NPFL: Enyimba and Sporting Lagos seek three points for different reasons
Faced with relegation from the elite division, Sporting Lagos will go all out on Sunday against Enyimba to ensure it swims out the relegation waters.
Enyimba on the other hand needs the three points to ensure it stays on the heels of Rangers of Enungu and Remo Stars in the battle to be crowned the winner of the 2023/24 football season.
Sporting Lagos believes and rightly so that their matchday 37 fixture against Enyimba will define their stay in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The modest club will tackle the holders, Enyimba at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan on Sunday.
Sporting Lagos needs a win to have a chance of escaping relegation. They currently occupy 17th position on the NPFL table with 43 points.
“For the first time this season, we lost at home. Wednesday was tough. Two goals conceded in the first half, and a second half of ruined chances summed up a frustrating midweek fixture,” Sporting Lagos wrote on X.
“And it wasn’t just the loss at home that made that result so disappointing, it’s what it could mean for our debut NPFL season.
“With two games to go, we face the danger of relegation.
“But it’s not over, tomorrow we play our final home game of the season. We play against the defending champions. We play for our survival.
“We’ve never played a more important game. Results in other games can very swiftly change things in our favour as long as we do our job.”
Elsewhere, Lobi Stars defeated Kwara United 4-3 in a thrilling Nigeria Premier Football League contest in Lafia on Saturday.
The hosts rallied from two goals down to win the keenly contested game.
Kwara United raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 12 minutes, with Emmanuel Ogbole and Anthony Omaka firing home.
Adebayo Waheed reduced the deficit for Lobi Stars in the 21st minute, while Francis Odinaka equalised five minutes later.
Kwara United regained the lead through Abubakar Garba in the 59th minute.
The home team won the game through goals from Alao Danbani and Kumaga Suur.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers United thrashed Gombe United 6-0.
Shedrack Asiegbu and Seiyefa Jackson bagged a brace each with Eyinnaya Kazie and Nyima Nwagua scoring the other goals.
Plateau United and Kano Pillars battled to a 1-1 draw in Jos.
Rabiu Ali gave Kano Pillars the lead in the 62nd minute, while Paul Dayop equalised for the home team.
