REMO Stars maintained their position at the top of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) after resuming from a 10-day New Year break on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
On December 29, 2023, the NPFL board gave the country’s top-flight league clubs the window to relieve their players from the pitch to celebrate the New Year.
On resumption of activities in the league’s matchday seventeen match, Remo Stars, who suffered a loss to relegation-threatened Heartlands 0-3 during the last match of 2023, redeemed themselves after winning a 2-0 victory against Sunshine Stars of Akure.
The match tagged ‘South-West derby’ lived up to expectations at the Remo Stars stadium in Ikenne Ogun state, but Aniekeme Okon’s brace secured a maximum of three points for the host.
Other league matches that began in 2024 saw the end of the six-game winless run of Shooting Stars, who pipped Bayelsa United at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan 1:0.
The Oluyole Warrior won through Kareem Ademola, who scored the game’s decisive goal in the 11th minute.
Bayelsa United’s performances in the last five matches have been below par after losing four of their last five games. They have only won a game in their last 12 NPFL matches.
It was an emphatic comeback in South-South as Akwa United came from a goal down to win Abia Warriors 3-1 at the Eket Township Stadium, thanks to Saidu Mubarak, David Philip and Mohammed Hadi, who scored for Akwa United to record their first win in four games.
Enyimba defeated Sporting Lagos 2-0 in the South-East, courtesy of Ekwutoziam Eze and Elijah Akanni.
The People’s Elephants remain unbeaten in their last five league games, while Sporting Lagos are without a win in their last five outings.
It was a break from the ‘home win’ scheme in Ilorin, Kwara State, as Lobi Stars of Makurdi recorded the only away win after defeating Kwara United 2-0, thanks to Godwin Oshagbemi and Stanley Oganbor’s goals.
In the North-West, Kano Pillars edged Plateau United 2-1 at the Sani Abacha stadium on Sunday.
Plateau United took the lead through Albert Hilary on the stroke of halftime, but the host secured the victory through Haruna Abdullahi and Abdullahi Musa.
The match between Rivers United and Gombe United ended with a 1-1 draw at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe.
FULL TIME
Akwa United 3-1 Abia Warriors
Enyimba FC 2-0 Sporting Lagos
Kano Pillars 2-1 Plateau United
Kwara United 0-2 Lobi Stars
Niger Tornadoes 3-2 Heartland
Remo Stars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
3SC 1-0 Bayelsa United
Gombe United 1-1 Rivers United