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Rivers United secures NPFL Super Six spot with win over Sunshine Stars
By Wale Mustapha
Holders Rivers United became the fourth team to secure a place in the Nigeria Premier Football League season ending Super Six playoffs following their 1-0 rescheduled Matchday 12 fixture against Sunshine Stars on Monday.
The encounter played at the Adokiye Amiesimeka Stadium in Port Harcourt produced lots of scoring chances from both ends but could only give a goal.
The hosts went into the match knowing a win would secure their place in the title deciding Super Six and they went full throttle for it.
They started on the front foot with series of attacks forcing Sunshine Stars to sit deep to their half but were denied by a brilliance of Mustapha Lawal in goal for the visitors.
Rivers United would soon find the answer to many of their questions as they scored what would then be the winning the goal of the match in the 27th minutes.
A brilliant team build up reached Nwagua Nyima in a vantage position which made the striker rolled a through pass for Maurice Chukwu whose rasping shot from outside the box beat Lawal.
Sunshine grew more into the game in second half but could not find a way through Rivers’ goal area.
The reigning NPFL champions held on to picked the needed three points the would give them a chance to defend their title at the Playoffs having garnered 3p points same as Lobi Stars even with a game at hand.
The Pride of Port Harcourt will play host to Doma United in their outstanding match on Thursday at the same ground.
The NPFL Super Six Play-Off will hold in Lagos from June 3 to June 11, 2023.
Bendel Insurance, Rivers United and Lobi Stars are the teams to have now confirmed their spots in the competition.
The final Matchday 18 fixture will determine three other teams that will join the trio for the Lagos showdown.
