Nigeria Premier League

WWC: Renard heads late winner as France beat Brazil

Captain Wendie Renard headed a late winner as France beat Brazil in a thrilling game in Brisbane at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Eugenie le Sommer put the French ahead after 17 minutes, before Debinha pulled Brazil level in the second half.

There was end to end action as two of the pre-tournament favourites delivered a game which lived up to expectations.

But it was Renard – who had been an injury doubt – who headed in the decisive goal with seven minutes to go.

“She is the leader of the team,” France manager Herve Renard said of his captain. “If she was not able to play today then it wouldn’t be the same. We were lucky to have her today.”

Brazil would have qualified for the last 16 with victory but instead must wait until the final matchday to try to book a knockout spot.

Pia Sundhage’s side meet Jamaica in their final group match, while France take on Panama. Both games will be played on 2 August, kicking off at 11.00 BST.

Following a disappointing draw in their opening game against Jamaica and fitness concerns for key players – in particular Renard, who started having been touch and go with a calf problem – this was a make or break game for France.

The stakes were further heightened by a frenetic atmosphere in Brisbane, where the overwhelming majority of fans were in the yellow shirts of Brazil. When the Brazilian anthem was sung, you could have closed your eyes and imagined you were in the Maracana.

But France rose to the challenge, as their two on-pitch leaders – Renard, and all-time top scorer Le Sommer – took charge.

Their first goal was excellent. Sakina Karchaoui started the move with a left-footed cross from deep, Kadidiatou Diani kept it alive and Le Sommer was there with a perfectly cushioned header to steer the ball past Brazil keeper Leticia..

It was her 90th goal in 181 caps, and calms concerns about the French attack following the blunt showing versus Jamaica – which had led to recriminations among the squad, Le Sommer revealed.

“I think the turning point came from Jamaica,” she said. “Things got heated in the dressing room.

“Today we were up to scratch. We hope we can use this to improve even more so but it’s three points in the bag and we showed what we were made of.”

The celebrations after Le Sommer’s goal were telling. Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin ran to the bench and jumped into a scrum of about 10 celebrating substitutes. Manager Renard joined in too, high-fiving everyone.

Then, as it appeared they would have to settle for one point, captain Renard arrived at the back post unmarked to head in Selma Bacha’s deep corner.

“I told you I trusted my girls,” manager Herve Renard said. “I was fully confident they were going to pull it out of the bag.

“Sometimes, it is good to get off to a shaky start as that sets the alarm bells ringing and then you can get back on your feet. We knew not to make any mistakes.”

Nigeria Premier League

Eunisell Gears Up For 2025 Boot Awards Amid Tight Scoring Race

As the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League season nears its thrilling conclusion, on Sunday, May 25, Eunisell Limited, Africa’s leading specialty chemicals and oil production solutions company, is proud to announce its readiness for the prestigious Eunisell Boot Awards.

This year’s event, scheduled for June in Lagos, marks a major milestone—a decade of Eunisell’s steadfast commitment to celebrating excellence and supporting domestic football development in Nigerian football.

The Eunisell Boot Award, is an annual ceremony honouring the NPFL’s highest goal scorer, spotlighting individual brilliance and inspiring the next generation of football
talent.

Since inception, the initiative has become one of the most respected individual
accolades in Nigerian football.

With one match day to go this season, the race for the 2025 Eunisell Boot is intensifying.

Nasarawa United’s currently leads the race to grab the Eunisell Boots with 18 goals.

Yusuf took his tally to 18 goals in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Enyimba.

The trio of Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) Anthony De Souza Ijoma (Abia Warriors) and Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City) have 12 goals each.

Beyond the Boot Awards, Eunisell currently sponsors Abia Warriors, a prominent club in the NPFL, further demonstrating its active support for domestic football development and grassroots talent.

Ken Okeiyi, CEO of Eunisell, emphasized the company’s dedication to the sport and its role in uplifting communities.

Over the years, Eunisell Boot Award has stood as a symbol of recognition, reward, and belief in the power of local talent.

As the NPFL season wraps up, we are once again reminded of the skill, determination, and passion that define Nigerian football.

Eunisell is proud to continue investing in the future of the sport by celebrating those who inspire on and off the pitch.

Eunisell’s involvement in Nigerian football—through both its individual player recognition and club sponsorship—reflects its broader vision to foster excellence, empower youth and promote national pride.

Details of the 2025 Eunisell Boot Awards ceremony, including final date and venue, will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Nigeria Premier League

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL’s New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight at the steady transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), commending the league’s organizers for aligning its calendar with international standards.

Governor Abiodun made the remarks in Abeokuta while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by its President, Ibrahim Gusau, and the Chairman of the NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The officials visited to congratulate the Governor following the official presentation of the 2024/25 NPFL trophy to Remo Stars—champions of this season.

Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, the Governor praised the NPFL’s decision to synchronize its season with global leagues, many of which conclude by May or early June.

“While the champions, our own Remo Stars from Ogun State, were crowned on Sunday, there is just one more game to conclude the season—meaning the NPFL will wrap up in May, just like most European leagues. This is commendable,” he said.

Abiodun, who attended the trophy presentation in Ikenne, also applauded the NPFL board for conducting a smooth and rancor-free season.

“It is to the credit of the NPFL Board, led by my brother, Elegbeleye, that we had this beautiful celebration today. All stakeholders agree that Remo Stars are worthy champions,” the Governor stated.

Present at the reception were several NFF Board members, including Ganiyu, Aisha Falode, and Silas Agara.

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Nigeria Premier League

NPFL Drama: Late Spot-kick Seals Shooting Stars’ Win Over Sunshine Stars

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The decisive goal came in the 84th minute after the referee awarded a late penalty to the home side, following a scramble in the box.

Just two minutes earlier, Sunshine Stars were reduced to ten men when defender Yusuf Olowoshile received a red card.

Shooting Stars capitalized on the advantage, converting the penalty with composure to secure all three points.

Despite the defeat, Sunshine Stars displayed grit and determination, going toe-to-toe with their hosts and creating several scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Emma Offori was a standout performer, making several key saves to keep the Owena Whales in the contest.

Speaking after the match, Shooting Stars head coach Gbenga Ogunbote praised Sunshine Stars for their resilience, labeling their current league standing as “unfortunate.”

On his part, Sunshine Stars coach Bobola Akinfolarin expressed frustration with the result, particularly the timing of the penalty. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team must now shift focus to their final two games of the season.

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