The South-West derby between Sunshine Stars and Ikorodu City delivered a pulsating seven-goal spectacle at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, with the home team narrowly clinching a 4-3 victory as the Nigeria Premier Football League resumed its second stanza.
Ahmadu Liman opened the scoring for Sunshine Stars in the 16th minute, followed by Promise Awosanmi’s strike to double the lead. Alao Danbani added a third in the 33rd minute, giving the hosts a comfortable cushion. However, Shola Adelani pulled one back for Ikorodu City before halftime, ending the first half 3-1.
Adelani struck again in the 66th minute to further reduce the deficit, but Danbani restored Sunshine’s two-goal advantage with his second goal of the match in the 74th minute. Despite a late push by Ikorodu City, which saw them net a third goal in stoppage time, their efforts to find an equalizer fell short, and the game ended 4-3 in favor of Sunshine Stars.
Elsewhere, defending champions Rangers suffered a surprise 2-1 home defeat against Niger Tornadoes in Enugu, failing to secure a much-needed victory.
The action continues on Sunday as the league’s second stanza gathers momentum. Lobi Stars will face Heartland in Owerri, with both sides determined to claim maximum points. The clash will feature Nigerian football legends Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amunike—both heroes of the iconic USA 1994 squad—leading their teams from the dugout. Amokachi will helm the ‘Alia Boys,’ while Amunike will oversee the ‘Naze Millionaires,’ promising a fascinating tactical battle.
Lobi Stars, currently 18th on the table with 20 points from 19 games, will look to turn their season around. Meanwhile, Kennedy Boboye will lead Akwa United’s resurgence plan as they take on Remo Stars, while Plateau United hosts Rivers United in another intriguing fixture.
