Rangers Win Oriental Derby with Heartland to Go Top of NPFL
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Rangers International FC of Enugu moved to the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) yesterday securing a vital 2-1 away win in an Oriental Derby with Heartland of Owerri.
The win lifted the Flying Antelopes to 48 points from 27 games. Rangers have now gone nine matches unbeaten.
Former Leaders Lobi Stars who were held 1-1 at home in Makurdi by Bayelsa United are now second on the log, one point less than the Flying Antelopes. Remo Stars with a game at hand are third on 45 points with the chance of matching Rangers at the top.
Yesterday against Heartland, Rangers drew first blood in the 37th minute through Ifeanyi Onyekachi’s header off a Kelechi Nweke corner kick.
Nweke Kalu doubled the lead 14 minutes later after the resumption from first half break.
The hosts however got a consolation goal in the 90th minute through Chukwuebuka.
In Makurdi, Sunday Chukwu gave Lobi Stars a glimmer of hope with a goal in the 61st minute but Bayelsa United’s Malik Kehinde cancelled the goal with a low header in the 77th minute for the game to end in a draw.
However, the biggest shock of the day was in Jos where ambitious Plateau United lost 1-2 at home to Akwa United.
Jerome Heutchou secured a 10th-minute opener for the visitors but the host won a penalty which was converted by Sunday Anthony in the 77th minute. But calamity struck the home side when they conceded a last-minute penalty which was converted by Suleiman Sanni on the dot of the 90th minute.
The result pushed Plateau United to fifth position with 44 points while Akwa United sailed out of the relegation zone into 16th position with 31 points.
In Katsina, hosts Katsina United defeated Abia Warriors 2-1 while Kwara United punctured the ambitious former champions Enyimba with a 2-1 scoreline in Ilorin.
The host team opened the scoring in the 8th minute but Ikenna Cooper levelled scores in the 38th minute. Ogbole however restored the lead in the 49th minute.
In Ikenne, top contender, Remo Stars laboured to a 2-0 win against Bendel Insurance of Benin.
Abayomi Adedayo opened the score with a low shot in the vital area in the 80th and second-half substitute, Hadi Haruna doubled the lead in the 87th minute to give Remo Stars their first win over Insurance in a regular season aside the lone goal win at the Super 8 Tournament in Lagos last season.
RESULTS
Heartland 1-2 Rangers
Katsina Utd 2-1 Abia War
Kwara Utd 2-1 Enyimba
Lobi Stars 1-1 Bayelsa
Plateau 1-2 Akwa Utd
Remo 2-0 B’Insurance
TODAY
Tornadoes v Shooting
