NPFL Match day 16 Group B review
While the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) Group A games provided only four goals in total, the teams in Group B scored seventeen or almost three per game.
Yobe Stars recorded a surprising and only their fourth win of the season against FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the Town Stadium in Damaturu. Phillip Auta scored on either side of halftime to give his team a much-needed victory. These two goals take him up to seven goals this season.
The visitors FC Ifeanyi Ubah stay in third place, even though they suffered three defeats in the last five games. Yobe Stars stay bottom of the table four points behind Abia Warriors.
In a round of surprise results, Plateau United welcomed the leaders of Group B Akwa United at the New Stadium in Jos. Twelve minutes after kick-off, the hosts went 1:0 up courtesy of a goal from Jesse Akila, his third of the season.
After the break, Plateau doubled their lead when Bernard Ovoke found the net in the 58th minute. Twenty minutes later, they sealed the win through a goal from Amos Gyang. With this victory, they move up a place to ninth while Akwa United stay top level on points with the El-Kanemi Warriors but with a superior goal difference.
With the first and third team in the standings losing games, the second-placed El-Kanemi Warriors joined them after a thrashing from Nasarawa United. The crowd might have known it was going to be a special day after Ibrahim Sunusi put the ball in the net before the first minute was out.
Sunusi scored again on the 30-minute mark before Anas Yusuf made it 3:0 going into the break. Seven minutes into the second half, the hosts were 4:0 up courtesy of Isah Ndala. Mohammed Sulley then pulled one back for the visitors but it was only a consolation goal. Emmanuel Ogbole added another one in the 88th minute to make the final score 5:1.
Nasarawa United FC (Twitter/@Nasarawaunited)
With four wins in the last five games, Nasarawa United move up to fourth in the standings while El-Kanemi Warriors stay second.
Veteran Rabiu Ali was the star of the first half of the match between Kano Pillars and Gombe United at the Sani Abacha Stadium. Ali missed a penalty kick in the 15th minute of the half, only to get another chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time. He wasn’t going to miss twice, converting his third penalty kick of the year and giving his team the lead at the break.
The visitors responded immediately after the restart. Adamu Mohammed was in with a chance in the 48th minute which he took with ease. The match finished a 1:1 draw. A point moves Gombe up a place into tenth while Kano Pillars drop a place and now sit in fifth position in the table.
Go Round played hosts to Heartland at the Krisdera Hotel Stadium in Omoku. The hosts were off to the horses in less than a minute through Ololade Sadiq and his third goal of the season. This was the only goal action in the first half.
Seven minutes after the start of the second half, the visitors were level thanks to Uche Oguchi. Still, the home side went back on top in the 77th minute. Adeseun Adelani secured the win with his fourth of the season.
Heartland suffer a defeat after a mini-run of three-games unbeaten, but they stay eight in the table. Go Round move up to the sixth place.
After three games without a win, Delta Force finally triumphed in this round. They played Abia Warriors at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba. Sanusi Kabiru scored in the second half to give them the narrow win. This was his fifth goal this year. Delta Force move up a place and go seventh while Abia Warriors stay second from bottom with four losses in the last five games.
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