Remo Stars, Sporting Lagos Lock Horns in South-west Derby

Kunle Adewale

With Shooting Stars having lost ground in recent years, the battle of the South-west of the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, have shifted to the confrontation between Remo Stars of Ikenne and the new darling team of Lagos fans-Sporting Lagos, and both sides would be trying each for size in one of this weekend’s league fixtures at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne.

Aside the three points at stake, Remo Stars are still bitter to have lost to Sporting Lagos in the final of the maiden edition of the Naija Super 8 4-2, via penalty shootouts and revenge will be in the minds of the Daniel Ogunmodede tutored side, while Sporting Lagos, who are yet to taste defeat in the three week-old NPFL would want to prove that their victory in the Super 8 was not a fluke.

Remo Stars captain, Nduka Junior has stated that his side is going for a victory over Sporting Lagos in the first Southwest derby of the NPFL season.

Remo Stars sit in the top five spot after three games and hope to improve on that when they host their ‘noisy neigbours’.

“We’re going to try to consolidate on our away point so it becomes more meaningful to us, maintaining our high position on the log,” Nduka Junior told Sports247.

While the Ikenne team would be buoyed by their 2-1 away win against Balyesa United last weekend ahead of encounter, coach Paul Offor and his boys would want to prove that the two points lost to visiting  Doma United in their goalless draw last Sunday at the Mobalaji Johnson Arena, Lagos, was just a one off thing.

This weekend’s encounter will be their first in the league and Remo Stars would be hoping to get their pound of flesh for the Naija Super 8 loss with a win, while the visitors will attempt to go back to the top of the table.

According to Sporting officials, “We’re super pumped about this Sunday because we’ve looked forward to it for a long time. It’s the first time we’re travelling with fans for a game. Our first ever road trip and what makes it even more special it’s for a fiercely anticipated derby against Remo Stars.

“After our draw against Doma at Onikan on Sunday, we need a good result against Remo Stars to stay in the top half of the league. Its still early days though but every point counts.

Remo Stars is one of the only four southwestern clubs in the NPFL, so this is effectively a rivalry. A fight for southwestern bragging rights and also a fight for the pride of privately owned teams in the NPFL.”