Former champions Remo Stars have been relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) just a season after winning the title, while Rangers International F.C. secured a record ninth league crown with a dramatic final-day victory.
Gatekeepers News reports that Rangers defeated Ikorodu City F.C. 2-1 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Sunday to seal the championship. Captain Chidiebere Nwobodo scored both goals for the Flying Antelopes in the decisive encounter watched by top officials including Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission, and Bukola Olopade, the commission’s director-general.
The victory handed Rangers their ninth NPFL title, extending their status as one of Nigeria’s most successful clubs. Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu guided the Enugu side to the crown after an intense title race that went down to the final day.
In a dramatic twist, defending champions Remo Stars failed to avoid the drop after a disappointing result against Bendel Insurance F.C.. Their relegation completes a stunning fall for the Ikenne-based club, which only last season celebrated its first-ever NPFL triumph.
