Edo Queens begin NWFL title defence against Abia Angels

Reigning champions Edo Queens will host Abia Angels in the star game of the week, which will be live on NTA Sports 24, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as the 2024/25 Nigeria Women Football League begins on Wednesday (today) with eight matches across two groups, The PUNCH reports.

Edo Queens claimed their first league title in May after coming tops at the Super 6 tournament in Bayelsa and have also been to the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco, where they finished fourth in October.

The new season comes with a fresh challenge for Moses Aduku’s side as they hope to conquer group A before thinking of potential title-deciding duels against former champions Rivers Angels and Delta Queens.

In Group A, Remo Stars Ladies will begin the new season in Lokoja against Confluence Queens while Nasarawa Amazons will be at home to Dannaz Ladies while Ekiti Queens and Heartland Queens will do battle at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti.

Group B fixtures will see former champions Bayelsa Queens and Delta Queens face off in Yenagoa.

Benue Queens, formerly Honey Badgers will be at home to Logos-based FC Robo just as Adamawa Queens and Abuja-based Naija Ratels will try each other for size.

Seven-time champions Rivers Angels host Ibom Angels in the last Group B fixture with attention on some of the new signings by the Port Harcourt side.

Meanwhile, the excitement of the new season has been building up, thanks to the eye-catching unveiling of new players by seven-time champions Rivers Angels and Remo Stars Ladies.

On Sunday, Rivers Angels unveiled 14 new players including Flamingos captain, Taiwo Afolabi who left Delta Queens to team up with the Port Harcourt-based side and new goalkeeper Fatima Oloko who has been attracting attention with her guise.

Oloko’s guise has been the talk of social media, with the beautiful goalkeeper also expressing her desire to match the attention with performance.

She has been training with the former champions for some months and will be making her debut in the league as well.

“It is finally official. Thank you Lord for your grace over my life #Rivers Angels,” she wrote on X.

“I chose goalkeeping because I feel at peace doing it. I feel at home between the goalpost. Determination has been the key, I was once discouraged but I was focused,” she said in an interview with the club.

In Ikenne, the buzz is also around UNILAG student, Subomi Ogundele who is set to make her professional bow in the Nigeria women’s league.

Ogundele has sparked a new wave of combining education and sports at the professional level in the country, having won laurels while representing UNILAG.

“I still remember the first time I kicked a ball, the first time I scored a goal in my JSS2. Football has been a part of my life since UNILAG. Playing the NUGA games, winning the trophy, being named the MVP and highest goal scorer and I won’t even forget our third place at the FASU Games.

“I am pleased to sign for Remo Stars Ladies and it’s not just a dream come true for me but the start of something amazing. I am proud to be a star.”