Barau FC are top of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The debutants beat Abia Warriors 2-0 in Kano on Wednesday. Joseph Atule scored in the 22nd minute. Ibrahim Ayoola added the second in the 61st. The win extends Barau’s unbeaten run to five matches. They have 11 points from a possible 15. A newly promoted club leads the table. Nobody predicted that.
Barau’s rise is unusual. Newly promoted teams usually fight relegation. Barau are fighting for the title. Their squad is modest. Their budget is small. Their coach has organised them well. They defend as a unit. They take their chances. The league’s giants are struggling. That creates space for smaller clubs. Barau have seized it. Whether they sustain it is another question. The season is long.
Rivers United produced the performance of the round. They crushed Kun Khalifat 5-0 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium. The win leaves them unbeaten in second place with 10 points. Their goal difference is plus nine. That is the league’s best. Enugu Rangers also have 10 points. They beat Ranchers Bees 1-0. The defending champions are third.
Doma United surrendered the lead. They drew 2-2 with Plateau United in Gombe. Michael Adegbite scored twice for Doma. Gideon Monday and Paul Samson replied for Plateau. Doma dropped to fourth on 10 points. Bendel Insurance beat Ikorodu City 2-1. They are fifth on nine points.
The crisis is at the bottom. Enyimba lost 3-2 at home to Sporting Lagos. It was their fourth consecutive defeat. They led twice. Stanley Dimgba scored in the 44th minute. Tobi Iyanda converted a penalty in the 54th. Then Sporting Lagos scored three. Haruna Hadi equalised. Daniel Aboh sealed the comeback in the 69th minute. Enyimba remain bottom with zero points from four matches. They have scored three goals and conceded eight.
Enyimba are nine-time NPFL champions. They won the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004. They are Nigeria’s most decorated club. Now they cannot win a match. Earlier this week, training-ground chaos led police to arrest the stadium manager. Players protested. The boardroom fight continues. The results reflect the dysfunction.
Winners: Barau FC, who lead the table. Rivers United, who produced the round’s best performance. Enugu Rangers, who keep pace. Sporting Lagos, who won in Aba. Shooting Stars, who beat Katsina United 2-0. Losers: Enyimba, who remain bottom with zero points. Their fans, who watched a giant fall. Doma United, who surrendered the top spot. Kun Khalifat, who conceded five. Katsina United, who lost.
Bottom Line: Barau lead the league. Enyimba are bottom. Five matches in, the table is upside down. The giants are falling. The newcomers are rising. The NPFL does not care about history. It counts points.