Football fans at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, were, yesterday, served the ugly side of the game when fans trooped onto the pitch to disrupt what would have stood for the best of the Nigerian game.
Rangers needed a win to widen the gap between them and second-placed Enyimba, but they found the defending champions a tough nut to crack. The game, which had all the ingredients that make classic encounters, was heading to a goalless draw when the referee awarded a penalty kick to Rangers eight minutes after the regular time.
The decision did not go down well with some fans, suspected to have sympathy for Enyimba, who trooped on to the pitch to question the referee’s decision.
Worried that the situation could get out of hand, the officials called off the game, leaving the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) board and the Nigeria Football federation (NFF) to decide what would become of the match.
Rangers are leading the league table with 61 points, while Enyimba are second on 59 points pending the official decision on yesterday’s game. In another top half match played yesterday, Lobi Stars defeated Remo Stars 3-2 to dampen the Ikenne team’s title ambitions on a day Chinedu Sunday Chukwu scored for both sides.
The game was barely six minutes old when Christian Izuchukwu put the Dominic Iorfa boys into the lead. The Makurdi-base side doubled their lead 32 minutes later through Chukwu before Sikiru Alimi reduced the tally in the 43rd minute.
Sunday Oganbor made it 3-1 in the 85th minute before Chukwu turned a villain, putting the ball inside his own net in the 88th minute to create panic in Lobi Stars camp. But the Benue boys held on to enhance their chances of getting a continental ticket with three games to go.
The win took Lobi Stars to the fifth position on 55 points, while it stalled Remo Stars’ pursuit of Rangers and Enyimba, who are first and second on the log respectively.
In Yenagoa, Sporting Lagos enhanced their chances of avoiding the drop with a 2-2 draw against Bayelsa United at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
Interestingly, the teams owe their goals to two strikers, who chose matchday 35 to net double strikes for their sides.The visitors, Sporting Lagos, were leading 2-0 through two quick goals by Jonathan Alukwu in the 65th and 65th minutes before John Bassey rescued Bayelsa United with his own quick goals in the 73rd and 75th minutes.
The draw took Sporting Lagos to the 16th position with 43 points, the same with Bayelsa United and Doma United, who are placed 17th and 18th respectively on goals difference.
Elsewhere, Katsina United confirmed Gombe United’s relegation to the lower division with a 4-0 bashing, Plateau United defeated Kwara United 2-0, Kano Pillars drew 1-1 with Niger Tornadoes, Heartland beat Doma United 3-1, Rivers United were 1-0 better than Shooting Stars, while Sunshine Stars beat Akwa United 2-0.
