Akwa United, yesterday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, boosted their chances of remaining in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) with a 3-0 defeat of Kano Pillars.
The game was a week 32 match that meant so much to Akwa United’s survival dream and the Uyo boys made the best of their chances, with Ubong Friday scoring a brace to ease the pressure on his team.
The home-based Super Eagles’ star got his first goal of the game from the spot in the 35th minute and completed his brace in the 59th minute before Saidu Mubarak completed the scoring in the 94th minute.
The win lifted Akwa United to the 16th position on 37 points from 32 games with six matches to the end of the season. League leaders, Enugu Rangers maintained their spot on the table with a 2-0 defeat of Plateau United courtesy of goals by Chiedozie Okorie (26th minute) and Godwin Obaje (93rd penalty), while Enyimba remains in the second spot following their 1-0 defeat of Katsina United courtesy of Chijioke Mbaoma’s60th-minute penalty.
Sporting Lagos came out victorious from a goal fest at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, where they defeated Abia Warriors 4-2. Pascal Durugbor served notice of the Paystack boys’ ambition with the opening goal as early as the fourth minute, Junior Lokosa made it 2-0 in the 48th minute, but Akwa Warriors’ Sunday Megwo evened scores with two quick goals in 51st and 58th minute to keep officials and fans of the home side on the edge of their seats.
However, Jonathan Alukwo erased any hope Abia Warriors had of getting a piece of the points with a brace in the 61st and 70th minutes of the game. Lobi Stars’ league ambition suffered a big setback in Gombe where they lost 2-3 to Gombe United, but it was a good weekend for Bendel Insurance, who defeated Heartland 1-0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
Earlier on Friday, Remo Stars defeated Niger Tornadoes 3-0, while Doma United could only manage a goalless draw with Kwara United at home in Gombe.
