NPFL: Plateau Utd Extends Lead

Plateau United extended its leadership of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with a 1-0 defeat of FC Ifeanyiubah in a Match-day 30 clash in Jos yesterday.
With MFM FC versus Rangers clash in Enugu postponed till today due to heavy down pour, Plateau is comfortably straddled on the top of the topflight on 54 points from 30 games. MFM is second on 49 points from 29 matches. Akwa United is third on 47 points from same 49 matches.

In Sagamu, Head Coach, of embattled Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Fatai Amoo, was flabbergasted at his side’s inability to grab their first away win at top-flight newcomers Remo Stars.

The Oluyole Warriors were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Sky Blue Stars in yesterday’s Match-day 30 clash at the Gateway International Stadium in Sagamu.

Moses James gave the Ibadan landlords the lead while Ekene Awazie evened the scores for the Remo side in added minutes of the keenly contested clash.

Amoo said ruefully that he hopes the missed opportunity to win at Remo Stars does not hurt his side in the final reckoning.

“I thought we have grabbed our first away win of the season only for Remo Stars to earn the equaliser in the additional minutes of the game.

“It’s an outright and total loss of concentration on our part, it beats my imagination how we openly missed the golden opportunity, I really lacked the right words to explain what happened.

“The away draw looks exactly like an away loss for me considering the time we conceded the equalising goal.

“This lost opportunity to ink our first away win has taught us a big lesson to play till the last whistle.

“I just hope and pray the missed chance at Remo Stars does not turn around to hurt us at the end of the day.

“As you can see the implication could be serious. However, we just have to take the outcome in good faith to see how we can quickly make amends in other matches.

“The draw meant that we must do more in the next home match against former champions Enyimba.

“It’s certainly going to be tough against Enyimba but we must rise to the occasion to ensure we take the three points at stake,” said the former Sunshine Stars coach to supersport.com.

The draw at Remo Stars takes the Ibadan landlords’ total earning to 37 points from possible 90 in the 30-week-old top-flight.

MATCH DAY 30

Enyimba 2-1 Lobi Stars

Gombe Utd 0-0 Niger Tornadoes

Abia Warriors 0-0 Akwa Utd

Nasarawa Utd 2-1 El Kanemi

Rivers Utd 0-1 Sunshine Stars

Remo Utd 1-1 Shooting Stars

Katsina Utd 1-0 Kano Pillars

Wikki Tourists 1-0 ABS

Plateau Utd 1-0 IfeanyiUbah

Rangers Vs MFM (Suspended)