NPFL: Tornadoes stun Rangers in Enugu, Nasarawa, Sunshine win

Reigning Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Rangers International suffered a shock 1-2 home loss to Niger Tornadoes as the league resumed for the second stanza on Saturday, www.aclsports.com reports.

The home loss to Tornadoes; Rangers’ second in succession (after losing to Shooting Stars late last year) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu is poised to dent the Flying Antelopes’ bid to retain the NPFL title they won last year.

Tornadoes went in front in the 17th minute courtesy of new signing Ismail Sarki but Rangers leveled four minutes later through centre back Ifeanyi Onyebuchi who finished Isaac Saviour’s pass with aplomb.

Tornadoes went back in front in the 65th minute through a brilliant strike by Ifeanyi Okechukwu before Rangers were handed a chance to claim a point late in the game but striker Chiedozie Okorie blazed the penalty kick over on the dot of 90 minutes.

The defeat means that Rangers stay outside the top three of the NPFL for another week while Tornadoes gained a sweet revenge for their home loss to the Fidelis Ilechukwu led side in the reverse fixture in Minna last month.

In other centres, Abubakar Bala began the second half of the season on a winning note with Sunshine Stars who secured a thrilling 4-3 win over Ikorodu City at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne.

Sunshine Stars raced into a 3-0 lead within the first 35 minutes of the game through goals from new signings Ahmadu Liman and Alao Dabani either side of Promise Awosanmi’s rebound for the Owena Whales.

Ikorodu City winger Shola Adelani then scored twice – first in first half stoppage time then after the hour mark – but Dabani swiftly restored a two-goal lead for Sunshine in the 74th minute. Emmanuel Solomon would then provide the last act of the game in stoppage time as Sunshine held on to the win.

Earlier on Saturday, Nasarawa United edged Katsina United 1-0 in Lafia courtesy of Qamar Adegoke although the Solid Miners still remain bottom of the league log after twenty games.