Leaders Kwara United on Sunday maintained their slender lead at the top of the 2021 NPFL table after they forced Wikki Tourists to a 1-1 draw in the week 14 match played at the Tafawa Balewa stadium in Bauchi.
Victory for either Kano Pillars or Rangers would have seen the end of Kwara United’s reign but both teams shared the spoils after they ended 1-1 at the Ahmadu Bello stadium Kaduna.
Jibola Adeleke kept Kwara United on top of the table when he scored in the 82nd minute to cancel out Chinedu Udeagha’s 38th minute goal for Wikki Tourists.
Pillars who stood a good chance of going to the top of the table were reduced to 10 men after Yusuf Maigoro was sent off in the second half for a professional foul only managed to hold Enugu Rangers to 1-1 draw.
Ernest Governor had put the ‘Flying Antelopes’ in front in the 9thth minute before Auwalu Mallam Ali equalised for the ‘Masu gida’ boys with a powerful free-kick in the 42nd minute.
The ‘oriental derby’ decided in Okigwe between Heartland and Abia Warriors ended in a 2-2 draw just as Ikenna Ofor’s goal was all Nasarawa United needed to top Lobi Stars in the ‘north-central’ derby played at the Lafia Township stadium.
Rivers United also seemed to have recovered their scoring boots as they outplayed visiting Jigawa Stars 2-0 in Port-Harcourt, Plateau United were 3-1 winners against MFM in Jos while Adamawa United recorded their second victory of the campaign with 2-0 victory over Dakkada FC in Gombe.
Strugglers Sunshine Stars refused to be dimmed as they forced Katsina United to 0-0 draw at the Muhammadu Dikko stadium in Katsina.
Warri Wolves will host Akwa United today in one of the two remaining week 14 fixtures.