Akwa United and Rangers International profited most on a day eight of the eleven Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day fourteen games decided ended in home wins.
United who fought out a 2-0 win over Gombe United in Uyo climbed to the summit of the Group B table after table-toppers El-Kanemi Warriors suffered a 1-2 reversal in the hands of Kano Pillars in Kano.
A Cyril Olisema penalty and a stoppage time goal by substitute Wisdom Fernando gave Akwa the win in Uyo while Gambo Muhammad and David Ebuka scored Pillars’ goals, rendering Bello Kofarmata‘s 66th minute penalty a mere consolation for the visitors.
Plateau United‘s stuttering form continued as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Heartland FC in Jos while Delta Force also held doomed Yobe Stars 0-0 in Damaturu. Go Round FC did themselves some more good with Chidubem Nwogbaga’s goal earning them a 1-0 win over Abia Warriors who found themselves now enmeshed in troubled waters.
In Group A, Rangers International moved to second on the log with a 1-0 win over Katsina United. Pascal Seka scored the lone goal of the game – his second time of scoring against same team in four days – as Rangers profited from Enyimba‘s surprise 0-0 draw at home to Insurance.
Rangers are now two points behind group leaders MFM FC who lost 1-0 at Kwara United on Sunday. Hashim Shamsudeen scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game nine minutes into the second half.
Rivers United made it back-to-back 1-0 wins with a home win over Niger Tornadoes in Port Harcourt. Wasiu Jimoh’s free kick in the first half proving decisive for the hosts.
Remo Stars were plunged further into relegation mess after a last gasp effort by captain Abdullahi Musa gave Wikki Tourists a 2-1 win over Kennedy Boboye’s Stars in Gombe. Remo midfielder Victor Chidume had cancelled out Issa Gata‘s opener for the hosts but their point was never to be as Musa made the points safe in the 89th minute.
The final game of the Match Day will hold at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi on Monday between Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars.
RESULTS
Wikki Tourists 2-1 Remo Stars
(Isa Gata 42′, Abdullahi Musa 89′ – Victor Chidume 62′)
Rivers United 1-0 Niger Tornadoes
(Wasiu Jimoh 31′)
Rangers International 1-0 Katsina United
(Seka Pascal 17′)
Kwara United 1-0 MFM FC
(Shamsudeen Hashim 54′)
Enyimba FC 0-0 Bendel Insurance
Group B
Yobe Desert Stars 0-0 Delta Force
Go-Round FC 1-0 Abia Warriors
(Chidubem Nwogbaga 78′)
Nasarawa United 1-0 FC Ifeanyiubah
(Adeshina Thomas 60′)
Plateau United 0-0 Heartland FC
Kano Pillars 2-1 El-Kanemi
(Gambo Muhammad 8′, David Ebuka 61′ – Bello Kofarmata 66′ PEN)
Akwa United 2-0 Gombe United
(Cyril Olisema 74′ PEN, Wisdom Fernando 90+2′)
