Enyimba maintained their lead at the summit of the Nigeria Professional Football League thanks to a 1-0 victory over Kwara United at the Aba Township Stadium on Wednesday.
Skipper Chinedu Udoji was on hand to provide the sole strike as the Peoples Elephant earned a slim victory over their relegation threatened visitors in a week 35 action.
Udoji headed home the winner in the first half to take his side’s point tally to 65, five points above second-placed Giwa FC.
Giwa toppled Wikki Tourist to second place after overcoming the Bauchi side 3-2 at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos.
Wikki took the lead twice through Idris Sabo and Harrison Madu while Giwa FC clawed their way back on both occasions through Saleh Mohammed and Amos Gyang.
They completed the comeback in stoppage time of the second half when Gyang finished off Wikki from their defensive blunder to make sure Giwa FC claimed the full points.
Port Harcourt clubs, Dolphins and Sharks, brightened their chances of beating the drop as they defeated El-Kanemi Warriors and Shooting Stars respectively.
Goals from Christian Weli and Godbless Asamoah helped Dolphins to 2-0 win over El-Kanemi while Sharks battled back from a goal to beat Shooting Stars 2-1 with Frederick Obomate’s brace cancelling out Joseph Nathaniel’s own goal.
Dolphins and Sharks are now out of the relegation zone until Lobi play on Thursday at home against Warri Wolves at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi.
Bayelsa United scraped past Abia Warriors by a goal win through Kadiri Samad, but they remain deep in relegation with 34 points from 35 matches.
The Oriental derby between FC Ifeanyiubah and Heartland produced just one goal as the former won with Ifeanyi Ede’s first half strike from the spot on 28 minutes.
Sunshine Stars’ aspiration to finish in the top-three further took a hit as they lost 2-1 at the Nest of Champions to a plucky Akwa United.
Friday Ubong and Aniekan Ekpe scored for Akwa United while Dele Olorundare got Sunshine’s goal. The Akure-based club with 53 points are now 12 points behind leaders Enyimba.
In Kano, Rangers scored a 24th minute goal through Bobby Clement to stun the champions, Kano Pillars and their faithful. But Rangers could only keep that lead up till the stoppage of the first 45 as Azeez Shobowale equalised for Pillars after Emeka Eze was sent off for stamping on Adamu Murtala.
Pillars made the numerical advantage count as Shobowale scored five minutes into the second half to condemn Rangers to their 13th defeat of the season.
