NPFL Match Day 13 Group A review

    NPFL Match Day 13 Group A review

    We are nearing the halfway point of this Nigerian Professional Football League season. All teams were in action this Sunday. We look at Group A first.

    Sunshine Stars played Kwara United at the Town Stadium in Akure. This was a tough contest with the referee issuing seven yellow and three red cards. Kwara finished played the whole of the second half with ten men. Sunshine Stars were down to nine men with 15 minutes to go.

    A single goal settled the match. Michael Egbeta scored for the home side in the 60th minute giving them the win. Sunshine Stars snap a four-game winless streak and go up to sixth in the table while Kwara stay down in 10th place.

    The Gateway International Stadium in Sagawu hosted the match between Remo Stars and Rivers United. Both teams won just once in the last five matches and both were desperate for a victory.

    After a goalless first half, the visitors scored a goal midway through the second half through Justice Gift. This was enough to earn them a valuable away triumph. Remo Stars remain 11th in the table while Rivers move to 6th place, level on points with Sunshine in fifth place.

    After two high scoring draws with Lobi Stars, Niger Tornadoes welcomed Enugu Rangers at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja. This time no goals were scored on either side. The hosts earn a point but stay bottom while Enugu Rangers move to third in the standings, five games behind Enyimba.

    Enugu Rangers FC (Twitter/RangersIntFC)

    Enugu Rangers FC (Twitter/RangersIntFC)

    The first and second placed team in Group A, MFM and Enyimba, met at the Agege Stadium in Lagos. Defences did their job in the first half but soon after the restart, the visitors struck first. Abdulrahman Bashir scored the goal in the 49th minute.

    The home side replied eight minutes later with a goal from Chijioke Akuneto, his first of the season. A draw means that both teams stay where they were before kick-off.

    Lobi Stars travelled to the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium to take on Katsina after they were held twice by bottom team Niger Tornadoes. However, their bad run continued. The hosts opened the scoring when Tasiu Lawal scored his fourth goal of the season in the 18th minute.

    Late in the second half, Sherif Bashir confirmed the victory for Katsina United which puts them up in fourth place and with a game in hand over Group A leaders. Lobi Stars extend their winless run to three games and drop to fifth in the table.

    Bendel Insurance met with Wikki Tourist at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City. The visitors won two straight and were looking to make it three, while the home side looked for only their third win this season.

    The hosts had a chance to open the scoring in the first half, but they missed a penalty kick right before the break. Luckily, they didn’t get punished and went 1:0 up in the 65th minute through a Junior Osaghae goal. Five minutes later they doubled their lead when Adimowama Ezeh scored and sealed the win.

    Wikki Tourists drop ninth place but stay level on points with Bendel who move up to eighth place. Both teams are only two points of third place and a game behind the leaders, MFM and Enyimba.