In a thrilling Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 20 encounter, Remo Stars stunned Akwa United with a 2-1 victory on Sunday, January 26, at the Nest of Champions, intensifying the relegation fears for the struggling Akwa United.
The match got off to a shaky start for Remo Stars when, in the 6th minute, goalkeeper Obassa mishandled a shot from Chijioke Alaekwe, allowing Uche Sabastine to capitalize on the error and give Akwa United the lead.
Despite the early setback, Remo Stars quickly regained composure, with Akwa United’s goalkeeper, Hakeem Otuyiga, forced into two key saves in the first 20 minutes, denying Michael Tochukwu and Ahmed Akinyele from long-range efforts.
As the second half unfolded, both teams made changes to shake things up.
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Akwa United made a triple substitution in the 60th minute, bringing on Tochukwu Samuel, Friday Apollos, and Olakunle Akala for Seyi Oguntayo, Emmanuel James, and Chisom Orji.
Remo Stars responded with their own adjustments, introducing Qudus Akanni, Alex Oyowah, and Malik Jabbar to energize the team.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 73rd minute when Remo stars Samuel Anakwe scored a brilliant chip to level the score at 1-1, just moments after coming on.
With both teams pushing for a winner, it was Remo Stars who found the breakthrough in the 84th minute. A beautifully executed team move ended with Olamilekan Adebayo finishing off the play to give his side the lead and seal a crucial 2-1 victory.
With the win, Remo Stars remain firmly at the top of the NPFL standings with 39 points, continuing their title challenge.
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Meanwhile, Akwa United’s relegation woes worsen as they remain in 19th place with just 19 points, and the pressure mounts on the Promise Keepers to turn their form around.
In other results from Match Day 20, Plateau United triumphed 2-1 over title contenders Rivers United in Jos, while Heartland FC, led by ex-Nigerian international Emmanuel Amuneke, secured a 1-0 win over Lobi Stars in Owerri, with new signing John Bassey scoring the decisive goal.