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NPFL returns with a bang as Enyimba win, MFM FC held

Remo Stars 0 - 1 Enyimba

Domestic giants Enyimba recorded a first away league win of the season against Remo Stars at the Gateway Stadium, Sagamu.

Ugochukwu Leonard's 38th-minute piledriver was all that separated the duo in an encounter which saw the away team dominate possession from start to finish.

Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, fresh from international duty with Nigeria at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas, was a whisker away from adding a second goal, but he saw his 63rd minute free kick rebound agonisingly off the post.

Mfon Udoh showed good pace to leave his marker for dead, but the Enyimba captain failed to finish from a narrow angle.

The result moves Enyimba into 5th place, level on points with 4th place FC Ifeanyi Ubah, while Stars remain rooted to the bottom of the log on 19 points.

Katsina United 1- 1 Plateau United

League leaders Plateau United earned a vital away point against Katsina United after overcoming an early setback to ensure a good start to the second round of the league.

In a game played behind closed doors, Chinedu Udechukwu gave Katsina United a fourth-minute lead, capitalising on the failure of the Plateau defenders to clear a loose ball before pouncing on the rebound to score.

Obinna Eleje evaded the challenge of his marker but his effort hit the side net, as Katsina United desperately searched for the second goal which would have been insurance.

Barely eight minutes after that spurned chance from the home side, Plateau United drew level, when Philip Azango provided the assist for Daniel Itodo to score a vital goal in the quest for the league title.

Wikki Tourists 3 - 0 Abia Warriors

Wikki Tourists earned a big home win on coach Bala Nikyu's league debut when they sent Abia Warriors back to Umuahia with three un-replied goals.

The Bauchi-based club responded in the best possible way to the club's recent unheaval by earning a comprehensive home win at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium to take them into 16th place on the table and out of the bottom four.

Garba Mohammed fouled Ahmed Usman in the box as Abia Warriors conceded a penalty in the 23rd minute, and Samuel Chukwudi converted his spot kick to give Wikki the lead.

The flying winger doubled Wikki Tourists' lead from the spot two minutes later to comfortably lead going into the break.

The scoring was wrapped up in the 58th minute when Kabiru Mohammed netted the third goal to secure maximum points for Wikki Tourists.

MFM FC 0 - 0 Akwa United

It wasn't a good day at the office for either MFM FC or Stephen Odey on Sunday at the Agege Stadium as the Olukoya Boys' perfect home record was ended with a scoreless draw against Akwa United.

Odey missed a great opportunity to further extend his goal tally for the season when he uncharacteristically missed from the penalty spot in the first half, a miss which effectively denied his team the chance to draw level with leaders Plateau United.

In a fairly balanced game up to the half hour mark, Akwa United defender Kodjo Dadzie handled the ball under pressure from an MFM attacker and the referee awarded a penalty.

Odey somehow managed to pass up the opportunity to put his team ahead and add to his 14 goal tally, shooting wide from the spot.

Debutant goalkeeper Ojo Olorunleke did well to keep Akwa United in the game, producing a strong hand to deny Chukwuka Onuwa from 20 yards.

Ifeanyi Ifeanyi almost came back to haunt his former teammates on his old stomping ground when he took a pop from way out in the 82nd minute.

United were reduced to 10 men in the dying minutes of the game when hardworking midfielder Aremu Afeez was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Shooting Stars 0 - 3 FC Ifeanyi Ubah

FC Ifeanyi Ubah were in totally dominant form as they hit three unreplied goals away from home against Shooting Stars in Ibadan to further extend their unbeaten run to seven games.

Godwin Obaje opened the scoring in the second minute to put his team in the driving seat as they raced up to fourth place on the log.

The home team had barely recovered from the first goal when Pascal Seka doubled the away team's lead in the 14th minute to continue his recent impressive scoring form.

Adou Blaise inexplicably stopped Bola Lekan's shot with his hand in the box and the referee was left with no choice but to award Shooting Stars a penalty kick.

Abayomi Adebayo saw his spot kick saved by Ikechukwu Ezenwa as the Nigeria goalkeeper guessed the right way.

Obaje almost replicated his early minute goal in the second half but shot wide from close range, although Bright Onyedikachi almost removed the gloss from a fine team performance as he was shown a second yellow card in the 72nd minute, reducing the away team to 10 men.

Osanga netted the third goal of the day for FC Ifeanyi Ubah to complete the biggest away win of the season to date as the billionaire-sponsored team inflicted a defeat which takes Stars just a spot above bottom place.

Sunshine Stars 0 - 1 Lobi Stars

Kingsley Eduwo came back to haunt his former employers as he scored the game's lone goal as Lobi Stars completed a league double over Sunshine Stars in Akure.

It was a disappointing start to the second round of the league campaign for the Stars, who recruited massively in the midseason transfer window, and appointed former Super Eagles captain and coach Augustine Eguavoen as their new boss.

Eduwo gave Lobi Stars the lead in the 15th minute, silencing the home support, although both teams were happy to sit deep and play on the counter during a cagey encounter.

Sunshine Stars thought they levelled matters in second-half stoppage time, but the referee ruled out a goal from a corner kick.

The away win takes Lobi Stars into seventh place on the log, while Sunshine Stars, with their second home defeat of the season, occupy the last relegation spot on the table.