NPFL: Late Goals Give Insurance, Remo Stars Maximum Points

Femi Solaja

Elite league returnee Bendel Insurance of Benin City and Remo Stars of Ikenne had to dig deep to earn late winning goals in their respective games last night to join Abia Warriors as the only clubs to have maintained perfect score points so far in the on-going Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

Unlike the opening day of the season that recorded unprecedented away wins, only Remo Stars of Ikenne secured that feat on Match Day-two with a lone goal win at Gombe United.

After intense play from both sides, club’s goal machine, Andy Okpe, who was absent in the team’s 2-0 win against El-Kanemi got the only goal of the match from a free kick in the 89th minute.

A well scripted dead ball was squared to the left side and Okpe scored from a cross at a close range to give the side six points from two matches.

In Benin, Insurance had to work harder to get the winning goal deep into added time against last season’s runner-up, Plateau United.

After a goalless first half, Ismael Sarki put the home side in the front seat in the 53rd minute.

With the match looking to have been won by the home side, Christopher Nwaeze equalised in the first minute of added time via a penalty kick but two minutes later, Imade Osehenkhoe restored the lead and put the side on maximum points after two matches.

The trio of Abia Warriors, Remo Stars and Insurance are the only teams to have won all their respective matches as teams prepare for the next round of matches this weekend.

In the other matches played yesterday, Shooting Stars of Ibadan maintained winless start with another draw against Kwara United as both sides settled for a goalless result at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.

El-Kanemi Warriors won 2-1 against visiting Nasarawa United with goals from Alfa Igbudu and Zayyad Musa but Onuche Ogbelu reduced the score line on the dot of 90th minute.

Niger Tornadoes won by a lone goal at home against Doma United when Munir Idris scored in the 8th minute of the match while Sunshine Stars of Akure denied the defending champion, Rivers United maximum points in Akure with a late equaliser scored by Ejike Uzoechi from the spot to end the game 1-1.

MATCH-DAY 2

Group A

Enyimba 0-0 Akwa Utd

El Kanemi 2-1 Nasarawa

Bender 2-1 Plateau

Gombe 0-1 Remo

Shooting 0-0 Kwara

Group B

N’Tornadoes 1-0 Doma

Sunshine 1-1 Rivers Utd

Abia War’ 3- 1 Bayelsa Utd

Dakkada 2-1 Wikki Tourist