Pillars beat Enyimba again, Heartland gets second away win

It was a repeat of last season’s scoreline at the Sani Abacha Stadium, where defending champions, Kano Pillars, beat Enyimba by a lone goal.

It was a day of away wins, as Heartland, Giwa FC and Wikki Tourists beat Kwara United, Enugu Rangers and Abia Warriors respectively on the road.

Pillars beat Enyimba by the same margin last season, but they lost the reverse fixture 1-3 in Aba. That defeat in Aba did not stop the Okey Emordi-led team from winning the title.

Yesterday in Kano, the defending champions relied on a first half long-range strike by Moses Ekpai to take the three points from the game, which also saw the dismissal of Enyimba’s Captain, Chinedu Udoji.

While fans of Kano Pillars were celebrating the defeat of their archrivals, in Umuahia, supporters of Abia Warriors forced their players to trek back to their camp after losing 1-2 to visiting Wikki Tourists.

The Bauchi-based team, which just returned to the Premier League, shocked the Umuahia fans when they took the lead through Ahmed Mohammed. Chisom Chikatara leveled scores for Abia Warriors from the spot, but Godwin Obaje ensured Wikki Tourists went home with the three points late into the game.

In Lafia, Shooting Stars of Ibadan held struggling Nasarawa United to a goalless draw, just as Lobi Stars struggled to a 2-2 draw with Sharks of Port Harcourt.

In Ilorin, Coach Erasmus Onuh’s Heartland zoomed to the top of the table with another away win, this time against Kwara United, which they beat 3-1.

Heartland recorded their first away win in Week Two when they defeated 3SC in Ibadan, but yesterday’s win was more emphatic as they dominate the game from the onset.

Ahmed Jimoh opened scores for Kwara United, but the lead was short-lived, as Mohammed Mohammed equalized soon after to silence the Ilorin Township Stadium crowd.
 
Substitute Jimoh Oni, who replaced Mohammed, made it two, before Heartland’s top striker, Bright Ejike, sealed the Owerri team’s victory with the third goal.

Bayelsa United defeated FC Taraba at the Oghara Township Stadium, while Akwa United defeated Ifeanyi Ubah FC in a day Jos team, Giwa FC, shocked Enugu Rangers 1-0 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium with Ibrahim Shuaibu’s second-half strike the decider.

At the Akure Township, Sunshine Stars defeated Dolphins of Port Harcourt 2-1.