By Femi Atolagbe Sunshine Stars head coach, Kennedy Boboye has declared that they are in Ikenne to pick the three points against Remo Stars in a Matchday 2 tie of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The clash of Stars scheduled for Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne has been tagged ‘Oduduwa Derby.’ Boboye in his pre-match interview said if Remo Stars could get three points at Abia Warriors then nothing should stop Sunshine Stars from replicating same against the Ikenne-based side on Saturday. The ex-Nigeria international added that getting three points against Remo Stars is achievable, if his side can utilize their chances. “We are in Ogun State to pick the maximum points against Remo Stars,” he stressed. “I have confidence in my players because they are coachable and responding to training positively. “I pray every instruction given them at training manifests positively in Saturday’s game.” Sunshine Stars and Remo Stars picked maximum points in their opening games of the season.

By George Akpayen The first matchweek of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has been concluded and it produced eye-catching performances and results most pundits never saw coming. RABIU ALI AT 43 STILL GOING STRONG NPFL’s player, Rabiu Ali, continues to defy the odds to put up impressive displays. The Kano Pillars captain and midfielder smashes home a direct free kick for his first goal and then fires home his second from outside the box to help his club to a 3-0 win over Ikorodu City. NEW BOYS IKORODU CITY BLOWN APART It looked like Ikorodu City has started their first season in the top division well when they held off Kano Pillars to a scoreless first half. However things unfolded within a 21-minute spell in the second half. They conceded from attempts from Mustapha Umar and Rabiu Ali to suffer a three-nil defeat. Ikorodu City head coach, Bright Ozebagbe, simply acknowledged that his team “switched off” when it mattered most. FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON After the opening game of the season ended goalless between champions Rangers and El-Kanemi Warriors, everyone was on the lookout for who would score the first goal of the campaign. It was not a striker who opened the scoring for the season but a defender. Plateau United’s Olawale Doyeni now holds the honour of scoring this season’s first goal which turned out to be his side’s winner against Katsina United. AMUNEKE BEGINS WITH A DEFEAT It was not the start former Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Amuneke would have wanted as Heartland head coach. After watching his men play out a 0-0 draw at halftime with Enyimba, his team got off to a flyer in the second half. Suraj Lawal netted for Heartland eight minutes into the second half but the lead lasted just 13 minutes. Ifeanyi Ihemekwele equalized before Clinton Jephtha’s double ended any hope of a fight back for Amuneke’s team. ENYIMBA, REMO STARS, TORNADOES WIN ON THE ROAD Nine-time champions Enyimba, Remo Stars and Niger Tornadoes claimed wins at Heartland, Abia Warriors and Kwara United respectively to emerge as the only side that claimed maximum points on the road on the opening day. Remo Stars won 2-0 through Sodiq Ismail and Jide Fatokun’s goals while Tornadoes win 2-1 at Kwara United with Godstime Joseph and Sabiu Ibrahim getting the goals before Sadeeq Yusuf managed a late goal for the opponents. Enyimba, on the other hand, came from behind to beat Heartland 3-1 in the Oriental Derby. CRAZY 7 MINUTES IN OWERRI They say a team are vulnerable when they just scored and that was what happened to Heartland after taking the lead in the 53rd minute through Suraj Lawal. This was followed by seven crazy odd minutes that saw Enyimba turned things around to win 3-1. Ihemekwele scored on 66 minutes after which Clinton scored twice on 71 and 73 minutes to put the game out of Heartland’s reach. LAFIA CITY STADIUM OF DRAWS The occupiers of the Lafia City Stadium, Nasarawa United and Lobi Stars, played out draws against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and Akwa United respectively. Nasarawa United thought they were closing in on the full points after Anas Yusuf converted from the spot on 59 minutes but 3SC found their way back late. Substitute Samuel Ayanrinde netted inside added time to help 3SC earn a point on the road. Akwa United and Lobi Stars played out a goalless draw on Monday to round off the matchweek. AMAPAKABO, BOSSO’S RETURNS RUINED Two coaches, Imama Amapakabo and Ladan Bosso, who made their returns to the NPFL suffered defeats with their teams. Bosso, making a return after five years, led Bayelsa United to a 3-0 loss at Sunshine Stars with Seidu Salisu, Promise Awosanmi and Stephen Chukwude scoring the goals. On the other hand, Amapakabo watched as Abia Warriors lost 2-0 at home to Remo Stars. It was Amapakabo’s first game since returning to the top division in two years.

