Defending champions, Rivers United yesterday defeated Doma United 2-0 in the rescheduled Match Day 12 of the 2022/23 abridged Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to dent the ‘Savannah Tigers’ Super 6 chances and effectively dislodge Lobi Stars from the top of Group B.
The first ten minutes of the match were played at a very high tempo at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt with Albert Korvah, Mohammed Shirz and Joseph Onoja coming close to scoring for the home side.
In the 19th minute, the ‘Pride of Rivers’ were one goal up when Nyima Nwagua, assisted by Onoja Joseph, broke the deadlock as he scored his fifth league goal this season.
Two minutes before the break, the home side doubled the lead with an Albert Korvah’s screamer as the first half ended 2-0. It was the Liberian’s third league goal of the season.
At the restart of the second half, the ‘Savannah Tigers’ mounted pressure as they tried to get back into the game with Emmanuel Luke Ogwuche having two quick successive attempts at goal but there was nothing to show for his efforts as the hosts annexed all maximum points.
The loss in Port-Harcourt has no doubt put Doma United’s qualification for the Super 6 playoff in jeopardy as a loss or draw in their final match at Abia Warriors would end their chase for the remaining ticket in Group B.
Therefore, the fight for the last Super 6 ticket in the group is between Doma United and Sunshine Stars but mathematically, even Abia Warriors still have a faint chance of qualifying if they record a massive win in the last match and Sunshine Stars suffered an unexpected mishap at home against already relegated Dakkada FC.
Meanwhile, following the victory over Doma United, Rivers Utd and Lobi Stars have sealed their Super 6 playoff spots with 33 and 30 points respectively.
In Group A, Bendel Insurance have sealed their Super 6 spots leaving Remo Stars, Enyimba and Akwa United to slug it out for the remaining two spots.
Meanwhile, the final games of the season will be played on May 21 with the Super 6 playoff to be played from Tuesday May 23 to Saturday June 3, in Lagos as proposed by the Interim Management Company (IMC).
