After four games apiece and with just one matchday to go, Remo Stars and Ikorodu City have booked their spots in the finals playoff of the 2025 NPFL Youth League from the Southwest zone.

Both teams secured emphatic victories in their Matchday 4 encounters, taking their tally to 10 points each. Their head-to-head clash on Thursday following a one-day break ended in a goalless stalemate, leaving the race to be decided by results elsewhere.

In the day’s opening fixture, Ikorodu City crushed Kwara United 3-0, halting the Ilorin side’s brief resurgence after their own 3-0 demolition of Shooting Stars in matchday 3. David Peter struck twice in quick succession, finding the net in the 28th and 33rd minutes, before Gazali Ibrahim sealed the win with a third goal 10 minutes later.

Remo Stars responded in style, pulling ahead on goal difference with a dominant 5-0 win over Sunshine Stars. Daniel Arierhi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, and Akinocchio Mervielle doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half. Saka Yusuf added the third in the 67th minute before Arierhi grabbed his second seven minutes later. Imram Musa rounded off the rout in the 87th minute.

Elsewhere, Shooting Stars endured more misery, falling 1-0 to Bendel Insurance courtesy of Oshodi Miracle’s 10th-minute strike.

The Ikenne zonal qualifiers wrap up on Saturday, August 10, while action in the other zones kicks off in Umuahia and Kano.