NPFL Match Day 15 Group B review
On Sunday, April 14, all home teams from Group B in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) were successful without a single draw. And in five of the six wins, the winner kept a clean sheet.
Go Round visited Nnewi to take on FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the International Stadium. It took 18 minutes for the hosts to get on the score sheet after they were awarded a penalty. Uche Ihuarulam was the scorer of the ensuing penalty kick. He also scored the second and final goal in the 52nd minute. He has now scored four goals this season.
With this victory, FC Ifeanyi Ubah secure third place in the table. Go Round move down a place and are now seventh in the standings.
After a series of bad results, Heartland are on a mini unbeaten run of three games, with a draw and two wins, the latest coming against Nasarawa United at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri. The referee gave a penalty for the home side nine minutes into the match. Nnamdi Egbujor took the responsibility and put the ball in the net.
Fifteen minutes later the visitors responded with a goal of their own when Ibrahim Sunusi equalized. The half ended with a flurry of activities. Heartland took the lead for the second time in the game after Nwaodu Chukwudi scored in the 42nd minute. A couple of minutes later Nasarawa United went down to ten men after a straight red card for Thomas Adesina.
The second half was less eventful with the hosts confirming the win in the 61st minute courtesy of a Joshua Akhabue goal. Heartland’s win takes them up to sixth place and a point behind Nasarawa United who are in fifth place.
Gombe United, who have been in sporadic form in the last five or so matches, managed to defeat the newcomers Delta Force at the Pantami Stadium. A single goal was enough to secure a victory. And it was Samuel Chukwudi who got the deciding goal in the 69th minute.
Gombe United FC (Twitter/Gombe United FC)
Delta Force are now three games without a win and in eight place, while Gombe have moved up a place to 10th in the table.
El-Kanemi Warriors stay in the hunt for the top spot in Group B after a narrow win over Plateau United at their stadium in Maiduguri. Anthony Yeful scored the winning goal in the second half. The hosts stay second with an inferior goal difference while Plateau United fall to 11th place in the table.
Akwa United register their fourth win in five games over Kano Pillars at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Effiong Ndifreke opened the scoring in the 16th minute, getting his sixth goal of the season.
Shortly after the restart, the home team doubled their lead through Emmanuel Charles. The third and final goal was scored by Kodjovi Dadzie on the 90-minute mark. Akwa United consolidate their lead in Group B while Kano Pillars stay fourth.
Abia Warriors snap a three-game losing streak with a tight win over bottom of the table Yobe Stars at their Town Stadium in Umuahia. The visitors held on for the first 81 minutes before the hosts finally broke the deadlock. Ibrahim Olawoyin netted the deciding goal, his first of the season.
Yobe Stars stay rooted to the bottom of the table without a win in five games. Abia Warriors go up to ninth place, a couple of points off Delta Force in eighth place.