Rangers hold NPFL top spot after Barau 2-2 draw

By Tosin Omojola

Defending champions Rangers International retained top spot in the Euromatch Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after a 2-2 draw with Barau FC in Kano on Sunday.

Ifeanyi Okechukwu put Rangers ahead in the 38th minute before Joseph Atule equalised from the penalty spot in the 56th minute. Aliyu Sugau converted another penalty to give Barau the lead in the 68th minute, but Chidiebere Nwobodo rescued a point for Rangers with a 90+3rd-minute equaliser. Rangers have 17 points from eight matches.

Rivers United maintained their unbeaten run with a goalless draw against Abia Warriors, extending their sequence without defeat to eight matches. Sporting Lagos came from behind to beat Bendel Insurance 2-1 in Lagos. Kayode Oke gave Bendel the lead after just 18 seconds, but Victor Samuel equalised in the 14th minute before Gafar Olaniyan struck the winner eight minutes later.

Plateau United thrashed Kano Pillars 4-0 in Jos to climb to third place with 14 points. Paul Samson scored in the third minute before Ekundayo Ojo doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time. Samuel Ayanrinde added a third in the 82nd minute, and Nenrot Silas converted a stoppage-time penalty to complete the rout, ending Pillars’ unbeaten run.

Warri Wolves defeated Inter Lagos 3-1 to move to 13th place with 10 points from eight matches. In Owerri, Kun Khalifat FC beat Shooting Stars SC 2-0 for their second win of the season. Agor Chukwuma opened the scoring in the 40th minute before Uchechukwu Onuoha sealed the victory in the 63rd minute.

Kun Khalifat remain 18th with eight points, level with 17th-placed Shooting Stars. Nasarawa United also won 2-0, defeating Doma United through goals from Sunday Dapman in the 10th minute and Jofrank Istifanus, who converted a penalty in the 55th minute.

On Saturday, Ikorodu City defeated Kwara United 2-0, with Farouk Salami scoring in the second minute and Ikechukwu Junior adding the second in the 36th minute. Ranchers Bees and Niger Tornadoes settled for a goalless draw, with Ranchers reduced to 10 men after Habibu Yakubu received a straight red card for stopping a goal-bound move.

Katsina United beat Enyimba International 4-2 in Friday’s encounter. An own goal by Emeka Onyema gave Katsina the lead in the sixth minute before Mubarak Sani doubled it six minutes later. Luis Dadong made it 3-0 in the 60th minute, while Umar Rabiu scored the fourth in the 80th minute.

Enyimba responded through Chidera Michael in the 67th minute and Charles Egbe in the 75th, but the two goals could not prevent defeat.