Plateau Utd's unbeaten run ends

Plateau United players

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) leaders Plateau United suffered their first defeat of the season when Akwa United edged them 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.

Plateau United began the matchday in top position with a four-point lead and without defeat in seven matches, but an early goal from Christian Pyagbara set the tone for Akwa United.

Pyagbara got on the end of a fine pass from Moses Ebiye and rounded the Plateau United goalkeeper, John Gaadi, in the sixth minute for the opening goal.

The league leaders pushed for an equaliser but found it hard to break The Promise
Keepers who were resolute and held on to their slim lead till half time.

Five minutes into the second half, Akwa United doubled their lead. Ibrahim Alhassan smashed the ball past a struggling Gaadi from Musa Newman's assist to give his side a two-goal cushion.

On the hour mark, substitute Chima Ndukwu pulled one back for Plateau United and the leaders smelled blood.

It took an alert Akwa United goalkeeper, Emmanuel Iwu, to deny Plateau United the equaliser late in the game when Joshua Obaje volleyed Philip Azango's inch-perfect cross at the near post.

Iwu's save ensured that Akwa United got their second win of the season as they move out of the drop zone while Plateau United remain top with 17 points after eight matches.

ABS trimmed Plateau United's lead at the top of the NPFL standings to three after a 2-2 draw at Sunshine Stars.

Ernest Governor scored twice for the Ilorin club while Ayo Saka and Alaba Adeniyi netted for Sunshine Stars. ABS finished the game with 10 men when Chinedu Ajanah was sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence and that had no effect whatsoever on the outcome of the game.

Seven-time champions Enyimba again failed to come off an away game with the points as they lost 0-1 to Niger Tornadoes. Sadeeq Suleiman scored the solitary goal in the first half.

Enyimba then had to play the last 30 minutes with 10 men when their defender Terna Suswam was sent off.
It was easy on Sunday for El-Kanemi at their Maiduguri stadium home as they hit Gombe United for three.

First half goals from Bello Kofarmata and Samuel Mathias, with the latter scoring twice, proved enough to win a 17th game at home on the spin.

The Lobi Stars versus Katsina United was the only one of six matches that produced no goal. Lobi goalkeeper John Lawrence missed the chance of possibly winning it for his team when he hoofed a penalty high and over in the first half.

At the Lafia City Stadium, Nasarawa United defeated Abia Warriors 3-1. The opening three minutes produced two goals.

Nasarawa United took the lead 15 seconds after kickoff through Abdulrahman Bashir. That now represents the fastest goal of the season in the NPFL.

Abia Warriors responded with Sunday Adetunji finishing off from Kalu Nweke's assist on three minutes. A goal each from Douglas Achiv and Jide Williams sealed a comfortable win for the Solid Miners.