Rivers Angels Defeat Sunshine Queens to Retain NWPL Title

*Sports Minister thrilled by standard of the Super Six, pledges support for female Football

Rivers Angels retained the Nigeria Women’s Premier League title after defeating Sunshine Queens 4-0 at Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode yesterday.

The Ladies from Rivers State reclaimed the country’s diadem when they pipped Confluence Queens 2-0 in the final in 2019 and finished the 2020-21 season in the top six to qualify for the Super Six concluded yesterday.

Edwin Okon’s ladies secured eight points from four matches in the Round Robin tournament, while Sunshine accrued seven points from the same number of games. It therefore was an open game for either of the two teams to ride to the title and the ticket to represent Nigeria in the newly formed CAF Women’s Champions League.

Oghenebrume Ikhekua fired the holders the lead with the opener two minutes before Vivian Ikechuchwu doubled the lead a minute from half-time.

After the restart, Alice Ogebe extended Rivers’ lead to three in the 63rd minute before Maryann Ezeanagu struck 11 minutes from full-time to wrap up their third consecutive four-goal victory.

The league triumph was Rivers Angels’ first back-to-back title and seventh overall following previous successes in 1994, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019, with six of them won under Okon’s regime.

In other results, Robo Queens were held to a 1-1 draw by Delta Queens after Chiamaka Okwuchuwu’s effort from the penalty spot three minutes from full-time cancelled out Lawal Taiwo’s first-half opener.

In another game of the final day of the playoffs, Bayelsa Queens defeated Edo Queens 3-0 for their fifth defeat of the series.

Rivers Angels, Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Robo Queens, Delta Queens and Sunshine Queens converged in Ijebu Ode for the Super Six tournament for the winner of the season to emerge.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who was at the final, assured the Nigerian women’s Football League Board of renewed support that would propel female football league to the next level.

According to the Minister, “I’m impressed with what I’ve seen today as we have seen female professional football at its best. You will recall I that I watched the last NWPL Super Four final at the Agege Stadium, Lagos where I saw great exhibition of talents.

“I want to congratulate the overall winner and those who will represent us for the first time in the Female CAF Champions League to be our worthy representatives by perhaps winning the maiden trophy of the CAF Champions League.”