Soccer
Matchday 18 games of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) were played across the country over the weekend with Shooting Stars, Remo Stars, Abia Warriors, Kwara United, and Shooting Stars registering notable victories, Soccernet.ng reports.
Shooting Stars pulled off the most significant win of the gameweek as the Oluyole Warriors stunned champions Rangers International with a 1-0 victory in Enugu.
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It was not just the only away win of the weekend but also the first time Shooting Stars will beat Rangers away from home in over 20 years.
While Rangers would likely attribute their loss to the absence of chief coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, who was on national team duty in Ghana, Shooting Stars would be grateful to former Maccabi Haifa defender Ikouwem Udo Utin who netted the only goal of the encounter in the 28th minute.
The 25-year-old star also played a key role in helping the Ibadan warlords keep their fourth consecutive clean sheet in the league.
With the win, Shooting Stars rose to third on the league table with 30 points, two better than 4th-place Rangers.
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors strolled to a convincing 2-0 win over Ikorodu City courtesy of first-half goals from Ijoma Desouza and Sunday Megwo inside the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Super Eagles legend George Finidi continued to weave his magic with Rivers United as the Pride of Port Harcourt forced Nasarawa United to a 1-1 draw in Lafia.
Joshua John gave the hosts the lead in the 14th minute but Kabiru Abdullahi converted a second-half penalty to earn Rivers United a share of the spoils and maintain their status as league leaders.
Remo Stars joined Rivers United at the top of the NPFL table following a fine 2-0 win over Bayelsa United in Ikenne.
While coach Daniel Ogunmodede was overseeing Nigeria’s goalless draw with Ghana in Accra, his charges made light work of their visitors thanks to a late Jabbar Malik brace.
In the last game of the day, Kwara United needed an 85th-minute penalty to secure a slim 1-0 triumph over Katsina United in Ilorin.
Earlier on Saturday, Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa netted a 90th-minute winning goal that inspired Kano Pillars to a thrilling 2-1 win over Niger Tornadoes.
Sunshine Stars defeated El Kanemi Warriors 1-0 in their adopted home at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, while Bendel Insurance overcame Lobi Stars by a similar scoreline in Benin City.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.
From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.
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