Lobi Stars continued with their impressive run after they dazed visiting Abia Warriors 2-0 in their week 13 match played yesterday in Jos to stay top of Group B of the 2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) abridged season with 23 points.
Abia Warriors who had suffered a humiliating 1-5 loss at Bayelsa United wanted to make amends for the scandalous defeat but Lobi Stars proved a hard nut to crack as two first half goals off the boots of Umar Abba and Joseph Atule piled more misery on the visitors.
Lobi Stars made their intentions known early in the match as they camped in Abia Warriors half of the field till Abba found the opener in the 18th minute when he benefited from an Atule’s tailored pass.
After 21 minutes, Atule the supplier turned scorer when he doubled Lobi Stars lead with a well taken goal.
However, in the second half, Abia Warriors’ coach Erasmus Onah, made some tactical changes which saved his side from conceding more goals as the match ended 2-0.
In other Group A matches, second placed Rivers United forced Niger Tornadoes to a 0-0 draw to keep pressure on leaders Lobi Stars just as Sunshine Stars were also held to a 1-1 draw by Enugu Rangers in Akure.
Ibrahim Yusuf gave Sunshine Stars the lead in the 16th minute but Chidiebere Nwobodo drew Rangers level in the 28th minute for the match to end in a draw.
Elsewhere, Wikki Tourists suffered their second home defeat as Bayelsa United fought back to beat them 2-1 in Bauchi. Although Chinedu Amah had put the home side in front in the 25th minute, Robert Mizo restored parity for the visitors in the 38th minute before Stephen Wisdom Ikechi scored the winner in the third minute of first half added time for United to run away with the maximum points.
Meanwhile, in Group A, former African champions, Enyimba defeated visiting Plateau United 2-1 to leapfrog them into the third position on the table.
Gombe United turned back El-Kanemi Warriors 1-0, Remo Stars forced 3SC to a 1-1 draw in the South-west derby in Ibadan just as struggling Nasarawa United forced Akwa United to a 2-2 draw at the ‘Nest of Champions’ in Uyo.
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