BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is more than just a Nigeria Premier League match as Remo Stars host Sporting Lagos this Sunday. It is a battle for the bragging rights in the West as Sporting Lagos are planning to upturn an existing order.
In the last two seasons, Remo Stars are the dominant forces having posted the best of results among clubs in the South West Nigeria.
Which club have they not beaten? From Shooting Stars to Sunshine Stars and MFM that they beat home and away in the 2021 season.
Sporting Lagos suddenly emerged from obscurity and threatening the old order. Will that be allowed? The events at Ikenne on Sunday will offer the answer.
Beyond the quest to get the best of positions in the log of the current season, the tie is already grudge-laden.
Both met at the pre-season Naija Super 8. When it appeared that Remo Stars were unbeatable, Sporting Lagos proved to be the ‘noisy neighbours’ as Manchester City did to the more popular Manchester United.
Sporting Lagos, wild-card entrants, rattled Remo Stars at the group stage, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 before winning again by the lottery of penalty shoot-out in an enthralling final match.
The match ended 1-1 at regulation time. Had an added time goal by Remo Stars allowed to stand, the story would have been a different one in what ended a drawn game at duration time.
With the drawn match at the Naija Super 8 in which penalties had to be the tie-breaker, the ultimate tie breaker will be this Sunday’s tie.