October, 8 2023.
Remo Stars of Ikenne haunted down Enugu Rangers, in the pick of Day-2 fixtures of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday, in seven designated match venues.
Remo Stars won the game, which in fact was their very first match of the 2023/24 Season, despite falling behind to a Kazeem Ogunleye goal for the Flying Antelopes in the 8th minute, at their ultra modern stadium, in Ikenne-Remo.
Oluwaseun Ogunribide drew the host level in the 35th min, before Sikiru Alimi struck the winner in the 53rd minute, as the Sky Blues wrapped up the three (3) points on offer; while Rangers who stormed Ikenne for the encounter by flight, were turned back to Enugu, empty handed.
In Gombe, Alakwe Chijioke and Ahmed Jimoh got the goals at the end of each half, as Gombe United thrashed Enyimba of Aba 2-0 at the Pantami Stadium, in the first match of the defending champions, in the domestic league, this term.
Elsewhere, Bashiru Usman's goal from the penalty spot, as early as the 7th minute, was all Niger Tornadoes of Minna needed to edge Rivers United 1-0, at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, in Kaduna.
Samuel Tiza was the man of the match as his brace (54th & 70th minutes), propelled
Lobi Stars of Makurdi to edge a very enterprising Sunshine Stars of Akure 3-2; in their battle of Stars played in Lafia, the adopted home of Lobi Stars.
Heartland FC of Owerri fell 0-1 in Jos, to Plateau United, for whom Mundi Bernard got the solitary goal in the 11th minute, and Sporting FC of Lagos, even without their head coach, Paul Offor, who is in Namibia for a coaching course held Akwa United to a respectable goalless draw, in Uyo.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Ejeh was the starman for Kwara United, as his outstanding performances of the defender in both boxes, earned Kwara United a deserved 1-0 victory over Abia Warriors of Umuahia, at the Ilorin Sports Complex.
Ejeh, who returned to the country from Sweden and opted to rejoin his former team (Kwara United), capped the yoman job, in the defense of Kwara United, by straying forward to net the only goal of the match, at the stroke of halftime.
The priceless goal, scored from a rebound, was against the run of play, and a product of a superb counter-attack, staged after Erasmus Onuh's side failed to score from a corner-kick, at the other end.
Remarkably, the defending champions, Enyimba FC began their campaign on a losing note, and after eighteen (18) games played over two weekends, no away win has yet been recorded, but the two draws, one in each weekend, could suffice and still hold some promise of a bountiful season; www.ckdmedia.ng reports.
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