NPFL Week 23 Round Up: FC IfeanyiUbah, Wikki Tourists grab away wins

NPFL Week 23 matches produced 28 goals with the Akure Gunners and Sai Masu Gida winning big while Anambra Warriors and Bauchi lords secured away victories

LOBI STARS 2-1 FC TARABA

The Pride of Benue relied on the goals of Tony Okpotu again before seeing off the Jalingo Boys on Sunday in Makurdi.

FC Taraba stunned the Lobi Stars’ supporters at the Aper Aku Stadium with the opener but Okpotu continued his impressive form in front of goals after his two goals handed the points to the hosts. It was Okpotu’s seventh goals from the last six games for Lobi. He has netted eight goals altogether for the former league champions.

Lobi moved to 15th spot on the log with 27 points from 23 matches while FC Taraba are still rock bottom with 19 points from same number of matches.

BAYELSA UNITED 1-1 ENYIMBA

The Restoration Boys earned a solitary point from their face off with the People’s Elephant at the Oghara Township Stadium on Saturday.

Enyimba scored first through Sikiru Kamal before the hosts rallied round to get the equalizer in the second half.

Enyimba fell to second on the log with 42 points from 23 matches while Bayelsa United are still 19th with 21 points from 23 ties.

NASARAWA UNITED 2-0 HEARTLAND

The Naze Millionaires promised that they won’t be beaten for the second time within a week when they left for Lafia after their home loss to 3SC last Monday but they allowed the Solid Miners net twice inside three minutes of the restart of the second half.

Philip Azango put the hosts in the driver’s seat in the 45th minute before Shuaibu Babangida scored the insurance goal three minutes later for the second goal of the game. The Owerri side strove to change the fortune of the game but with two goals down it was a mountain too high for them to climb.

Nasarawa United leapt to ninth on the log from the previous 11th position with 33 points from 23 matches while Heartland plummeted further in their chase for continental ticket as they are eighth with 33 points from 23 matches.

AKWA UNITED 3-1 SHARKS

The Promise Keepers pounded the Blue Angels 3-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo with in-form Aniekpeno Udoh scoring two of the three goals.

Sharks have only won a game in the last four games since the second stanza of the league commenced and they are fast losing the steam that made them firebrand towards the end of the first stanza.

Akwa United are 14th on the log with 29 points from 23 matches while Sharks are 17th with 22 points from 23 games.

ENUGU RANGERS 2-3 FC IFEANYIUBAH

The Flying Antelopes were seven minutes away from grabbing the three points against visitors, FC IfeanyiUbah but two last minute goals from Austin Oladapo and Okekere Maduabuchi in the 88th and 90th minutes ensured that the tie turned in the favour of the Anambra Warriors.

This was a setback to Enugu Rangers impressive stats since Imama Amapakabo took over as head coach before the end of the first stanza this season. Rangers would be hard done by this loss with an important 2015 Federation Cup semifinal clash with Lobi Stars lurking around in Katsina on Wednesday.

Enugu Rangers are 11th on the log with 32 points from 23 matches. They dropped a place down on the table from their previous 10th position while FC IfeanyiUbah are 12th with 32 points from 23 matches.

SUNSHINE STARS 4-0 GIWA FC

The Akure Gunners thrashed the Jos Elephants 4-0 on Sunday to reclaim the top of the table from Enyimba.

The Akure Gunners scored four second half goals to batter Giwa FC with Prince Aggrey scoring a hat trick and Stephen Eze with the other goal.

Sunshine Stars are atop with 43 points from 23 matches and they have also +17 goals difference. They are the highest scoring side currently in the NPFL this season with 36 goals and they also possessed the best defence with only 19 goals conceded.

Giwa FC are seventh on the log with 35 points from 23 matches.

WARRI WOLVES 1-0 DOLPHINS

The Pride of Rivers went to Warri with the intent of not losing to improve their lot on the league table where they are currently 18th on the log with 21 points from 23 matches but they were pinned through Azubuike Egwuekwe’s 58th minute header.

Dolphins’ goalkeeper, Godwin Ayalogu was in fine form and he stood between Warri Wolves and goals with his impressive saves which got him injured in the encounter. He did a good job to ensure that the score line ended in a respectable loss to his side considering the dominant performance of the Seasiders.

Warri Wolves are third on the log with 40 points from 23 matches and they are the second most potent strikers with 35 goals from 23 matches and have conceded a miserly 21 goals.

ABIA WARRIORS 1-0 EL KANEMI WARRIORS

The Umuahia side extended their unbeaten run to five straight games after they pipped El Kanemi Warriors 1-0 at home on Saturday.

An 82nd minute own goal converted by the Borno Army’s Kabiru Adewole was all Abia Warriors needed to deny Kelechi Emeteole from beginning his campaign with El Kanemi with at least a draw.

Abia Warriors are sixth on the log with 37 points from 23 matches while El Kanemi are 12th with 30 points from same number of games.

KWARA UNITED 0-1 WIKKI TOURISTS

The Harmony Warriors lost their first home game under the tutelage of Tunde Sanni after Godwin Obaje made the difference for the visitors in the 73rd minute of the encounter played at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin on Sunday evening.

Wikki came into the tie at the backdrop of unimpressive result which has seen them gone on a five game without victory but that changed in Ilorin after they grabbed all points at the expense of the home team.

The visitors jumped to fourth from fifth with 38 points from 23 matches after they secured their fourth road win of the season. They picked all points in Umuahia, Makurdi, Oba and now in Ilorin at the expense of Abia Warriors, FC Taraba, FC IfeanyiUbah and Kwara United. They have equaled Enyimba’s numbers of away wins this season.

Kwara United are 16th on the log with 26 points from 23 matches.
 

KANO PILLARS 4-1 3SC

Sai Masu Gida were vicious with their approach to the game against the Oluyole Warriors who held the record for the meanest defence before the start of match but after 90 minutes, 3SC fell 4-1 to the superior firepower of the Kano side at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Sunday.

Adamu Mohammed opened the floodgate off goals for his sixth goal of the season before Ubong Ekpai doubled the lead. Two further goals from Rabiu Ali who has now banged in seven goals this season and Tony Edjomariegwe put Sai Masu in a clear 4-0 lead but 3SC’s Ajani Ibrahim scored a consolation goal for the visitors in the dying minutes of the tie.

Pillars rose to fifth on the league table with 37 points from 23 matches while 3SC went down a spot to 10th with 32 points from 23 matches.

GOAL