Remo Stars Edge Enyimba as Abia Warriors & Rivers United Share Spoils

At Ikenne, Remo Stars overcame Enyimba International FC 2–1 on Sunday as Matchday 16 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) produced drama and late-minute heroics.

Victor Mbaoma struck early for Remo Stars, putting them ahead after just three minutes.  Enyimba responded through Edidiong Ezekiel in the 32nd minute to restore parity.  But Mbaoma grabbed his second and the match-winner on the stroke of half-time, giving Remo Stars a crucial lead going into the break.

Elsewhere, in Umuahia, hosts Abia Warriors denied Rivers United full points, as the game ended in a dramatic 1–1 draw.  Rivers United appeared to have stolen it when Maclyn Biokpo scored as late as three minutes from time.  But Abia Warriors’ Suraj Lawal equalised deep in stoppage time to snatch a share of the spoils.

The results leave Remo Stars with a valuable win as they jostle near the top of the table, while Abia Warriors and Rivers United may feel mixed emotions pride in their resilience, but regret at two dropped points.

Editorial

In the often unforgiving theatre of the NPFL, where pitches wobble and pressure lingers longer than confidence, Sunday’s results offered two different languages of survival ruthless execution and unshakable resolve.

Remo Stars, once more, showed why they are title-contenders. They struck early, seized initiative, and crucially hit again just before the half-time whistle. That second goal, scored by Victor Mbaoma, wasn’t just a finish it was punctuation. It turned a tight encounter into a victory with breathing room it made space for composure when Enyimba pressed after the break. In a league where momentum swings like a pendulum, that extra moment of decisiveness often decides seasons.

But the draw between Abia Warriors and Rivers United may linger longer in memory not for the goal that nearly was, but for what it symbolises unrelenting belief. For Rivers, Biokpo’s late strike must have felt like inevitability for Abia, Lawal’s equaliser was defiance. That single point may not glitter like three, but in a campaign of attrition, it feels like iron. It says we are not done yet.

What the day reminds us is that in Nigeria’s top flight, it seldom matters who enters the match as favourite it matters who grabs the moments. Precision, nerve, conviction. That’s the currency. And on this day, Remo spent theirs wisely. Warriors and Rivers may yet regret the penny they left on the table.

As the season wears on, such margins will compound. Title chases rarely falter because of a single failure to hunt. They crumble under the weight of too many.

Did You Know?

1. Victor Mbaoma has now scored in consecutive matchdays for Remo Stars — his brace against Enyimba marks at least his third goal in the last two league games.
2. The win lifts Remo Stars into the top three of the NPFL standings, reinforcing their credentials as genuine title contenders this season.
3. Abia Warriors have now avoided defeat in their last two home league games after last-minute comebacks — showing that their home ground in Umuahia remains a fortress under pressure.
4. For Rivers United, the late equaliser by Abia Warriors disrupts momentum prior to this game they had challenged Remo Stars strongly this dropped point means their chase for the summit grows tougher.
5. In the bigger picture, Matchday 16 delivered several tight results — including narrow wins, draws, and a handful of goalless stalemates underlining once again the competitive parity and unpredictability of the NPFL.