Shooting Stars played one of their best matches of the season on Sunday. They beat Abia Warriors 4-1 in Ibadan. Rivers United held their top position in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after an exciting Matchday 11 that saw 20 goals scored in eight matches.
The Ibadan team was in control at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba. This win was important for them as they climbed to 10th place with 15 points from 11 matches.
Damilola Akinola scored the first goal in the fourth minute. Sodiq Ibrahim added to the score in the 41st minute.
Ibrahim then scored again just before halftime, making it 3-0 at the break. Abia Warriors managed to score in the 80th minute, giving their fans some hope. But Issa Yusuf sealed the win for Shooting Stars with a goal in the 88th minute.
In Kano, Nasarawa United’s five-match unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-0 loss to Kano Pillars at the Sani Abacha Stadium. Ibrahim Yahaya gave Kano Pillars an early lead in the 15th minute. Fabian Nworie scored again in the 64th minute, securing all three points for the home team.
This loss dropped Nasarawa United to fifth place with 17 points. Kano Pillars moved up to fourth place with 18 points, becoming one of the early contenders.
Rivers United held on to their top spot despite a 1-1 draw with Rangers International. Both teams now have 18 points, but Rivers United leads because of a better goal difference of 10 compared to Rangers’ five. Rivers have played 11 matches, while Rangers still have two matches to play.
Bendel Insurance also reached 18 points after a 2-1 win against Kwara United. The Benin team rose to third place and has one game in hand over the top two teams.
In other matches, Enyimba won 1-0 against Kun Khalifat, moving to 16th place with 11 points. This win brought some relief to the Aba-based team.
Plateau United and Warri Wolves ended their match in a 1-1 draw. Katsina United won against Sporting Lagos 2-1, which helped them stay in the top half of the table.
Inter Lagos and Rangers Bees also drew, leaving both teams struggling near the bottom. Inter Lagos is at the bottom with just three points due to a three-point and three-goal deduction for a rule violation. Warri Wolves, who also faced a similar deduction, sit in 17th place with 10 points.
After Matchday 11, Rivers United, Rangers International, Bendel Insurance, and Kano Pillars are all tied with 18 points, separated only by goal difference. Nasarawa United is in fifth place with 17 points, while Plateau United, Barau FC, Niger Tornadoes, and Katsina United all have 16 points.
As several matches are still pending, the fight for the top spots is heating up as the 2026/27 NPFL season continues.
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