Matchday 3 of this season’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) ended on Sunday with seven matches, and Bendel Insurance remaining on top of the table. The Benin Arsenals have recorded six points, just as four other teams but have the edge on goal advantage.
Insurance have a plus three goal advantage, and are the only side among the quartet on six points to have played two matches, while the others have played a match more.
Rangers are second on the log, although they have the same plus one goal advantage with Abia Warriors. Joel Odoh scored in the 17th to put the Flying Antelopes ahead, while Godwin Obaje increased the tally two minutes from the break. Visiting Niger Tornadoes’ Bashir Usman however reduced the advantage in the 54th minute.
Abia Warriors are in third after Sunday Megwo’s 31st goal proved to be the only one in the home fixture against Kano Pillars.
Remo Stars produced the first away win of the season when they beat Bayelsa United 2-1 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa. Adams Alade (fourth minute) and Sikiru Alimi (78th) were the scorers for Remo before Ekeson Okorie halved the advantage in the 88th minute.
Like Remo Stars, Shooting Stars also got their second win of the season by beating Gombe United in Ibadan. The Oluyole Warriors were a goal down in the 10th minute as Aliko Bala silenced the home fans, But Malomo Ayodeji’s brace in the 53rd and 89th minutes ensured that the visitors returned to Gombe empty-handed.
Title holders Enyimba recorded their first match of the season to rise from the bottom of the table to No. 14. It was a five-goal thriller in Aba!
On the score card for the home side were Innocent Okey (13th minute), Mbaoma Chijioke (15th) and Alalibo Somiari 67th); while for the visitors were Kufre Ebong (45th +1 minute) and David Philip (64th).
Sunday’s results: Abia Warriors 1-0 Kano Pillars, Rivers United 0-0 Kwara United, Rangers 2-1 Niger Tornadoes, Bayelsa United 1-2 Remo Stars, Sporting Lagos 0-0 Doma United, Enyimba 3-2 Akwa United, Shooting Stars 2-1 Gombe United
Saturday’s results: Sunshine Stars 1-1 Heartland, Katsina United 0-0 Lobi Stars, Bendel Insurance 1-0 Plateau United
