Defending champions, Enyimba, shook off the effects of their 1-0 defeat midweek by Remo Stars to beat Niger Tornadoes 3-1 at the Aba Township Stadium yesterday.
Week 26 games also saw Rivers United, Sporting Lagos and Enugu Rangers winning their ties to enhance their positions on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table.
Niger Tornadoes held their own in the first half of the game but were unable to contain the champions, who came out forcefully in search of goals in the second half.
Even at that, it took Enyimba all of 22 minutes in the second half to open scores through Alade Balogun. But once the gate had been opened, the Peoples Elephant scored two more goals through Elijah Akanni (70th minute) and Uche Collins in the 85th minute. Tornadoes scored their consolatory goal in the 86th minute through Akintunde Azeez.
Sporting Lagos, who lost their midweek game 1-0 to Tornadoes in Kaduna, returned to winning ways with a 2-0 defeat of Kwara United at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan. Paschal Onyekachi Durigbor (7th minute) and Aliu Salaudeen (43rd) got the goals for the Lagos side.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers United beat Heartland 1-0 courtesy of an 11th-minute strike by Ukeme Mitchell, just as Enugu Rangers dented Lobi Stars’ march to the title with a 2-1 defeat of the leaders at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
Rangers opened the scores with a Godwin Obaje’s 37th-minute penalty, while Kingsley Maduforo made it 2-0 in the 48th minute. Lobi Stars reduced the tally through Samuel Torwuese in the 68th minute, but they could not find the equaliser against a tight Rangers’ defence.
In other games, Akwa United held Gombe United to a 1-1 draw, Abia Warriors drew goalless with Sunshine Stars, just as Katsina United defeated Plateau United 2-1.
There was a goal feast in Benin, where Bendel Insurance hit Doma United 4-0 with the visitors scoring two own goals through Nelson Abiam in the 28th and 42nd minutes. Junior Osaghae completed the rout with a brace in the 92nd and 94th minutes.
In Yenagoa, two goals by James Emo in the 79th and 92nd minutes saw Bayelsa United coming from behind to defeat Kano Pillars 2-1. Pillars had taken the lead in the lead in the 52nd minute through Ibrahim Mustapha before Bayelsa stormed back to take the points.
At the end of proceedings yesterday, Lobi Stars retained their number one position with 46 points, while Enugu Rangers and Enyimba climbed to the second and third positions respectively with 45 points apiece.
