Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba, and Federation Cup holders, were among the big winners in rescheduled games on Wednesday as they beat Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors respectively.
In Umuahia, Enyimba defeated the Oluyole Warriors two-nil. It was not such a good return for former Enyimba gaffer, Kadiri Ikhana, to Abia State.
Joseph Osadiaye caused the Ibadan club all sorts of problems in the game and 12 minutes before the break, new boy Abu Azeez scored. He controlled with his chest before volleying away beyond Shooting Stars keeper Emmanuel Fabiyi.
Enyimba continued in the second half to push for goals, but did not get it until late in the game when Osadiaye capped his performance with fine strike in the 88th minute to put the game to bed and ensure that the Peoples Elephant move out of the bottom-four while Shooting Stars are now fourth from bottom.
Federation Cup champions, Akwa United, were ruthless on the back of an inspired opening 20 minutes by Ubong Ekpai who returned from international duty with the Under-23 national team.
Within 16 minutes of the start of the match against El-Kanemi, the Promise Keepers scored thrice. Emeka Isaac, Ekpai and Chigozie Emmanuel netted the goals as Ladan Bosso's men did not know what hit them.
El-Kanemi could only manage a consolatory strike late in the first half through Ibrahim Mustapha. Try as they could in the second half, Akwa United did enough to keep El-Kanemi at bay. Akwa United are now in fourth place with 15 points, two less than leaders Rangers.
A one-goal victory over Nasarawa United proved just sufficient for FC Ifeanyiubah to go second with 16 points. Ghana striker Kofi Nti Boakye's seventh minute goal earned the Nnewi-based side the three points.
It was, however, Wikki Tourists, who produced the highest-scoring win on Wednesday with a 4-0 thumping of Warri Wolves at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi. The game looked like it was heading goalless as the break approached, but Godwin Obaje broke the deadlock on 42 minutes.
Further goals in the second half from Harrison Madu and a brace by Idris Guda Mohammed put Wolves to the sword as Wikki improved their points haul to 15 and climbed into third place owing to better goal difference than Akwa United, Kano Pillars and MFM FC, who have same number of points, in fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively.
