Kano Pillars Continue to Struggle in NPFL
The ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season has seen a significant decline for former Nigerian champions Kano Pillars. Their struggles continued as they suffered another defeat at the hands of Enyimba FC, who secured a 2-0 victory in the week 11 fixture held at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba.
Pillars had hoped to recover from their previous 0-2 home loss to Nigeria Tornadoes, but the team faced yet another difficult match on the road. The ‘Peoples Elephants’ were unable to find a way past Enyimba’s defense, with the latter scoring two first-half goals to claim all three points in front of their passionate supporters.
Bassey John opened the scoring for Enyimba in the 29th minute, and Ezekiel Edidiong extended the lead just six minutes later, in the 35th minute. This win marked a return to form for Enyimba, who had previously suffered back-to-back defeats against Warri Wolves and Plateau United.
Abia Warriors Rise to the Top
In Minna, Abia Warriors made a significant move up the league table after defeating Niger Tornadoes 2-1. This victory saw them climb to the top of the standings with 21 points, surpassing Nasarawa United, who dropped to second place with 19 points following a narrow 0-1 loss to Rivers United.
Abia Warriors’ win was assisted by an own goal from Niger Tornadoes defender Sunday Akinmoladun, which occurred in the first minute of added time in the first half. This helped restore the visitors’ lead after an early opener from Sunday Megwo in the 38th minute. Niger Tornadoes managed a consolation goal through Abdulrasheed Dabai in the 54th minute.
Other Key Matches and Results
In Kano, Barau FC continued to show underwhelming performances as they were held to a goalless draw by Wikki Tourists during a home match. Similarly, the clash between El-Kanemi Warriors and Enugu Rangers ended in a 0-0 draw in Maiduguri.
Katsina United also managed a 1-1 draw with 3SC at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. Meanwhile, in a match between privately owned clubs, Ikorodu City emerged victorious over Kun Khalifat with a 2-0 win. Christian Chidera Oparaocha and Dagogo Ibifubara each scored a goal in their respective halves, helping Ikorodu City move up to third position with 18 points.
Kano Pillars at the Bottom of the Table
Despite changes in management, including the dismissal of Coach Evans Ogenyi due to poor performance and his replacement with Mohammed Babaganaru, Kano Pillars remain at the bottom of the league table. After 10 matches, they have only managed five points out of a possible 30, highlighting the depth of their struggles this season.
Summary of Key Matches
- Enyimba FC 2-0 Kano Pillars: Enyimba secured a crucial win with goals from Bassey John and Ezekiel Edidiong.
- Abia Warriors 2-1 Niger Tornadoes: Abia Warriors climbed to the top of the table with a last-minute own goal helping them secure the win.
- Barau FC 0-0 Wikki Tourists: Barau FC struggled to find the back of the net in their home match.
- El-Kanemi Warriors 0-0 Enugu Rangers: Both teams failed to score in a tightly contested match.
- Katsina United 1-1 3SC: A hard-fought draw ended in a 1-1 result.
- Ikorodu City 2-0 Kun Khalifat: Ikorodu City secured a comfortable win to move up the league table.