Doma United have suffered their first defeat of the season. Kano Pillars dismantled them 4-1. Yet Doma remain top of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with nine points from four games. Their goal difference is plus two. Barau sit second on eight points after a goalless draw with Ikorodu City. Kano Pillars climb to third on seven points. Rivers United and Enugu Rangers also have seven.
Enyimba are Nigeria’s most successful club. They won the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004. They have won the domestic league a record nine times. In 2022, they reached the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup. The decline since then has been steep. Ownership disputes, player strikes and funding shortfalls have weakened the club. The current season has laid the problem bare. Enyimba sit 20th with zero points from three games. They have scored one goal and conceded five. The club that once beat Africa’s best cannot beat Inter Lagos.
The latest round delivered drama at both ends of the table. Kano Pillars put four past Doma United. The league leaders were humbled but remain top because of earlier results. Kano Pillars surged into third. Enyimba lost 1-0 to Inter Lagos. It was Inter Lagos’s first win of the campaign. The result left Enyimba winless and bottom. It also lifted Inter Lagos to 18th with three points.
Enugu Rangers produced an offensive display against Kun Khalifat. They won 4-2 in a six-goal thriller. The win followed a mid-week 2-1 victory over Nasarawa United. Rangers moved up to fifth. Plateau United beat Shooting Stars 3-1 to climb to sixth. Abia Warriors earned a disciplined 2-0 away win at Sporting Lagos. Ranchers Bees edged Bendel Insurance 2-1 to move up to seventh. Warri Wolves bounced back from a mid-week loss to Rivers United by defeating Kwara United 1-0.
Nasarawa United held undefeated Rivers United to a 1-1 draw. Ikorodu City and Barau fought out a goalless stalemate. Katsina United earned a tight 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.
In the scoring charts, Zilkifilu Rabiu of Ranchers Bees leads with five goals. Abdulrasheed Dabai of Rivers United and Alex Oweilayefa of Bendel Insurance follow with two each. Red cards were issued to Abraham Idakwo of Sporting Lagos and Gbolagade Adelowo of Shooting Stars.
The table tells two stories. At the top, Doma United lead despite defeat. Barau, Kano Pillars, Rivers United and Enugu Rangers are close behind. At the bottom, Enyimba are rooted. Inter Lagos and Kun Khalifat also struggle. The gap between the league’s giants and its smaller clubs is narrowing. That is good for competition. It is bad for Enyimba’s brand.
Winners: Kano Pillars, who delivered the statement win of the round. Inter Lagos, who earned their first victory. Enugu Rangers, who are climbing. Zilkifilu Rabiu, who leads the scoring charts. Doma United, who remain top despite defeat. Losers: Enyimba, who sit bottom with zero points. Their fans, who watch a giant fall. Kun Khalifat, who conceded four. Sporting Lagos, who lost at home. Shooting Stars, who were beaten in Jos. Abraham Idakwo and Gbolagade Adelowo, who were sent off.
Bottom Line: Doma United lost but stayed top. Enyimba lost again and stayed bottom. The NPFL does not care about history. It counts points. Nine-time champions have none. The league is four games old. The pattern is already clear. The small clubs are rising. The giants are falling.