NPFL Match Day 13 Group B review
The Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) is close to the half point of the season. We look at the matches from Group B, with all the teams in action on Sunday.
After a loss in the last round, FC Ifeanyi Ubah lost the top spot in Group B. They need a win at home against Plateau United to get back up there. They were held by the visitors for the whole 75 minutes before they broke the deadlock. Uche Ihuarulam scored the winner in the 76th minute.
Plateau United drop two places to 10th in the table while FC Ifeanyi Ubah stay second, a point behind El-Kanemi Warriors.
Heartland welcomed Kano Pillars at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, needing to snap their three-game losing streak. And they started the game well after Emmanuel Godwin found the net 12 minutes after kick-off.
Around the middle point of the first half, Pillars equalized through veteran Rabiu Ali, their top scorer so far in the season. But then they were unlucky when in the 40th minute Ibrahim Said Idriss scored an own goal.
This important home win moves Heartland to seventh in the table while Kano Pillars remain fourth, five points off the top.
Gombe United win the battle of the bottom two teams in the table but are still a point behind Plateau United. One goal was all it took to beat Yobe Stars at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe. Emmanuel Success scored the all-important goal in the 15th minute after an assist by Samuel Chukwudi. Yobe Stars stay rooted to the bottom of Group B, losing their third game in a row.
El-Kanemi Warriors FC (Twitter/ElkanemiFc)
El-Kanemi Warriors continued their good run with a comfortable win over Akwa United in Maiduguri. They opened the scoring in the 32nd minute through Balogun Kabir. That was the only goal in the first half.
After 68 minutes the home side was 2:0 up when Abbani Sani put the goal behind the goalkeeper. The visitors pulled one back in the 78th minute courtesy of Godspower Aniefiok. That turned out to be just a consolation goal.
The Warriors secured a victory in the 83rd minute when Anthony Sunday scored his second goal of the season. The game finished turbulently with Akwa United going down to ten men in the 89th minute.
There was a lot of stoppage time, allowing the home side to score again, this time from a penalty kick. Bello Kofarmata was the scorer, getting his second goal of the season. This win keeps El-Kanemi Warriors at the top of Group B while Akwa United lose a game after going seven games unbeaten.
Abia Warriors and Nasarawa United met at the Town Stadium in Umuahia. The visitors went home with all three points after a narrow victory. Ibrahim Sunusi got them the win in the 75th minute. They go two places up to eight spot while the hosts drop down to ninth place in the table.
Delta Force open their account in the NPFL with a win over Go Round at the Town Stadium in Kaduna. The referee awarded them a penalty just six minutes into the match. Bala Zaka converted the kick to give his side the win and fifth place in the standings. Go Round go down a place to sixth.