Four-time Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) winners, Kano Pillars, have unveiled their 12 new signings including Nelson Abiam, Akpesiri Naibe and Muhammed Zulkifilu. The unveiling, which took place at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, comes four days before the club’s first league game of the season against newly-promoted Ikorodu City. Abiam joined Sai Masu Gida after his time last season with relegated Doma United while Naibe and Zulkifilu were snapped up from Sporting Lagos and Rangers International. Other new signings are goalkeepers Charles Tambe (from Remo Stars) and Chukwuemeka Oniya (from Rangers) as well as right-back Mustapha Jibrin who makes a return to the Kano club. Abuchi Okeke (from Sokoto United), Ugochukwu Gabriel (from Wikki Tourists) and Bright Emmanuel (Solution FC) were among the new boys. Kano Pillars also landed two players, Alhassan Rashid and Emmanuel Anaful, from Ghanaian club, Karela United while Sudais Ali Baba who last played for Swedish side FC Trollhättan completes the list of new signings. The new signings will join up with the 20 players the club have retained from the previous for their match against Ikorodu City this Sunday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, which will serve as their temporary home ground owing to renovation work at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

Sunshine Stars have decided to honour their former captain Sunday Abe by retiring his number 10 jersey for just this season. Abe officially announced his retirement from football after close to two decades of involvement in the sport. The 33-year-old first broke into the Sunshine Stars senior side in 2006/07 from the youth team and have gone on to become their captain in 2013. He played in the NPFL for 17 years, which the ODSFA chairman, Honourable Bamidele Ologunloluwa feels will be invaluable in Sunshine Stars’ backroom. Abe missed out playing 18 seasons in the NPFL on the spin when he played on loan at Albanian side KF Teuta Durres. The club chief also said the retirement of the number 10 jersey for a season is “a mark of honour for his (Abe’s) service to the team.” In addition, the club announced that Abe and another former player Kayode Idowu have been appointed as match readers by the side’s parent body, Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA). Abe represented Nigeria at Under-17s at the FIFA World Cup and at African championship in 2019.

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side, Bendel Insurance, have officially completed the signing and unveiling of 13 players as they are braced to face Rivers United in their first match of the season at home this Sunday. Former Enyimba striker, Uche Collins, heads the list of new arrivals at the Benin City club alongside his former teammate James Oronsaye. Other new signings include Kayode Oke from 3SC, goalkeeper Suleiman Solihu from Kwara United, Emmanuel Ugwu from Dakkada FC, Moses Ajiboye from Nasarawa United, Isaac Ajibola from Sporting Lagos, Chinedu Onyinjekwe from Lagos-based Fame FC, Uche Martins from Rangers, Jesse Kelechi from Crown FC, Nazir Mohammed from the team’s academy, Stephen Bekewe from Bayelsa United and Martin Owolija from Tornadoes. The club have also announced the departure of 13 players. Top on the list of departures are goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, Kelly Kester, Sunday Anyanwu, Ebuka Akobundu, Sarki Ismael, Chisom Okereke, Junior Osaghae and Divine Nwachukwu. Others are Paul Obama, Evans Ogbonda, Jude Ebhohon, Chukwudi Meze and Wisdom Stephen. At the players’ unveiling, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Yussuf Alli urged the new players to be disciplined and focused as they continue to blend with the old ones so they can play as a formidable team that can make the state proud again. Alli said he has confidence in the club’s head coach Monday Odigie and his team to make headlines in the new football season. He tasked them to begin the season on a positive note by beating Rivers United on Sunday.

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Rangers International, have hired Felix Nwosu as the head coach for their Under-19 (youth team). Nwosu was unveiled on Tuesday at the club’s corporate head office with the mandate to scout for youngsters to build a strong youth team that can graduate into the main team that will play in line with the culture and philosophy of the club. Nwosu, who has a CAF C licence, had earlier in his career, has worked as coach with F.C Talanta of Kenya, Heegan SC of Somali, Ambassador Youth Club of Enugu, DreamStars Ladies FC of Lagos, Right2Win SC of Umuahia, BYT Academicals FC of Lagos, GreenFoot Ladies of Enugu and Delta Force FC of Asaba. The new Rangers youth team coach is “delighted” to be part of the ongoing project at the club. “I am happy to be here. Everyone knows that Rangers is a very big club in Africa and beyond and I am so delighted to be part of what is happening and there is already progress in Rangers. I am just here to solidify the great things that has been happening and make sure that I get more things into the team and make sure that the name of the team is sustained,” Nwosu told the club’s media.

By Femi Atolagbe President of Sunshine Stars Football Club, Bamidele Ologunloluwa has disclosed the reason the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) club adopted Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu Ode, as their temporary home. Ologunloluwa said the Owena Whales chose Ijebu-Ode due to ongoing renovation and upgrading of Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure. He appealed to Sunshine Stars fans both home and abroad to bear with the team, saying he understands the pains for ardent football lovers to miss out watching their darling team in their traditional home. Ologunloluwa added that the adoption of Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium will be temporary as renovation works will be speedily done on the stadium in Akure. He said: “I can assure our fans that Sunshine Stars will make them happy with good results in this 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League season. “We are working to present not any just team but a solid squad that will have capacity to compete for League.” Ologunloluwa lauded Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa for showing the people of the state that he is truly a lover of football by approving the renovation and upgrading of Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure. “We thank and appreciate Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the much he is doing to develop football in Ondo State and his appreciable support for other sports. That goes a long way in showing that he is indeed a true lover of football and by extension sports.” Sunshine Stars are expected to get their 2024/25 season underway with a home tie against Bayelsa United, in Ijebu-Ode.