stars who also won 2-1 at home against Abia Warriors are on 35 points with 10 goal difference.
At the Lekan Salami Stadium, Enyimba recorded the biggest win of the night with a last-minute win over the home side with a 2-1 win.
The massive away win shot the team to the third position on the log with 32 points.
Chijioke Mboama silenced the Ibadan crowd with a 56th-minute penalty but Ademola Kareem restored parity in the 83rd minute but attempt to go for the winner backfired when the visitors scored in the injury time to leave the scoreline at 2-1.
In the other matches, Gombe United played a 1-1 draw at home with Bayelsa United while Akwa United continued their resurgence with a lone-goal win against Enugu Rangers.
Two goals from Idris Suleiman and Ali Rabiu assured Kano Pillars maximum points against visiting Heartland of Owerri with a 2-1 scoreline.
Niger Tornadoes and Katsina United played a goalless scoreline.
Matches resume for the second stanza this weekend with reverse fixtures of the just concluded week matches.
Meanwhile, two outstanding matches will come up mid-week with Enugu Rangers at home to River United while Heartland will host Kwara United in Owerri.
Enugu Rangers on Sunday beat Plateau United 2-0 to hold on at the top of the Nigeria Premier League. They extended their point haul to 57, two points ahead of their Oriental brothers, Enyimba who also beat Katsina United 1-0 to keep the chase for the title very hot.
Initial second placed team, Remo Stars dropped to the third position but still in contention for either the title, but at worse a continental ticket for next season.
Following Shooting Stars 2-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars in a South West derby, the top four positions of the are now held by the South East and South West as the league gets into its closing stage.
While Rangers and Enyimba are first and second at the moment, Remo Stars, though with an outstanding home game are third while their fellow westerners, Shooting Stars are fourth.
The weekend’s results:
Rivers United 2-0 Katsina United
Remo Stars 3-0 Niger Tornadoes
Doma United 0-0 Kwara United
Bendel Insurance 1-0 Heartland
Enugu Rangers 2-0 Plateau United
Shooting Stars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Akwa United 3-0 Kano Pillars
Enyimba 1-0 Katsina United
Gombe United 3-2 Lobi Stars
Sporting Lagos 4-2 Abia Warriors
Remo Stars on Friday inch closer to achieving their first ever title in the Nigeria elite division league after beating visiting Niger Tornadoes 3-0 to move second on the log and just a point behind league leaders, Enugu Rangers.
Remo Stars are now with 53 points and still have an outstanding home game to play.
Friday’s win which comes on the eve of the proprietor’s birthday has put the team back into contention for the title.
They have progressively become prominent in the Nigerian premier league having placed third two seasons ago and second last season.
Top finish this season will confirm their progression and also a third consecutive continental outing.
Top scorer, Sikiru Alimi launched them of victory path as his 28th minute penalty kick heralded their return to high scoring ways.
It has been a while since they scored high in the league. Barely three minutes later, Sikiru, a contender for the top scorer award increased the tally to two.
Ahmed Akinyele completed the route in the 75th minute.
Nigerian Football
Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers
Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.
The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.
Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.
The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.
Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.
However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.
Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.
Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.
The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Groups:
Group A: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin
Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.
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