2017 champions Plateau United stormed to the top of the Nigerian Professional Football League with a resounding 3-1 win over visiting 3SC, but the buzz was in Ikenne where homers Remo Stars slumped to a second successive defeat with a 1-0 loss to Akwa Ibom on Matchday 13.
Zulkifilu Muhammad scored early for Plateau but Oluwaseyi Okeowo equalised for 3SC to end the first half even before the Jos Miners scored twice in two minutes through Albert Hillary, and a penalty for Silas Nenrot to claim all three points for coach Fidelis Ilechukwu.
It was a different story for coach Gbenga Ogunbote whose youthful side had gone unbeaten in the first 11 games of the season, but fell to Akwa United’s David Onovo’s 27th minute goal, the same scoreline by which they lost the last game to Gombe United at the Pantami stadium.
Kano Pillars continued their lacklustre start to the season with another 2-1 loss at Wikki Tourists, their seventh defeat in 13 games so far, which consigned them to 15th on the table while their conquerors moved into the top 10 with a game in hand. The Tourists sit one place and one point behind former African champions, Enyimba, who fell to Kwara United in Ilorin courtesy of Alao Danbani’s first half strike. The three points move Kwara into the top four after six wins and three draws from their 13 games so far.
Basement team MFM of Lagos temporarily moved off the bottom of the table, after Tunde Azeez’s 81st minute goal guaranteed three points which moved them into 19th, but they could be pushed back into the last position should Heartland beat Lobi Stars at home on Thursday.
Other games scheduled for Thursday include Rangers versus Nasarawa in Enugu, while Rivers United would travel to face Abia Warriors in Aba where a win would see them return to the top of the table.
