Rivers Angels have emerged as the NWFL Premiership Super 6 champions and will represent Nigeria in the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League competition after the Jewel of Rivers walloped Sunshine Queens 4-0 at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu Ode yesterday.
Rivers Angels and Delta Queens were neck to neck in the race for the league title after going into the final round of games with both teams locked at eight points each while FC Robo Queens and Sunshine Queens were in the third and fourth spots with seven points each.
Edwin Okon tutored Rivers Angels knew a win by any magnitude will land them the title with a massive plus eight goals difference and they got down to business almost immediately against Sunshine Queens. Oghenebrume Ikhekua who scored four goals in her last two games for the Port Harcourt side opened the floodgate of goals in the second minute.
Vivian Ikechukwu notched her fourth goal of the playoffs with Rivers Angels’ second goal in the 44th minute. Alice Ogebe and Maryann Ezenagu bagged the third and fourth goals in the 63rd and 79th minutes to make it a fabulous end to the Super 6 for the Jewel of Rivers.
Rivers Angels have thus retained the league title they won last season and have got the berth to hoist Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Women’s Champions League. They ended the Super 6 with 11 points from five games despite only scooping two points from their opening two games. They were daring in the last three games plundering three goals each against Edo Queens, Bayelsa Queens and Sunshine Queens.
Delta Queens finished second on the table with nine points after a late penalty kick converted by one of the outstanding players of the NWFL Super 6 playoffs, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu whose goals helped the Okowa Ladies’ quest to the second spot. FC Robo Queens were on the cusp of ending the playoffs in the second spot with 10 points after Taiwo Lawal third goal of the playoffs shot them ahead in the 11th minute but the centre referee awarded Delta Queens a spot-kick in the 87th minute. FC Robo thus finished the playoff in the third position with eight points.
Delta Queens may earn the second slot to represent Nigeria in the CAF Women’s Champions League with the CAF decision to hand two tickets to teams from WAFU Zone B.
Bayelsa Queens thrashed Edo Queens, who finished bottom of the playoff without a point, 3-0 to end it on a high note for their first win of the playoff.
Zainab Olapade scored the Gloryland Ladies’ curtain raiser in the 20th minute while Juliet Sunday notched a brace in the 32nd and 55th minutes to ensure that Bayelsa Queens finish the playoffs in the fifth position with five points.
