The 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League title race will be remembered as one of the closest in recent years, for weeks, Rangers and Rivers United traded blows at the summit, with little separating the two sides as the campaign entered its decisive stages. Every matchday carried fresh pressure, every result had the potential to tilt the balance, and every dropped point threatened to alter the destination of the trophy.
In the end, Rangers emerged champions by the narrowest of margins. the Flying Antelopes finished the season on 68 points after a dramatic final-day 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City in Lagos, securing a record-equaling ninth league title and drawing level with Enyimba as the most successful club in NPFL history.
Rivers United who finished just one point behind on 67 points, the title race ultimately became a story of opportunities missed and a rival that simply refused to falter. looking back now, one result appears to have been particularly significant.
Rivers United manager Finidi George.
With three matches remaining, Rangers travelled to Yenagoa for a potentially tricky encounter against Bayelsa United on Matchday 36. The Enugu side held a slender one-point lead over Rivers United and knew any slip could hand momentum to their title rivals.
The hosts tested Rangers throughout the contest, creating periods of sustained pressure and forcing goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh into important saves. Yet Fidelis Ilechukwu’s men once again demonstrated the resilience that would define their run-in.
Chidiebere Nwobodo opened the scoring in the 31st minute after reacting quickest to a rebound from Daniel Eni’s effort, before league top scorer Godwin Obaje struck late to seal a composed 2-0 victory.
The win moved Rangers to 62 points and preserved their one-point advantage at the top with only two matches remaining.
At the time, it appeared to be another important away victory. Weeks later, it would emerge that the result had also been one Rivers United were closely monitoring.
Enugu Rangers Team.
Speaking after his side’s final game of the season, Rivers United manager Finidi George admitted that Rangers’ victory in Yenagoa had dashed hopes that the title race might swing in his team’s favour.
“We were thinking they were going to slip up in Bayelsa but they won there,” Finidi revealed.
The former Super Eagles coach acknowledged that Rivers United had fought until the very end but ultimately found themselves relying on results elsewhere after dropping points away at crucial moments during the campaign.
“It’s quite unfortunate. I think we gave our all today, but I think winning the league doesn’t depend on the last match.
“There were some bad results we had, that I think on the last day we had to wait for Ikorodu to win. I think that is not the best way to go about it, but the players gave their all.”
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Rangers would go on to defeat Bendel Insurance before travelling to Lagos on the final day, where captain Obinna Nwobodo scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City to seal the championship.
Even then, Rivers United were still hoping for one final twist.
“And today again, we were thinking at least Ikorodu would have given them a hard fight,” Finidi said.
“Even a draw would have given us the title, but that didn’t happen. We have to continue.”
Despite the disappointment of falling short by a single point, Finidi praised his players for remaining in contention until the closing stages of the season, particularly after Rivers United’s challenges on the continental stage earlier in the campaign.
“It was good for us to come here on the last day to see who can win the title. It’s commendable. Despite all the setbacks we had in the continent, for the players to respond this way, I think it’s not a problem.”
The Rivers United boss also insisted the experience would serve as motivation rather than a setback, with attention already turning to next season and the Federation Cup.
“For me, I know what went wrong, but come next season, we’ll be stronger and those lapses will not happen.”
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