Remo Stars win first Nigerian league title as Enyimba continue resurgence
By Kelechi James
Remo Stars became the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season champions, yesterday, on a day Enyimba chose to get their pound of flesh from their Eastern rivals, Enugu Rangers.
Yesterday’s 1-0 defeat of Niger Tornadoes in the Ikenne, Ogun State was already forecast as the championship winning victory following Friday’s 2-0 defeat of their closest rivals, Rivers United, by Kano Pillars.
Nonetheless, the final whistle sent residents of Ikenne to delirium as those at the Remo Stars Stadium ran onto the pitch to celebrate South West region’s first title in 35 years.
With three games left in the season, the Daniel Ogunmodede boys have an unassailable10-point lead over second-place Rivers United.
The title is the club’s first major trophy since it was founded in 2010 by Kunle Soname, a businessman. But it did not come on a platter.
Like a team on a mission to spoil Remo Stars’ dream of winning the title at home, Niger Tornadoes rebuffed Remo Stars’ efforts to find the back of the net until the 84th minute when Olamilekan Adedayo broke the Minna side’s resistance.
Remo Stars are the first South West club to win the NPFL title since the defunct Julius Berger FC’s triumph in 2000. They also become the first privately-owned club to win the league since Ocean Boys of Bayelsa in 2006.
While Remo Stars’ fans were enjoying their dream title, Enyimba gave their fans reason to dream of another continental outing with a 2-1 defeat of Enugu Rangers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. The win apart from pushing Enyimba close to a continental ticket, was also a sweet revenge for the Aba team, who were beaten in controversial circumstances by the Flying Antelopes in a game that tilted last season’s title race in Fidelis Ilechukwu’s team’s favour.
The encounter last year was abandoned by Enyimba when the referee awarded a penalty to Rangers in the dying minutes. After looking at the match referee’s report, the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) awarded the game to Rangers with three points and three goals. Rangers went on to be crowned champions for the 2023/24 season
But there was no such scenario yesterday as the Oriental derby served an entertaining game to the watching fans.
Enyimba scored twice in the first half through Innocent Gabriel and Ekenne Awazie, before Chiedozie Okorie reduced the deficit for Rangers in the 66th minute.
The win took Enyimba to the fifth position on the log on 52 points, which is four points below third placed Abia Warriors, who occupy the lone CAF Confederation Cup position with three games to go.
Abia Warriors returned to third position courtesy of a 3-1 home win over Shooting Stars.
Adejoh Ojonugwa opened the scoring for Imama Amapakabo’s side after seven minutes, while Anthony Ijoma added a second for the hosts 12 minutes later.
Sunday Megwo scored his side’s third goal five minutes after the break, before 3SC pulled one back in the 57th minute when Alex Aghahowa rose the highest to head home a swift corner that the Warriors failed to clear.
The win put Abia Warriors two points close to Rivers United in the race for the second CAF Champions League ticket.
In other games, Nasarawa United defeated Heartland 1-0 at the Lafia City Stadium, with Anas Yusuf scoring the winning goal for the home team late in the first half, just as Kwara United thrashed relegated Lobi Stars 4-0 in Ilorin.
Junior Aimufua grabbed a brace, with Wasiu Alalade and Adeshina Gata scoring the other goals.
Former champions Plateau United recorded a 2-1 victory over Bendel Insurance at the New Jos Stadium, with Sadiq Adams getting both goals for Mbwas Mangut’s side, while Stanley Okoroma gave Insurance the consolatory goal in stoppage time.
At the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa United boosted their survival hopes courtesy of a 2-1 win over Ikorodu City.
Wisdom Ubani gave Ikorodu City the lead in the 19th minute, before Akwa United fought back with two goals from Uche Sebastine and Osoba Kabir.
