Enyimba secured a narrow 1–0 home victory over Bayelsa United in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 24 encounter in Aba on Sunday. Samuel Agu scored the decisive goal nine minutes from time to lift the People’s Elephant.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, Rangers International continued their strong league form with a 2–0 win against Kano Pillars. Emmanuel Essien opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and Pillars defender Mukhtar Mohammed later turned the ball into his own net to double the lead.
Meanwhile in Minna, Niger Tornadoes rallied from two goals down to earn a 2–2 draw against Bendel Insurance in a lively contest. Insurance had raced into a first-half lead through strikes by Nnamdi Anthony and Chinedu Nwosu, but Tornadoes hit back with goals from Abdulaziz Dalhatu and Rickson Mendos in stoppage time to level.
Elsewhere on the weekend, Wikki Tourists and Nasarawa United played out a 1–1 draw in Bauchi, while Katsina United claimed a 2–0 away win over Abia Warriors.
Editorial
There is a certain poetry to league football at this stage of the campaign margins thin, tables tight, and every point accrued a currency of mounting value. This past weekend, Enyimba’s slender home win and Rangers’ authoritative victory offered a snapshot of the narrative currently shaping the Nigeria Premier Football League seasoned contenders consolidating form while ambitious challengers scratch for every available advantage.
In Aba, Enyimba’s triumph was not flamboyant but effective — the sort of result that speaks to character more than spectacle. Samuel Agu’s late strike was not merely a goal it was a lesson in persistence. Against Bayelsa United, who have shown glimpses of grit this season, the People’s Elephant found their rhythm only when the game tipped toward attritional struggle. There was no flash of brilliance only the quiet but decisive edge of determination.
Across the country, Rangers International’s 2–0 performance was class rendered into simple terms by early dominance and defensive steadiness. Establishing the lead inside minutes and then extending it through an own goal, the Flying Antelopes exemplified the kind of control that befits a side eyeing a higher finish. In a league defined as much by mental fortitude as technical ability, Rangers reminded observers they possess both.
Yet football is rarely without its dramatic counterpoints. Niger Tornadoes’ comeback to draw 2–2 with Bendel Insurance was a vivid illustration of the league’s inherent unpredictability. Trailing by two, Tornadoes’ resilience and late equaliser underscored a theme resonating through this season fortunes swing, momentum shifts, and in the NPFL, never should hope be counted out until the final whistle.
This weekend’s fixtures reinforced the league’s competitive fabric a tapestry of experience, ambition and opportunism. As the title chase tightens and relegation battles loom, results like these educate as much as they entertain. In Nigerian football, there is always a story behind the scoreline and these chapters are worth watching closely.
Did You Know?
- Enyimba FC is Nigeria’s most successful club in African competition, having won the CAF Champions League twice (2003 and 2004), a unique achievement among Nigerian teams.
- Rangers International’s nickname the Flying Antelopes references the team’s speed and agility, a symbol that has endured since the club’s founding in 1970.
- Bendel Insurance, despite their storied history, have had periods of financial and performance instability, leading to fluctuating league finishes in recent seasons.
- Niger Tornadoes’ dramatic late goals this season highlight the club’s trend of resilience, having previously scored late equalisers and winners in tight NPFL games.
- Matchday 24 saw several crucial results that could influence the NPFL title race and relegation scraps, reflecting the league’s increasing competitiveness this season.
