Table toppers, Rivers United on Sunday underlined their 2021/22 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title credentials by forcing a tightly-contested encounter against Gombe United to a 0-0 dr in Gombe on Sunday.
The Port Harcourt side did well enough through the 90 minutes to snatch a vital point at the Pantami Stadium and also retain their place at the summit of the NPFL with 39 points, going seven matches without defeat.
Earlier on Saturday, Plateau United maintained their pursuit for the Nigerian league crown by a 1-1 draw against Enyimba in Aba. Victor Mbaoma opened the scoring for Enyimba in the 28th minute but Austine Opara drew United level with a brilliant effort for the visitors to eventually hold on to hear their unbeaten to 10 matches. The draw kept Plateau in second just a point behind leaders Rivers, while Enyimba are ninth with 25 points from 18 games.
In Ilorin, Deji Bamidele and Alao Danbani struck in the second half to help Kwara United subdue Heartland despite Chukwudi Nwaodu's late consolation at the Kwara Township Stadium. The victory saw Kwara rose to fourth with 31 points, while Heartland sinked into relegation places, with 19 points from 18 games.
At Lafia City Stadium, MFM kept their survival hopes alive after forcing Nasarawa United to a 1-1 draw. Chukwudi Ekeocha opened the scoring for the visitors as early as two minutes in the game, but Aliyu Abdullahi eventually leveled matters before the half time break. The draw was not enough to move MFM out of the bottom with 16 points from 18, while Nasarawa are 12th on the log with 22 points - just three above the drop zone.
In Uyo, champions Akwa United suffered their biggest home defeat of the season following a 3-0 thumping from Rangers International at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
After a drab first half draw, Samuel Pam gave the visitors the shock lead in the 55th minute before Chidiebere Nwobodo doubled in the 70th minute and Shedrack Asiegbu completed the riot on the brink of full time. The big away win for Rangers fired them up to third with 31 points, while Akwa crashed to sixth with 27 points.
Kastina United bounced back to winning ways after a 1-0 victory over northern rivals Wikki Tourist. Habibu Yakubu scored the winning goal 17 minutes into the encounter at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium. The slim win helped Kastina swimmed out of relegation waters to 16th with 20 points, while Wikki are eighth with 26 points.
While at Aper Aku Stadium, Abia Warriors ended their back-to-back winless streak with a stunning 2-1 win at Lobi Stars in Markudi. The Umuahia side stormed into front in the 54th minute when Valentine Odoh broke the deadlock but Solomon Kwambe netted the equalizer for Lobi two minutes later. In the final stages of the encounter, Odoh broke the head of the hosts with her second of the match six minutes from time. The win took Abia out of the drop zone to 13 with 21 points, while Lobi dropped into the relegation places with 19 points from 18 games.
Elsewhere in Akure, Sunshine Stars climbed into the top half of the table with a 2-0 victory over Dakkada. The visitors gained the lead as early as two minutes through Emmanuel Charles but Babatunde Bello pulled the host level in the 14 minutes before Ikenna Cooper snatched the winner 15 minutes from regulation time. Sunshine moved up to seventh with 26 points, while Dakkada are 18th on the standings with 18 points.
A total of 18 goals were scored in 10 matches played on Match Day 18, with two away wins, five home wins and three draws recorded.
