Rangers International put on a dazzling display at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, defeating Lobi Stars 2-4 on Matchday 34 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The win ends a four-game league winless drought for the Flying Antelopes and keeps their quest for a continental spot alive.
Rangers were ruthless in attack, with Godwin Obaje bagging a brace, Williams Wonah ,adding one, and Saviour Isaac scoring a sensational long-range goal from over 35 yards that lit up the stadium.
The victory sees Rangers climb to 49 points, holding 5th place on the log. It’s also back-to-back wins across all competitions for the Enugu side, who now look well-positioned in the race for a top-three finish.
Meanwhile, Lobi Stars’ struggles continue, as they remain rooted to the bottom of the table with 25 points. With just a handful of games left, the 2018 NPFL champions are staring relegation in the face.
In Aba, Enyimba rekindled their hopes of salvaging the season with a 2-1 win over Kano Pillars, just days after crashing out of the President Federation Cup.
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Joseph Atule fired the People’s Elephant ahead in the 34th minute, volleying in from a pinpoint free-kick delivered by Chinedu Ufere. Brown Ideye doubled the advantage early in the second half.
Though Pillars pulled one back through Naibe Akpesiri, who scored off the rebound after a saved penalty in the 81st minute, Enyimba held on to secure all three points.
The win sees Enyimba move to 7th place, level on 49 points with Rangers, keeping them in the hunt for a continental slot. The two sides will face off in a heated Oriental Derby on Matchday 34, a fixture that could prove decisive in the race for the top spots.
In one of the day’s most one-sided contests, Katsina United dismantled Abia Warriors 5-1 in front of their home fans.
Mubarak Said opened the scoring inside two minutes, and Lukman Bello followed up with a brace (5’, 59’). Further goals from Nura Abdulbari (56’) and Ahmed Taofeek (90+1′) wrapped up the emphatic win.
Antoine Ijoma scored the lone goal for Abia Warriors, briefly equalizing in the 11th minute before the hosts took over.
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Despite the damaging loss, Abia Warriors remain 3rd on the table with 53 points, but their position is under threat. If Ikorodu City defeat El Kanemi Warriors in Sunday’s clash, Abia could slip out of the top three.
For Katsina United, the big win pushes them up to 11th place with 44 points, moving them further away from the relegation zone.
