Wikki Tourists are the unlikely leaders of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after match day 14 following a 1-0 win over FC Ifeanyiubah in Nnewi.
In a tight game where defences dominated, Wikki claimed priceless points on the road after Chukwudi Samuel struck late to give his side the points.
Samuel’s strike on 77 minutes gave the Bauchi club three valuable points which saw them leapfrog Sunshine Stars and take the reins as the new leaders of the standings.
Wikki have now amassed 27 points from 14 matches; a solitary point more than Sunshine Stars after the Akure Gunners suffered a 0-1 reverse in Enugu in the hands of Enugu Rangers.
Sunshine Stars are now second on the standings, level on 26 points with Enyimba but just nudging ahead thanks to a superior goals difference compared to the Aba club.
Alex Emenike’s strike on the quarter hour proved to be the difference between the two sides at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu as Rangers continued their renaissance under youthful coach, Imama Amapakabo at the expense of the high-flying former leaders.
Giwa FC are now up to third on the standings after a handsome 3-1 win over El-Kanemi Warriors. Ocheme Edoh scored for the fourth consecutive match day to open the scoring for the hosts inside 120 seconds and underlined his status as one of the most feared marksmen in the league.
Further efforts from Saleh Mohammed and Ibrahim Shuaibu completed a happy day in the office for Giwa FC as they moved into the continental positions.
Bright Ejike is now the top scorer in the NPFL after his eighth strike in the competition gave Heartland the lead against Sharks in the 18th minute in the 1-1 draw with the Blue Angels at the Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium.
Fortune Omoniwari however equalized shortly before the end as Sharks settled for a share of the spoils.
Six-time champions, Enyimba moved up to third on the standings after a 2-0 win over Nasarawa United in Aba.
Ezekiel Bassey provided two assists as Christian Obiozor and Ifeanyi George struck either side of half time to give the Peoples Elephant maximum points.
Terkaa Melai and Gbadebo Samuel were the goalscoring heroes for Lobi Stars in their 2-0 win over Abia Warriors which compounds the woes of Ladan Bosso’s charges.
In the most exciting game of the day, Dolphins fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with champions, Kano Pillars.
Adamu Mohammed and Godspower Aniefiok gave the champions a deserved two-goal lead inside 47 minutes but the Port Harcourt club refused to capitulate and roll over.
Godbless Asamoah stirred the fight back on 67 minutes with a typical poacher’s finish after an uncharacteristic error from the usually reliable Theophilus Afelokhai in the Pillars goal.
Dolphins then sealed the unlikely comeback 11 minutes from the end through a fortuitous Jonathan Zikiye goal as Stanley Eguma’s men greatly helped their cause to climb up the drop zone.
Bayelsa United, another side in the relegation zone, also won on the day 2-0 against Kwara United in Oghara.
Alex Aghogho and Festus Ajah scored the goals that guaranteed the points for the Yenagoa club.
Akwa United and Warri Wolves also shared points on match day 14 following a well-fought 1-1 draw at the Nest of Champions in Uyo.
Gbolahan Salami opened the scoring for the visitors in the 74th minute but Abdulafeez Awakan equalized five minutes later to ensure that United did not lose in their first competitive game at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium. From Super Sport.