Izuchukwu OkosiThe 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season got underway across seven Matchday 1 venues this past weekend as well as on Monday.
The season had been pushed back twice but it finally began with eight games played.
The season nonetheless is expected to end in May 2024 and it is expected that midweek games will feature a lot in the next nine months.
Prime Business Africa presents the roundup of the games played.
In Ibadan, Oge Emmanuel scored the first goal of the 2023/2024 NPFL season as Shooting Stars defeated Plateau United 2-1 at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
Anayo Ogbonna was also on the scoresheet for the team coached by Gbenga Ogunbote.
In Yenagoa, there was an eight-goal thriller as Robert Mizo bagged the first hat-trick of the season when an attack-minded Bayelsa United came back from three goals down to secure a 5-3 victory over Akwa United, at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
Hadi Mohammed put the Promise Keepers ahead in the 20th minute before Jerry Alex restored parity for the hosts.
Oguntayo Seyi scored next for Akwa to lead again in the 38th minute and Robert Mirzo levelled up on the stroke of halftime.
The away side was back in front in the 75th minute and Mirzo was on hand to equalise again in the 81st minute.
Mitzo completed his hat trick in the 87th minute and the host scored the fifth goal in the 95th minute.
At the Awka City stadium, 2016 NPFL champions, Rangers International of Enugu at their adopted home, began the season promisingly as they defeated Doma United, 2-1.
Kalu Nweke and Austin Onyemaechi gave the Fidelis IIechukwu led side a comfortable 2-0 lead, before Samuel Owoke pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 75 minutes.
John Peter netted the only goal of the encounter as Abia Warriors secured a narrowly 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes at the Umuahia Township stadium.
Making a return to the topflight, Katsina United defeated Kwara United 1-0 with Lukman Bello scoring the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute.
Newly promoted Heartland FC (formerly Iwuanyanwu Nationale) rallied back from two-goal down to play out a nervous 2-2 draw against Lobi Stars at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
Waheed Adebayo and Odinaka Francis got the goals for Lobi in the 15th and 38th minutes respectively but it was just 17 minutes left in the game before Heartland woke up from their slumbers.
Patrick Nwogbaga started the hosts’ resurgence with a well-taken goal while Ezekiel Bassey completed the comeback in the 87th minute.
While at the Ondo Sports complex Stadium, Sunshine Stars defeated Kano Pillars 1-0 with a winning goal by Isaac Emmanuel.
On Monday evening, Sporting Lagos making their debut in the Premier League defeated Gombe United 2-0 but the fixtures involving Rivers United and Enyimba’s fixtures were been postponed.
NPFL Matchday 1 Results
Shooting Stars 2-1 Plateau Utd
Bayelsa United 5-3 Akwa Utd
Abia Warriors 1-0 Niger Tornadoes
Heartland FC 2-2 Lobi stars
Sunshine stars 1-0 Kano pillars
Rangers Int’l 2-1 Doma united
Katsina Utd 1-0 Kwara United
Sporting Lagos 2-0 Gombe United
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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