Nigerian Football

Journey to Relegation Begins for Shooting Stars

Published

7 years ago

June 25, 2017

BY SAMMY WEJINYA.

The path to another relegation to the lower league was well paved for Shooting Stars as Rivers United handed the troubled side a bitter 1-0 defeat in Port Harcourt.

Rivers United went about their business of taming hard-fighting Shooting Stars Sports Club in brisk fashion on Saturday as the Port Harcourt side continue their steady ascent on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) log.

Odumegu needed less than 120 seconds to make his mark at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt as he fired in a brilliant effort past the 3SC goalkeeper, Charles Tambe but his furious celebrations were rudely abbreviated as the ‘goal’ was chalked off for offside.

The United team and particularly Odumegwu did not let their heads drop and due reward was to arrive 19 minutes later when the attacker bundled home from two yards out.

Shooting Stars, content with adopting the safety first approach before then, had to predictably come out of their shells as the game improved as a spectacle.

Ajani Ibrahim should have levelled matters for the Oluyole Warriors but he saw his powerful drive from 12 yards beaten away impressively by the United goalkeeper, Femi Thomas in the 35th minute.

The second half was never going to match the first in terms of excitement and sheer drama but Bernard Ovoke, a man slowly but surely returning to form, cracked a 25 yard rocket which was flying into the top right hand corner but Tambe did well to divert the effort away for a corner with 19 minutes remaining.

Shooting Stars head coach, Fatai Amoo did not attend the post-match press conference but his assistant, Edith Agoye who did in his stead praised their conquerors for their success.

“It was a very good game and both teams gave their all. Any side could have won it as we both had chances.

“It was an open game and the chances were few but congratulations to Rivers United,” he said.

Shooting Stars threatened fleetingly but without any real conviction as the hosts saw out the game comfortably.

Eguma also addressed the media in the post-match press conference attended by www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

“It was a keenly contested game. The two teams were very strong and 3SC gave us a keenly-contested game.

“I did not expect an easy game. We had a very good first half but the second half was not quite as good.

“The most important thing was to get the three points but we have to improve in the area of scoring goals,” he said.

Rivers United have now moved up to 13th on the NPFL standings with 33 points from 25 matches while Shooting Stars is in 18th place with 29 points from 26 matches.

Nigerian Football

Enugu Rangers hold on at the top of Nigeria Premier League

Published

9 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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 28^th 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 75^th minute.

Nigerian Football

Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers

Published

5 days ago

April 23, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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.