By George Akpayen
Remo Stars continued their impressive start to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season with a 1-0 win over Sunshine Stars on Saturday while Heartland FC suffered a second straight defeat with a 3-1 loss at Rivers United.
The Sky Blue Stars had begun the campaign with a superb 2-0 win at Abia Warriors on the opening matchday of the season and followed that up with a slim victory over Sunshine Stars in the Southwest Derby at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
New signing and former FC Giwa striker, Shuaibu Ibrahim, making a return to the top division after spells in Europe, scored the goal that sealed the win for his new club.
It took the Remo Stars striker seven minutes to open his account in only his second appearance for the club. He held off his marker well after receiving a pass from centre-back Ifeanyi Anaemena before applying the finish.
Sunshine Stars did not just fold after Ibrahim’s goal. Kennedy Boboye’s men made the Sky Blue Stars work with Nduka Junior clearing off the line and goalkeeper Obassa Adebiyi had his palms stung by Elmer Arunta’s late free kick that looked destined to land in the net.
The win has now propelled Remo Stars to the top of the standings with six points, two more than Rivers United in second place.
Rivers United had in the early kickoff of the double-header of live broadcast by StarTimes defeated Heartland.
Taofeek Otaniyi headed in Aniekeme Okon’s cross past Heartland goalkeeper Ebuka Nwokocha on three minutes.
In added time before the break, Christian Molokwu levelled the score for Heartland from Chijioke Opara’s long throw-in after Rivers United goalkeeper Osagie Onisodumeya misjudged the flight of the ball.
Ubong Friday, who surprisingly moved from Akwa United to Rivers United in the off-season transfer window, nearly gave the Port Harcourt club the lead 10 minutes after the restart but watched as his attempt came off the post.
However, Friday’s replacement Kabir Abdullahi found the target eight minutes after coming off the bench on 60 minutes to restore Rivers United’s lead.
Inside additional time, Abdullahi was on hand to get his second to secure a comfortable 3-1 win for Rivers United.
The loss is the second on the bounce for former Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Amuneke since taking up the role of Heartland head coach before the start of the season.
Heartland on Matchday 1 suffered an identical 3-1 defeat to nine-time champions Enyimba at their Dan Anyiam Stadium home ground.
Matchday 2 continues on Sunday with another double-header of live broadcast on StarTimes. Akwa United play hosts to Abia Warriors from 3pm while Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) face Plateau United in the day’s late kickoff from 5:30pm at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Four other matches are also billed to take place from 4pm on Sunday.