In the heart of Ikenne, where dreams of NPFL glory are alive and burning, Remo Stars took another crucial step forward with a tense 1-0 victory over struggling Plateau United on Sunday.
A solitary strike from mid-season signing, Samson Olasupo was enough to separate the sides, creating a 12 point gap to second place Rivers United, who have a game in hand. But, it was far from a straightforward win.
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Daniel Ogunmodede’s men had to dig deep against a Mbwas Mangut Plateau United side desperate to escape the relegation zone.
In a game of two contrasting halves, the visitors showed their fight, but Remo Stars held firm.
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Ogunmodede reflected on the contest, the impact of fatigue, and the road ahead in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES.
“The lesser the game, the tougher it becomes”
Assessing the game, Ogunmodede acknowledged the challenge posed by Plateau United:
“The lesser the game, the tougher it becomes. So we expected this. Considering the position of most of these teams coming to play us at home, Plateau United is a very good team, and they don’t want to relegate.
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“You can see from the way they played today. They gave us a very good fight. They know how important the point is for them.
“But it was much more important for us, and we also fought for it. In the end, maybe the better side takes the day.”
Fatigue and the relentless fight
With games coming thick and fast, Ogunmodede admitted that fatigue played a role in his team’s performance but was full of praise for his players’ determination:
“Yeah, of course. Fatigue is a considerable factor in our performance today. But that’s why I need to give big kudos to the players for fighting relentlessly.
“We had two tough games within five days. Traveled over eight hours. A lot of fatigue, a lot of it. But it’s not an excuse. If we had dropped points today, no one would be ready to listen to any excuses.”
The coach also dismissed any notions of complacency as Remo Stars continued their push at the top of the table:
“I think people are already thinking we are there, but we know we are not. That’s why we fought hard today. Because there’s no purpose for failure. There are no excuses for failure.”
READ ALSO: NPFL Roundup: Remo Stars extend lead as Enyimba win away
“We’ll fight for all 33 points left”
With 11 games remaining in the season, Ogunmodede made it clear that his team would not be letting up:
“We’ll fight for all the 33 points left. That’s what we’re paid to do, and we’ll do that judiciously.”
When asked where the game was ultimately won for Remo Stars, his answer was simple but powerful:
“Our resilient spirit. We never give up. We kept fighting until we broke the deadlock.”
With every point crucial in the title race, Remo Stars’ resilience could prove decisive as the season reaches its peak. And if Ogunmodede’s words are anything to go by, the rampant Skyblue stars up, and running again are not ready to slow down anytime soon.
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