Rivers United Remain EuromatchNPFL’s Only Unbeaten Team As Shooting Stars Struggle

Rivers United remain the only unbeaten team in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after eight matches, while Rangers International continue to lead the standings and Shooting Stars struggle to pull away from the relegation places following another disappointing result on Matchday 8.

Rivers strengthened their position as Rangers’ closest challengers with a goalless draw away to Abia Warriors, taking their points tally to 16, just one behind the leaders. Plateau United moved into third place with 14 points after thrashing Kano Pillars 4-0, while Barau FC and Doma United are joint on 13 points.

At the other end of the table, Shooting Stars remain 17th with eight points after losing 2-0 to Kun Khalifat FC. They are level on points with Ranchers Bees and Kun Khalifat but sit above both sides in the standings. Enyimba are 19th with seven points, while Inter Lagos occupy the bottom position with five points.

Rivers United’s unbeaten record remains one of the defining features of the season so far. The Port Harcourt club have won four and drawn four of their eight matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding just two. Their defensive record is the best in the division and has helped them remain firmly in the title race despite dropping points in their latest outing.

Rangers, meanwhile, held on to top spot after recovering from a second-half deficit to draw 2-2 with Barau FC in Kano. Ifeanyi Okechukwu gave the visitors the lead in the 38th minute, but Joseph Atule equalised from the penalty spot in the 56th minute before Aliyu Sugau converted another penalty 12 minutes later to put Barau ahead. Chidiebere Nwobodo rescued a point for Rangers with a 90th-minute equaliser.

The result took Rangers to 17 points from eight matches, with five wins, two draws and one defeat. They have scored 14 goals and conceded nine, giving them a goal difference of plus five.

Plateau United were the standout performers of the round, delivering a commanding 4-0 victory over Kano Pillars to strengthen their position among the leading contenders. Paul Samson opened the scoring in the third minute before Ekundayo Ojo doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time. Samuel Ayanrinde added a third in the 82nd minute, while Nenrot Silas converted a penalty in the 90th minute to complete the rout.

The victory lifted Plateau United to 14 points, while Kano Pillars dropped to 10th with 11 points after suffering their first defeat of the campaign. The former champions have recorded two wins, five draws and one defeat, highlighting their difficulty in turning competitive performances into victories.

Barau FC remain fourth with 13 points, level with Doma United, who occupy fifth place. Barau have collected three wins and four draws from eight matches, while Doma have four victories but have suffered three defeats. The two sides remain well placed to challenge the leading teams as the season progresses.

Ikorodu City and Sporting Lagos are also within reach of the top positions. Ikorodu City sit sixth with 12 points after defeating Kwara United 2-0, while Sporting Lagos occupy eighth place on the same points tally following a 2-1 comeback victory over Bendel Insurance.

Sporting Lagos recovered from a shocking start against Bendel, who took the lead after just 18 seconds through Kayode Oke. Victor Samuel equalised in the 14th minute before Gafar Olaniyan completed the turnaround in the 22nd minute. The win moved Sporting above several rivals on goal difference.

Bendel Insurance, Katsina United and Kano Pillars are among the clubs clustered around the middle of the table. Bendel and Katsina both have 12 points, although Bendel sit seventh and Katsina ninth. The narrow margins mean a single result could produce significant movement in the standings in the coming weeks.

Nasarawa United also claimed an important victory, defeating Doma United 2-0, according to the match results supplied. However, this result conflicts with the league table provided, which shows Doma United with four wins and three defeats from eight matches. The result and standings therefore require verification before publication.

Kun Khalifat’s 2-0 win over Shooting Stars lifted them to 18th place with eight points, while Ranchers Bees are 16th on the same tally. Shooting Stars are 17th, also with eight points, but their two consecutive defeats in the reported recent form underline the need for improvement if they are to move away from the lower end of the standings.

Warri Wolves boosted their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Inter Lagos, moving to 10 points and 13th place. Niger Tornadoes and Abia Warriors have nine points each, occupying 14th and 15th positions respectively. Ranchers Bees, Shooting Stars and Kun Khalifat are all on eight points, while Enyimba have seven and Inter Lagos five.

Enyimba’s position is particularly concerning given their status as one of Nigeria’s most successful clubs. Their 4-2 defeat to Katsina United left them 19th with two wins, one draw and five defeats. They have scored 11 goals but conceded 14, and will need to improve their results to avoid remaining in the relegation battle.

Inter Lagos have endured an even more difficult start, winning just once in eight matches. With five points, they sit at the foot of the table, two points behind Enyimba and three behind the three clubs immediately above the relegation places.

NPFL Matchday 8 Results

Katsina United 4-2 Enyimba

Plateau United 4-0 Kano Pillars

Ikorodu City 2-0 Kwara United

Kun Khalifat 2-0 Shooting Stars

Sporting Lagos 2-1 Bendel Insurance

Nasarawa United 2-0 Doma United

Barau FC 2-2 Rangers International

Abia Warriors 0-0 Rivers United

Ranchers Bees 0-0 Niger Tornadoes

Warri Wolves 3-1 Inter Lagos