Nigeria Leagues
Wemimo Matthew hails Remo Stars’ fighting spirit in Nasarawa Amazons triumph

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Head coach of Remo Stars Ladies, Wemimo Matthew, expressed her appreciation for her players after their dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Nasarawa Amazons in the quarter-final of the 2024 President Federation Cup on Wednesday.
Mathias Josephine gave Nasarawa Amazons an early lead in the fifth minute, but Oluwaseyi Arubo equalized for Remo Stars Ladies in the 20th minute.
The match ended 1-1 in regulation time, leading to the penalty shootout where the Sky Blue Stars emerged victorious, securing a spot in the semi-finals.
“In a quarter-final like this, being able to win the game is a great achievement. Kudos to my girls. I appreciate their fight till the last. They fought till the last and didn’t give up, and we were able to take the day,” Matthew told journalists after the match.
She emphasized the team’s resilience and never-say-die attitude. “In our team, when we train, we always have this mentality that it is not over until it is over. We don’t give up easily. It is a game of 90 minutes. Any goal doesn’t mean the end of the game until 90 minutes. They fought to the last and were up and doing. They made a mistake and were able to correct themselves and equalize.”
Matthew also acknowledged the emotional aspect of football and the role of officiating. “It is a game of football and emotion. If it favors your team, you say the referees are doing well, but when it is against your team, you react otherwise. It is a normal thing in football which we were able to curb.”
Remo Stars Ladies, based in Ikenne-Remo, will now face Naija Ratels FC in the semi-final, aiming to win the title in their debut appearance.
“We will be so happy to win the President Federation Cup because it is going to be a great thing for us, being the first time we will be playing in the NWFL Premiership and being able to win one of the major tournaments. I think it is going to be a record that will be hard to break and take time. We will appreciate it if we can win and set the record,” she concluded.
Under Matthew’s guidance, Remo Stars Ladies successfully maintained their league status at the end of the 2023/2024 NWFL Premiership campaign, which was their first season. Their impressive journey continued as they won the Ogun State FA Cup and reached the semi-final of the 2024 President Federation Cup.