The 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League season got off to a flying start, as defending champions Remo Stars and Rivers United shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta on Friday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Former Remo Stars player Aniekeme Okon grabbed the game’s opening goal, before the returning Victor Mbaoma dragged the Ikenne side level all within the game’s opening ten minutes.
In what promised to be an exciting encounter, both head coaches, Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars) and Finidi George (Rivers United), decided to start players who featured at the ongoing CHAN tournament in East Africa for Nigeria in their starting XI.
Remo Stars skipper, Junior Nduka, Adedayo Olamilekan, and Tochukwu Michael started for the home side, while Taofeeq Otaniyi, Stephen Manyo, and Taiwo Abdulrafiu started for Rivers United.
The game got off to the best possible start when a Rivers United attack ended with Aniekeme Okon scoring in the third minute. Timothy Zachariah sent a teasing cross into the box, and the former diminutive Akwa United winger was there to head it past goalkeeper Obassa Adeniyi for the game’s opening goal and the first goal of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, Rivers United were not in the lead for long, as the defending champions got themselves back on level terms six minutes later. Samuel Anakwe sent a lovely pass into the path of Mbaoma, whose attempt was too strong for the goalkeeper to handle.
In the 20th minute, midfielder Michael Ibe’s free kick struck the woodwork, as the hosts started to get into the groove. Meanwhile, goalscorer Mbaoma had to be taken off and replaced by Malian import Adama Goita a minute later due to injury.
READ MORE: Spotlight on Remo Stars as 2025/26 season begins
Rivers United goalkeeper Osagie Onosodumeya made a brilliant stop from Anakwe’s header to keep his side level. Meanwhile, the Pride of Rivers had a goal rightly ruled out for offside as the two teams progressed into the break unseparated.
After the interval, the visitors nearly went in front when Junior Nduka’s attempted clearance from a low cross came off his own goalpost. And at the other end, Remo Stars huffed and puffed, but they could not find a way. Rivers United skipper Temple Emekayi was sent off in stoppage time as the two teams settled for a share of the spoils.
The remaining games of the opening match day will be decided on Sunday, while the other clash between Niger Tornadoes and Nasarawa United has been moved to Wednesday in Ilorin.
