After the midweek of games in the league, NPFL Matchday 15 of the 2024/2025 NPFL season were played as teams continue to put up strong performances at home securing the necessary points.
A total of 21 goals were scored in nine matches, with all home teams claiming the three points at stake apart of Elkanemi Warriors whose match with Bayelsa United ended barren.
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Here are the summary of what transpired in the league in our Matchday 15 Five things to know in the NPFL as the race to win the 2024/2025 NPFL title continues.
Ikorodu City FC In Title Race, Closes Down On Rivers, Remo
Ikorodu City FC’s stellar run in the league on Sunday continues as the Oga boys devoured visiting Akwa United 4-1.
The result takes Ikorodu City to third in the league , reducing the gap between Remo Stars who sits second on the log to two points, while Rivers United maintains five points lead at the top.
The City boys are gradually becoming a title contender. They are clearing all no doubts as quickly as possible and winning the last five matches out of the six matches played is a sign .
Stars Fall On The Road
Remo Stars Fell on the road once again, lost to Niger Tornadoes by 2-1 and returned to Ikenne with no point as Tornadoes bounced back from their 4-1 defeat away to Bayelsa United, midweek.
The result saw Remo Stars dropped to second position on the log , three points Rivers United
Sunshine Stars also failed to spark on the road, after losing narrowly to Katsina United 1-0, which is enough to surrender all the three points .
While Remo and Sunshine. Stars failed to sparkle on the road, Shooting Stars and Lobi Stars shone playing in front of their fans as both teams secured maximum points at home.
Shooting Stars scored a comfortable 2-0 victory over Abia Warriors while Lobi Stars defeated Kwara United by 1-0 to secure their fourth win out of 15 matches played this season.
Rivers United Breakaway At The Top
Rivers United kept their consistency at home by defeating Kano Pillars by 1-0 at Adokie Amasiemaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
Aniekeme Okon’s goal in the 31 minute is all Rivers United needed to open a three point gap at the top ahead of Remo Stars as the two teams are in a neck to neck title race.
Nasarawa United’s Anas Yusuf Scored After 436 Minutes
Nasarawa United nearly caused an upset in Owerri as Heartland stole maximum points at the death.
Heartland rallied back late to a 3-2 win to give the five goal thriller a dramatic finish.
Anas Yusuf, the leading scorer scored in the 16 minutes to break his 436 minute goal drought to equalise for Nasarawa after Promise Anyanwu shot the host ahead early in the game .
Anas who has not scored in the last five matches prior to this match got his tenth goal of the season, the first player to hit double figure this season.
Abubakar Garba put Nasarawa ahead in the 83rd minute, but the euphoria of a back to back win was short lived as Suraju Lawal equalised for the Naze Millionaires in the 85th minute and Christian Molokwu grabbed the winner in the 90+3 minutes as coach Emmanuel Amuneke’s home dominance continues.
Enyimba still missing
Enyimba went missing again this weekend, making it three Matchdays of action in the NPFL without Enyimba.
The Elephants from Ava missed week 13, 14 engagement due to their CAF Confederation Cup date with Al Masry which they lost 2-0.
They will play their first of three outstanding matches on Tuesday against arch rival, Rangers of Enugu.
Hopefully, the remaining outstanding matches can be played as quickly as possible to avoid a situation where league matches were stopped for four weeks last season just for Rivers United, a team on the continent to catch up with their backlogs of matches.
Best Of The Rest
It’s a fierce battle to avoid the drop as only four points separated number 20 and number 13 on the log after Matchday 15 .
Heartland FC’s narrow over Nasarawa takes them to 17 points, and number 13 on the log, same points as Bayelsa United and Sunshine Stars in 14 and 15 position respectively while Katsina United, staying above the relegation water on 16 points, claiming the 16th position after the Matchday.
Bendel Insurance 2-1 victory over Plateau United keeps them in the battle to escape relegation, now on number 17 with 15 points, same as Nasarawa, and Akwa United with goal difference separating the the three teams in 18 and 19 positions respectively, and two points ahead of Lobi Stars at the bottom.
MD 19 Results At A Glance
Bendel Insurance 2-1 Plateau United
Lobi Stars 1-0 Plateau United
Heartland FC 3-2 Nasarawa United
Rivers United 1-0 Kano Pillars
Katsina United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
Niger Tornadoes 2-1 Remo Stars
Ikorodu City FC 4-1 Akwa United
3SC 1-0 Abia Warriors
