TEN-man Enyimba yesterday won their seventh Nigeria
league crown after they held Warri Wolves to a goalless
draw in front of over 40,000 fans at the Enyimba
International Stadium in Aba.
Enyimba needed
just a point in
their final home
game against
closest rivals
Wolves and they
did just enough
to get the job
done.
‘The People’s
Elephant’
clinched the
championship with a round of matches to spare as they
have 69 points, six points clear of Wolves.
The best away form of the season – five wins and seven
draws – earned the two-time African champions Enyimba
the league title five years after their last conquest.
Warri Wolves gave a good account of themselves and they
are expected to end the season as runners-up to earn a
ticket to next year’s CAF Champions League with a home
win over relegated FC Taraba on the final day of the
season next week.
After a rather cagey first 45 minutes, the second half
opened up after Nigeria U23 forward Daniel Etor was sent
off for punching Gbolahan Salami in the 50th minute.
Joseph Osadiaye had a good chance to put Wolves in front
in the 54th minute when the lively Stanley Dimgba found
him with a fine cross from the right, but he blasted his
effort well off target.
Five minutes later, Enyimba striker Mfon Udoh fired at
target from inside the box, but it missed narrowly.
In the 64th minute, Peter Onyekachi saw his powerful
header off Markson Ojobo free kick scream into touch.
In the first half, much of the action was concentrated in
the middle of the park and there were very few clear-cut
chances in front of goal.
Very early on, Wolves midfielder Lordson Ichull risked a
diving header inside his own box to ensure Mfon Udoh
did not pull the trigger.
Enyimba top striker Peter Onyekachi could have done
better when a long ball found him, but his control was
poor to allow goalkeeper Okiemute Odah pull off a save.
At the other end of the pitch, Stanley Dimgba weaved his
way behind the Wolves defence but Gbolahan Salami was
quickly crowded out by three Enyimba defenders.
R-E-S-U-L-T-S
NPL
Enyimba 0 Wolves 0
Kano Pillars 1 Akwa U 0
El-Kanemi 1 Wikki 0
Dolphins 2 Heartland 1
Giwa 1 Shooting 0
I/Ubah 0 Nasarawa 2
Sharks 1 Kwara 0
Taraba 2 A/Warriors 1
Bayelsa 1 Sunshine 2
Lobi 2 Rangers 0
EPL
Aston Villa 0 Man City 0
Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1
Liverpool 1 C/Palace 2
LA LIGA
A/Bilbao 2 Espanyol 1
Barcelona 3 Villarreal 0
BUNDESLIGA
Dortmund 3 Schalke 2
SERIE A
Torino 0 Inter 1
Empoli 1 Juventus 3
Frosinone 2 Genoa 2
Palermo 1 Chievo 0
Roma 2 Lazio 0
Sassuolo 1 Carpi 0
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