Nine-time Nigeria League champions, Enyimba, are itching closer to another title after recording a massive 3-0 win over Sunshine Stars in the last game of the day on Friday at the ongoing NPFL Super Six championship in Lagos.
A brace from Emeka Mbaoma in the third and eighth minutes and Ikenna Cooper’s 66th-minute freekick sealed the win for the Finidi George-led boys, who now have eight points from the four games.
Though Rivers United are also on eight points after Friday’s 2-1 win over Bendel Insurance, the defending champions are at a disadvantage due to their inferior goals difference compared to the Peoples’ Elephant.
Remo shine brighter
Also on Friday, Remo Stars won the “battle of stars” as they defeated Lobi Stars 2-0 to brighten their chance for at least a continental slot.
The Sky Blue Stars shone far brighter as they overshadowed their opponents, who scarcely posed a tangible threat.
Junior Lokosa justified Coach Daniel Ogunmodede’s trust in him as he scored in his first start for the club in the 17th minute.
Adams Olamilekan doubled the lead for Remo Stars three minutes later to seal the first win in the Championship for the Sky Blue Stars.
The game
Coach Ogunmodede made five changes to his last squad, with Junior Lokosa leading the attack for the Sky Blue Stars and Boniface Nwaeze in the backline.
The game’s first attempt was from Elijah Ani, whose shot toward the Remo Stars’ defence went sideways just a minute into the game.
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But the effect of Lokosa was felt in the second minute of the game when goalkeeper Daniel Atsaka saved his jab to Olamilekan Adams’ cross.
Having missed a goal-scoring chance in the early minutes of the game, Lokosa made no mistake to score Remo Stars’ opener in the 17th minute with a flying header past Captain Moses Tsehaun and John Lazarus as he connected well to the cross delivered by Ismail Sodiq.
Three minutes later, Akanni Qudus, involved in the first goal, teamed up with Seun Ogunribide, whose cutback pass was powered into the net by Adams Olamilekan to register his debut goal in the tournament against his former side.
Lokosa almost scored a brace at the half-hour mark, but his strike was deflected softly by Monday Akile for the goalkeeper to catch, while Adams’ effort went off target minutes later.
Lobi Stars made some changes in the second half as they sought a way back into the game.
At the hour mark, Atule was substituted for Kamanga Surr, but his entrant could not undo the damage already done by Remo Stars in the first half.
Though there were a couple of decent chances for both teams late in the game, neither Remo nor Lobi Stars converted them as the game ended 2-0 in favour of the Sky Blue Stars.
The Super Six will end on Sunday with a champion emerging and two other teams winning slots for continental football next season.
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