Remo Stars, Abia Warriors Brighten Survival Hopes

Relegation battling sides Remo Stars and Abia Warriors on Thursday secured crucial derby wins to brighten their hopes of surviving the dreaded drop at the end of the 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Remo Stars who are bottom of the Group A table defeated Sunshine Stars 1-0 in a South West Derby decided at the Gateway Stadium Sagamu. Substitute Victor Mbaoma headed home the game’s only goal in the 71st minute to give embattled coach Kennedy Boboye a win over his former side.

Remo still occupy bottom of the group standings though with seventeen points from eighteen matches. Bendel Insurance also remain in the relegation zone after a Sikiru Alimi second half header condemned them to a 0-1 loss at Lobi Stars.

In Group B, Nasarawa United and Kano Pillars battled out a surprise 0-0 draw at the Lafia Township Stadium in a result which left both sides in fifth and fourth position respectively on the log.

In the group’s other game decided on Thursday, Abia Warriors completed the double over FC Ifeamyiubah in the Baby Oriental Derby, thrashing Uche Okagbue’s side 3-0 at Umuahia Township Stadium. Tunde Abdulsalami, Ibrahim Olawoyin and Shedrack Asiegbu scored the goals while Chibuike Ezeh missed a penalty late on for the visitors.

Abia Warrriors climbed one spot on the log to 10th position with four matches remaining. The next round of matches in the NPFL will hold on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Group A
Wikki 1-1 MFM FC
Rivers Utd 1-0 Enyimba
Rangers 1-0 Kwara Utd
Tornadoes 1-0 Katsina Utd
Remo Stars 1-0 Sunshine Stars
Lobi Stars 1-0 Bendel Insurance

Group B
Yobe Stars 0-0 El-Kanemi
Go Round 0-1 Akwa Utd
Plateau Utd 2-0 Gombe Utd
Delta Force 0-0 Heartland
Nasarawa United 0-0 Kano Pillars
Abia Warriors 3-0 FC Ifeanyiubah