Abia Warriors defeated Warri Wolves on matchday 11 encounter on Sunday of the Nigeria Professional Football League to record their third win of the season.
The match played at the Okigwe Township Stadium ended 4-1 in favour of the Warriors who are gradually finding their rhythm after a bad start to the campaign and move out of the bottom four for the first time this season.
As early as three minutes into the match, Sunday Williams opened scoring for coach Imama Amapakabo’s team but it didn’t take long before Chukwuemeka Obioma levelled up.
Godwin Obaje added a double in the second half before Paul Samson scored his second goal in two games since returning from injury to make it 4-1. Abia Warriors have now picked up the most points of any team in the league in February. Abia warriors fine performance move them to 16th on the log with 12 points.
Sunshine Stars were held by Heartland 1-1 at the Ondo State Sports complex. Heartland took the lead through Paschal Eze before they were pegged back by the league’s top scorer, Sadeeq Yusuf from the penalty spot for his 8th goal of the season for the Akure Gunners.
In Nnewi, FC Ifeanyi Ubah added hope to their campaign with a 3-0 win over Katsina United while MFM FC also bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Adamawa United in Lagos. Najeem Adeyinka and Oladapo Alabi scored the goals for the Olukoya Boys.
Lobi Stars picked up all three points when they hosted Kano Pillars at the Aper Aku Stadium. An early goal in the 5th minute from Austin Ogunye was enough to decide the tie and prevent Kano Pillars from going top of the league. Pillars remain marooned in third place on the log. They finished the game with ten men after Victor Dennis received a second-half sending off.
Rangers International Football Club climbed to 4th on the log after a hard-fought 1-0 win over the in-form Kwara United. Chiamaka Madu’s goal in the first half secured the sixth win of the season for the Flying Antelopes.
MFM with their interim coach defeated the troubled Adamawa United 2-0 at the Soccer Temple in Agege. The game, which was proposed to be postponed went on as both teams were present. MFM decided the game in five minutes of the first half, as goals from Adeyinka Najeem in the 21st minute and Oladayo Alabi in the 24th-minute game them a needed victory to lift them to the 14th place on the log.
At the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, Faisal Ahmed’s goal ensured Jigawa Golden Stars beat Nasarawa United 1-0 to record their fifth win of the season.
NIGERIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Abia Warriors 4 Warri Wolves 1
Sunshine Stars 1 Heartland 1
FC Ifeanyi Ubah 3 Katsina United 0
MFM FC 2 Adamawa United 0
Lobi Stars 1 Kano Pillars 0
Rangers Int’l 1 Kwara United 0
Jigawa Golden Stars 1 Nasarawa United 0