Plateau Utd pip Rivers Utd 1-0 to reclaim NPFL top spot
..As Pillars, Nasarawa Utd, Heartland also record home wins
Plateau United yesterday returned to the top of the Nigeria Professional Football League table after a solitary strike by leading goal scorer Mustapha Ibrahim gave them a slim 1-0 victory over Rivers United at the New Jos stadium in Jos.
Plateau United’s return to the top was made easy by the 0-1 loss suffered by title chasing Lobi Stars at Jigawa Golden Stars on Saturday
Plateau United now lead the table with 32 points while their closest rivals Lobi Stars are on 31 points with a game in hand.
In Jos, it looked as if Plateau United would outclass Rivers United easily when Ibrahim scored his eighth goal of the season in the third minute of the match but the goals simply dried up for both sides.
Instead it was the match between struggling Nasarawa United and Abia Warriors that produced the biggest result of Matchday 18 as the ‘Solid miners’ recovered in time to win 3-1.
Emmanuel Ugwuka shocked the host with his goal in 3rd minute but Abdallah Mohammed equalised for Nasarawa United in the 28th minute before Chidi Solomon put his side ahead two minutes to the end of the first half.
In the 74th minute, Haggai Katoh who took over from Abubakar Lawal benefitted from Austin Obaroakpor’s defensive error to seal victory for Nasarawa United.
Elsewhere, there were home victories for Kano Pillars, Kwara United and Heartland.
At the Sani Abacha stadium in Kano, Pillars compounded Adamawa United relegation woes as inform Auwalu Ali and Achibi Ewenike scored in each half of the match for a convincing 2-0 victory.
In Okigwe, Abiodun Thompson’s goal in the third minutes was enough to hand Heartland FC the maximum points against Sunshine Stars of Akure just as Christopher Nwaeze converted a spot kick in the 73rd minute to give Kwara United 1-0 victory over MFM of Lagos.
And Wikki Tourists miserable run at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium continued after Dakkada forced the ‘Bauchi elephants’ to 1-1 draw.
Daniel Jackson assisted by captain Idris Guda put Wikki Ahead in the 68th minute but Femi Ajayi struck in the 87th minute to break the hearts of the home fans.
The match between FC IfeanyiUbah and Akwa United in Nnewi ended in 0-0 draw.