Defending champions Enugu Rangers have dropped out of the top four in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in the Oriental derby at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday.
Enugu Rangers had entered the match on a confident note, having secured an important result against league leaders Remo Stars in their previous game, earning a 2-1 victory. Meanwhile, Abia Warriors were eager to bounce back from their previous loss to Kano Pillars and were determined to get a positive result.
Abia Warriors started the game strongly, but their momentum was disrupted when Njoku Augustine was stretchered off just 13 minutes into the match. Despite the setback, the home side continued to push forward and were rewarded in the 43rd minute when Anthony Ijoma scored to give them a 1-0 lead just before halftime.
In the second half, Enugu Rangers increased their intensity in search of an equalizer, but Abia Warriors’ defense held firm, allowing them to maintain their one-nil advantage until the final whistle.
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The victory was a sweet revenge for Abia Warriors, who had lost to Enugu Rangers by the same scoreline in the first half of the season courtesy of a goal from Kazeem Ogunleye.
The win propelled Abia Warriors back into the top four with 39 points from 25 matches, while Enugu Rangers dropped out of the top four, trailing Abia Warriors by just one point.
Abia Warriors will aim to maintain their momentum when they face Kwara United in their next match, while Enugu Rangers will seek to bounce back when they host relegation-threatened Sunshine Stars.
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