NPFL Review: Doma frustrates Remo Stars in Ikenne, Enyimba thumps Heartland
Two matches in matchday 10 of the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) ended unfavourably for the home teams as Doma United held Remo Stars to a goalless draw while Heartland lost 0-1 to Enyimba on Saturday, 25 November 2023.
There were supposed to be three games played on Saturday, with Plateau United hosting Rivers United, but the latter’s involvement in the 2023/2024 CAF Confederations Cup forced the postponement of the fixture to an unscheduled date.
Remo Stars 0-0 Doma United
FULL-TIME STATISTICS
Remo Stars 0-0 Doma United
Despite making 24 attempts on goal, the Sky Blue Stars couldn't find the back of the net, resulting in a goalless draw at the Remo Stars Stadium.
This outcome maintains the Savannah Tigers' position at the top, having kept a… pic.twitter.com/HFAIuokjNu
— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) November 25, 2023
The League hopefuls, Remo Stars, suffered a setback and failed to score at home for the first time this season after notching in seven goals at the Remo Stars Stadium in their last two games against Gombe United and Shooting Stars.
The Sky Blue Stars were expecting a stern test coming into the game; they knew the Savannah Tigers were no pushovers like their fellow Gombe side, conceding the fewest goals and keeping the highest clean sheets in the league.
With this being Doma’s first game away from Gombe since losing 3-1 to Shooting Stars at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan almost a month ago, doubts were cast as to whether they would be able to maintain their five-game unbeaten run and remain at the summit of the table when they play on another perch.
They did just that, convincingly earning their fifth point away from home in five games, overtaking Lobi Stars as the team with the best away record in the league so far.
The game saw both teams testing their goals with a combined 37 attempts, with 24 of those coming from Daniel Ogunmodede’s side, and Kingdom Osayi, proving yet again to be the most reliable shot-stopper in the country, denied all nine shots coming to his target.
Heartland 0-1 Enyimba
FULL-TIME STATISTICS
Heartland 0-1 Enyimba
Super sub, Stephen Chukwude's header just two minutes after entering the game, proved to be the decisive moment and adding to the woes of the winless Millionaires.
The defending champions secured their third consecutive win, drawing… pic.twitter.com/GMFulHWMlK
— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) November 25, 2023
In the first Oriental derby of the weekend, Enyimba put up a solid display yet again to record their third consecutive win after a poor start to the season that saw them swimming in relegation waters.
The defending champion failed to win eight of their first 10 games of the season in all competitions, which included heartbreaks in the CAF Champions League qualifications and an embarrassing 4-0 aggregate loss to Wydad in the African Football League.
The Naze Millionaires have been enduring a purple patch of their own, being the only team in the league yet to record a win. They sacked head coach Christian Obi and replaced him with two-time league champion Kennedy Boboye.
Boboye came into the team with the firmness of purpose to put an end to the deplorable run of form of the Owerri outfit, but Stephen Chukwude’s 81st-minute header handed them their first home loss of the season.
Heartland will remain bottom of the table, four points off safety, despite playing a game more than 18 of the other 19 teams in the league, while Enyimba, with a game in hand against Remo Stars to come on Wednesday, moved three places up from eighth to fifth position, level on 16 points with the fourth-placed Sky Blue Stars.
Fixtures to come
Matchday 10 actions in the NPFL continue on Sunday, 26 November 2023, with seven matches, which include another Oriental derby between Abia Warriors and Enugu Rangers at the Umuahia Township Stadium and a Southwest derby between Sunshine Stars and Sporting Lagos at the Akure Township Stadium in Ondo.
Second-placed Lobi Stars will be facing off against third-placed Shooting Stars at the Lafia Township Stadium in a top-of-the-table clash.
Other fixtures see Southerners, Akwa United, Bayelsa United, and Bendel Insurance travel up north to face Niger Tornadoes, Katsina United, and Kano Pillars, respectively.
The weekend games will be concluded with Gombe United travelling over 900 kilometres to Ilorin to face Kwara United.
NPFL MATCHDAY 10!
It’s the 10th Matchday, and there’s a lot at stake in this game week.
– 2 Oriental derbies
– 1 southwest derby
– The highest scoring side clashes with the team having the highest clean sheets.
– Kennedy Boboye starts his turnaround quest with a game against… pic.twitter.com/lxNghmUoFt— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) November 25, 2023
