Ikorodu City recorded their first-ever league win over defending champions Enugu Rangers on Sunday, beating the Flying Antelopes 2-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos and ending the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season. It was the standout result of NPFL Matchday 6, a day on which home sides won seven of the eight fixtures and nine-time champions Enyimba finally picked up a point after four straight defeats.
NPFL · Matchday 6
Full time
- Aderemi Adeoye 6'
- Ikechukwu Junior
Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos · 27 September 2026
Two free-kicks finally break Ikorodu City’s Rangers hoodoo
Aderemi Adeoye put the hosts in front in the sixth minute with a superb free-kick, and Ikechukwu Junior doubled the lead in the second half with what the league’s official Matchday 6 report described as another well-taken free-kick. Ikorodu City controlled long spells of the game and could have won by a wider margin, which made a first league win over the Flying Antelopes all the more convincing.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi watched the game from the stands alongside Ikorodu City president Sanmi Doherty. The Lagos club’s young squad has drawn attention before, with Eric Chelle singling out three Ikorodu City players on a Super Eagles scouting trip earlier this year.
For Rangers, the defeat comes a few weeks before their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie against Algeria’s MC Alger in October, after they edged past AS Sobemap on penalties in the first round.
Enyimba stop the bleeding in Kano, and their goalkeeper deserves the credit
Enyimba left the Sani Abacha Stadium with a 0-0 draw against Kano Pillars, their first point of the campaign after losing each of their previous four league games. Goalkeeper Dede Dare was the reason they went into half-time level, making two important saves before the break as Pillars pushed for an opener.
It’s a modest return for a club of Enyimba’s standing, and it still leaves the People’s Elephant with plenty to fix after long spells of poor form last season. They do have a game in hand, though, and host Shooting Stars in their rescheduled Matchday 2 fixture at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba on Wednesday.
Abia Warriors lead a Sunday where home advantage counted
Abia Warriors produced the biggest win of the day, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0 in Aba. Ikoi Etta headed in the opener inside 15 minutes from a Chukwuemeka Obioma assist, and Obioma then scored twice before half-time as the Umu Chineke Boys bounced back from their 2-0 defeat to Barau FC.
Plateau United beat Inter Lagos 2-0 in Jos, while Warri Wolves recovered from their heavy loss to Rivers United with a 1-0 win over Shooting Stars in Ozoro, courtesy of an early Othuke Egbo goal. In Owerri, Kun Khalifat beat Kwara United 1-0 through Agor Chukwuma’s 64th-minute strike, four minutes after Kwara’s Mighty Emmanuel Yikat was sent off for a rough tackle. Kwara coach Ashifat Suleiman said his technical crew would keep working to recover the lost points, with the defeat leaving his side 10th.
Katsina United beat Doma United 2-1 at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, and Nasarawa United edged Niger Tornadoes 1-0 in Lafia.
Saturday 26 to Monday 28 September
- Sporting Lagos1 - 1Barau FC
- Abia Warriors3 - 0Bendel Insurance
- Ikorodu City2 - 0Rangers
- Kun Khalifat1 - 0Kwara United
- Nasarawa United1 - 0Niger Tornadoes
- Warri Wolves1 - 0Shooting Stars
- Katsina United2 - 1Doma United
- Plateau United2 - 0Inter Lagos
- Kano Pillars0 - 0Enyimba
- Ranchers Bees4:00pmRivers United
What NPFL Matchday 6 means for the title race, with Rivers United still to play
Barau FC stay top of the table on 12 points after Saturday’s draw with Sporting Lagos kept their unbeaten run going. Plateau United’s win lifts them to 11 points, while Rivers United, Doma United and Rangers sit on 10, according to the league’s official standings.
That puts the spotlight on Monday’s final Matchday 6 fixture, where Rivers United face Ranchers Bees at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano from 4pm. A win would take the Port Harcourt side above Barau and onto 13 points, while Rangers will need to respond quickly if they want to stay close to the leaders heading into their continental assignment.
