THE race for the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League title and battle against relegation remained on a crescendo over the weekend as champions Enyimba cut the gap on leaders Enugu Rangers to two points with seven matches to go.
The nine-time champions secured a 1-1 draw against the Sunshine Stars in Akure on Sunday (their 12th point on the road this season with three draws and three wins) to take their point haul to 52 after 31 matches, while Rangers failed to extend their lead on the log following a 2-0 defeat to Rivers United in Port Harcourt.
Chidiebere Nnachi’s 71st-minute goal ensured Finidi George’s men left Akure with a point after Promise Awosanmi had put the hosts up immediately after the restart, leaving Sunshine just a place above the relegation zone.
A goal in each half by Alex Oyowah and Deputy Echeta also condemned the Rangers to their ninth defeat of the season against Rivers United.
In Kano, 43-year-old Kano Pillars captain Rabiu Ali continued to lead the charge on their top-flight return, scoring a brace for his seventh and eighth goal of the season in their 4-0 win over basement club Gombe United.
Mustapha Yuga opened the scoring for Pillars inside 10 minutes, while Ali added the second and third before halftime, and Mustapha Umar completed the rout in the 79th minute.
At the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina, Abdullahi Biffo began his reign as the head coach of Sporting Lagos on a losing note, crashing to a 2-0 defeat to his former club, Katsina United.
Andrew Idoko got the first goal for Katsina in the 36th minute, while the consistent Michael Ibe made it two in the 65th minute to leave the Lagos side 13th in the table and two points above safety.
Meanwhile, 2021 champions Akwa United’s struggle in the red zone continued on Sunday as a late goal from Emmanuel Ogbole condemned them to their 15th defeat of the season, leaving them deep in the relegation zone, in 18th place with just 29 points.
In other results, the fifth-placed Remo Stars are still four points adrift of leaders Rangers after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Plateau United.
Niger Tornadoes returned to winning ways with a 2-0 thrashing of Doma United, while Lobi Stars and Bendel Insurance settled for a goalless draw in Lafia.
