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Friday, January 20, 2023

NPFL: Insurance, Remo Stars, Tornadoes maintain perfect start; El-Kanemi bounce back as Sunshine hold Rivers United

The remaining fixtures for matchday two of the 2022/2023 NPFL season were decided on Thursday in various locations across the country.

• January 19, 2023
Niger Tornadoes
Niger Tornadoes

The remaining fixtures for matchday two of the 2022/2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season were decided on Thursday in various locations across the country.

Matchday two round of fixtures began on Wednesday, which saw four matches that produced seven goals in three away victories and a draw played.

However, three away wins, one home win, and two draws producing a combined ten goals were recorded as actions continued today for the matches scheduled for game week two across six different stadiums.

In Group B, having beaten Akwa United in their opening game of the season, Bendel Insurance defeated Plateau United 2-0 to continue their 100 per cent start to the campaign.

The first half ended goalless at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, but Ismail Sarki finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute to put Insurance up front as the game gained momentum.

The encounter turned dramatic in the final minutes when Mustapha Abdullahi scored an equaliser for Plateau United in the first minute of the added time, but the drama was not yet over.

However, the visitors were left heartbroken when Imade Osehenkhoe found the net barely two minutes later to seal a late winner for Insurance. The goal was Osehenkhoe’s second goal of the campaign.

The victory sent ‘The Benin Arsenal’ to the top of group B standings.

In Maiduguri, Borno state, newcomers El-Kanemi Warriors beat Nasarawa United 2-1 in all-northern affairs to steal their first win of the new NPFL campaign.

Alfa Igbudu put the Warriors ahead in the game’s opening minutes before Zayyad Musa extended the lead in the 74th minute to seal off the win at the El-Kanemi Sports Complex. 

Onuche Ogbelu grabbed a consolation for Nasarawa United in the last minutes, but it was not sufficient to save them from their second straight defeat of the campaign. They are the only team yet to record a win in the group this season.

Meanwhile, the only away victory today came at Pantami Stadium in Gombe, where Remo Stars piped hosts Gombe United 1-0 to continue their per cent start in the ongoing campaign.

Having beaten El-Kanemi Warriors two-nil in the season’s opening match, Andy Okpe grabbed a last-gasp winner from a header in today’s game to make it two wins from two matches.

The ‘Sky Blue Stars’ join Bendel Insurance with a perfect record in Group B thus far, sitting on top of the table.

Ibadan witnessed the only goalless game today as Shooting Stars F.C played out a barren draw with Kwara United at the Lekan Salami Stadium.

The spoils share saw both clubs pick up second points of the season.

In Group B, Niger Tornadoes earned a narrow home victory over relentless Doma United at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium as the ‘Ikon Allah’ clinched its second straight win of the campaign.

Minur Idris netted the game’s only goal to send Niger Tornadoes to second in the group with six points – only trailing group-leader Abia Warriors due to an inferior goal difference.

Finally, Sunshine Stars grabbed a late equaliser to earn a point as the Owena Whales held reigning champions Rivers United to a one-all draw at the Ondo State Sports Complex.

Rivers United went into halftime with a one-goal advantage thanks to an own goal. But Sunshine Stars left it late once again when Ejike Uzoechi scored from a spot kick in the 87th minute to deny the visitors a rare victory.

The champions now sit fourth in Group B standings with four points from a possible six, an exact replica of Dakkada’s statistics, who are third on the log, while Sunshine Stars occupy the sixth place with two points out of a possible six.

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