Remo Stars Stage a Dramatic Comeback to Defeat El Kanemi Warriors
Remo Stars delivered a thrilling late comeback to defeat El Kanemi Warriors 2–1 in Abeokuta on Monday, ending a streak of five consecutive losses across all competitions. The victory marked a significant turnaround for the champions, who were trailing for most of the second half before securing a dramatic win.
The match began with El Kanemi Warriors taking the lead in the 58th minute when Jonas Emmanuel scored with a close-range header. Despite controlling possession and creating several chances in the first half, Remo Stars struggled against the visitors’ strong defensive setup and the goalkeeper’s quick reflexes.
Victor Mbaoma came closest to breaking the deadlock before halftime, hitting the crossbar in added time. Olamilekan Adedayo and Adama Goita also had opportunities from long range, but their efforts were thwarted by the opposition’s defense.
After the break, the momentum shifted as El Kanemi Warriors capitalized on their attacking play, with Emmanuel scoring the opening goal. In the absence of head coach Daniel Ogunmodede, who was on national duty with the Super Eagles in Morocco, his assistant Sulaimon Kamil made tactical changes, introducing Haruna Hadi and Samson Olasupo to add pace in the final third.
Remo Stars’ persistence eventually paid off in the closing stages when Mbaoma was fouled inside the box and converted the penalty in the 87th minute. With the score tied, the hosts continued to press forward, and their efforts were rewarded deep into stoppage time when goalkeeper’s parried clearance fell to Michael Ibe, who drilled home a low strike in the 95th minute to seal the victory.
This win lifted Remo Stars out of the relegation zone, placing them 16th on 13 points with two games in hand. It was their first league win in over a month, and they will look to build on this success when they host Enugu Rangers again in Abeokuta on Thursday.
Other Match Results
In other fixtures, Rivers United secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Kun Khalifat thanks to Maclyn Biokpo’s goal in the 78th minute. This result moved Finidi George’s team into the top four on 20 points, three points behind leaders Nasarawa United, with a game in hand.
At the New Jos Stadium, Plateau United continued their resurgence with a 1–0 win over Bendel Insurance, thanks to Saka Gafar’s early second-half goal. The loss extended Insurance’s winless run to seven matches, leaving them in 19th place as pressure mounts on new coach Kennedy Boboye.