• Heartland holds Pillars 1-1 as Enyimba remains in third spot
Port Harcourt football fans were yesterday treated to the best of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) as Rivers United battled Doma United to a 3-2 win.
It was always going to be a thrilling encounter as Rivers United, who represented Nigeria in the CAF Confederation Cup competition, have been on the upward swing in the league since they crashed out of the continental championship, while Doma United have been among the surprise teams of the season.
The match got off to an exciting start for the home fans when hat-trick hero, Captain Nyima Nwagua, opened scores in the seventh minute. Doma United fought back after the setback and got the leveller in the 31st minute through Samuel Bidemi Owoku.
Nwagua struck again in the 46th minute to restore Rivers United’s lead. He seemingly took the game away from Doma United in the 55th minute, completing his hat-trick, but the Bauchi boys refused to give up the fight.
Hilary Ekawu reduced the tally in the 87th minute to set up a nail-biting finish, but Rivers United held on to record, their first win of the second stanza of the league, which resumed on Saturday.
Rivers United are 10th on the log with 27 points, while Doma United dropped to sixth position with 32 points. Remo Stars are still leading the log on 36 points despite playing a goalless draw with Abia Warriors away from home, while Abia Warriors are 11th with 27 points.
Second-placed Lobi Stars lost 1-2 to Plateau United (fourth), while Sunshine Stars (15th) and Kwara United (14th) played out a 1-1 draw at the Akure Township Stadium.
Third-placed Enyimba defeated hard-fighting Shooting Stars of Ibadan 1-0 in Aba to move up to 35 points from 20 matches, while Shooting Stars are 12th on 26 points from the same number of games.
Andrew Idoko’s 90th-minute strike gave ninth-placed Katsina United (30 points) victory over Niger Tornadoes, who are in the 17th position with 21 points.
In other games, Enugu Rangers defeated Akwa United 1-0, Bayelsa United beat Gombe United 2-0, and Sporting Lagos defeated Bendel Insurance 1-0.
On Saturday, relegation-threatened Heartland of Owerri needed an added time goal to hold visiting Kano Pillars to a 1-1 draw in their adopted Aba home.
Heartland, playing their home games at the Enyimba Stadium, went behind through Ibrahim Mustapha’s 29th-minute goal. But Malachi Ohawume’s 91st-minute equaliser ensured they had a share of the spoils. Heartland are sitting in the 19th position of the 20-team league, with 18 points from 20 games, while Kano Pillars are fifth with 33 points from the same number of games.
