NPFL: Kwara Utd Halt Shooting Stars’ 77 Days Unbeaten Run 

*Bendel secure insurance winner against Enyimba in Benin City

 Femi Solaja

After 77 days of unbeaten run in the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Shooting Stars of Ibadan were finally put to the sword in a 2-0 defeat by Kwara United of Ilorin in one of the rescheduled matches played yesterday.

The eight-match unbeaten run which is perhaps the club’s record would have given the Oluyole Warriors a glimmer of hope to close the gap at the summit to Remo Stars but the defeat still left them in the second position but with a massive eight-point gap at 40 points. The run-away leaders from  Ikenne are on  48 points with a 15 goal difference.

Interestingly, it was against Remo Stars that Shooting Stars last lost a match in a 2-0 defeat with goals from Sikiru Alimi and Adedayo Olamilekan. Since then, the Ibadan side won six matches in a row, including the famous victory in Enugu against Enugu Rangers and then a 1-1 draw in Jos to Plateau United.

And yesterday in Ilorin, playing before an appreciable crowd, the tittle-chasing Ibadan side found themselves behind after 22 minutes when Kabiru Mohammed put the home side in front and Ogifini Abdullah doubled the lead in the 57th minute.

The result also pushed Kwara United to eighth position on 32 points.

In Benin, Bendel Insurance’s quest to move away from the drop zone gained traction following a lone-goal win against visiting Enyimba FC at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

With the gates thrown open for their fans, it was Kayode Oke Solomon who gave the crowd something to cheer with a goal in the 55th minute. The win thus lifted the Benin Arsenal further away from the relegation cadre at 15 position with 28 points while Enyimba remained in the 10th position on 31 points.

In Kano, the home side Pillars edged  El Kanemi with a 2-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium. After a goalless first half, veteran midfielder, Rabiu Ali, put the home side in the lead in the 62nd minute via a penalty kick but the visitors restored parity three minutes later through Umar Al Amin through a well-taken penalty kick.

But with the game looking like a draw, the massive crowd at the stadium celebrated the late-minute goal off Rashid Alhasan.   

Meanwhile, the NPFL has re-arranged Match-day 24 which are expected to hold this weekend.

The Nasarawa United and Ikorodu City FC tie has now been drawn back to Saturday, 15th February 2025, at the Lafia City Stadium at 4 pm while the clash between Kano Pillars and Abia Warriors will now hold on same Saturday, 15th February 2025, at 3:00 pm at the Sani Abacha Stadium Kano.

The biggest game for the match day will be held in Enugu between Rangers International and table-toppers Remo Stars on Sunday, 16th February 2025, at 3:00 pm.

Other matches billed for Saturday, 15th February 2025, include; Kwara United Vs Bayelsa United, Plateau United Vs El kanemi Warriors, Lobi Stars Vs Katsina United, Enyimba FC Vs Rivers United and Sunshine Stars Vs Akwa United.

The matches that have been scheduled for Sunday, 16th February 2025 include; Heartland FC vs Shooting Stars and Bendel Insurance Vs Niger Tornadoes.