Rivers United maintained their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Shooting Stars at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt on Thursday, October 17.
Following four wins and two draws in their opening six matches, the Pride of Rivers’s aim to assert early dominance over 3SC earned them a penalty to open the scoring. However, Mustapha Lawal denied them twice, saving both the initial attempt in the 14th minute and the retaken spot-kick a minute later.
After a goalless first half, Aniekeme Okon broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, before Shooting’s troubles deepened when Alex Aghahowa was sent off in the 59th minute, giving the hosts a numerical advantage. Six minutes later, Ndifreke Effiong doubled Rivers’s lead, sealing all three points and reclaiming the top spot from Remo Stars.
The Sky Blue Stars lost 3-1 to Plateau United in Jos. Franklin Ebuka’s brace and Sadiq Abubakar’s strike had done the damage before Malik Jabbar’s 83rd-minute consolation goal wrapped up Remo’s disappointment in Jos.
Elsewhere, Bendel Insurance cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bayelsa United at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, while Katsina United earned their fourth win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over Akwa United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.
The early relegation battle between Emmanuel Amuneke’s Heartland FC and newbie Ikorodu City ended in a 1-1 draw, as Chukwuma Agor 66th minute strike for the Naze Millionaires was cancelled by Salau Yusuf‘s fourth-minute opener at the Awka City Stadium.
Thursday’s results wrapped up matchday seven — after Wednesday’s clashes—with Rivers United sitting atop the log with 17 points. Remo Stars follow closely with 15 points, while Enyimba trails in third place with 14 points.
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