Andy Okpe’s hat-trick in Ikenne on Sunday sends Gbenga Ogunbote’s Remo Stars to their first ever CAF intercontinental tournament, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Got promoted to the Nigeria Professional Football League last season, Gbenga Ogunbote was charged with the responsibility to help steady the ship of the Ikenne based club in the league to prevent an immediate return to the lower division, which as always be their fate.
However, the team put up a good show from the get go, going unbeaten in their first 11 matches of the season before suffering some setbacks.
The team then bounced back from those setbacks, setting a new target of finishing in continental places and that was achieved in the final matchday after a 3-0 win against Niger Tornadoes.
Although following a 1-0 win in Akure in the matchday 37 against Sunshine Stars, losing their third position to Kwara United was unrealistic as their closest rival will need to win away at Heartland on the final matchday while the former lose at home to Niger Tornadoes on the same matchday.
Andy Okpe ensured such dreams are not realistic when he fired home an hat-trick in front of football loving Remo Stars fans, with Kwara United eventually losing 1-0 in Owerri to Heartland.
With the results, Remo Stars finished 3rd on the league behind eventual champions Rivers United and runners up Plateau United.
The position guaranteed them a place in the 2022/23 CAF Confederation playoff places.
By Oluwayemi Omolagba
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