ENYIMBA were the only side with a victory today in matchday 2 of the Nigeria Premier Football League championship play-offs at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
The People’s Elephant defeated Lobi Stars 1-0 to go joint-top of the table on a day Rivers United and Remo Stars played a dramatic 2-2 draw and Sunshine Stars held Bendel Insurance to a 1-1 draw.
Finidi George’s Enyimba, who had given up a stoppage time equaliser to draw 2-2 with Remo Stars on opening matchday on Saturday, took their tally to four points, the same as Rivers United, who beat Sunshine Stars on Saturday.
Chukwuemeka Obioma scored the only goal of the day’s first encounter in the 16th minute and Enyimba held on to record a crucial win.
In the second match of the day, Remo Stars and Rivers United both scored in added-on time to produce a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Nyima Nwagua got defending champions Rivers United in front after 16 minutes and it took until 25 minutes into the second half for Remo Stars to pull level through Lekan Adedayo.
Remo Stars and the crowd at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena as well as those watching at home on SuperSport thought Remo Stars had claimed all three points when Adedayo struck again with a spectacular long-range shot in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Rivers United however refused to give up as Lukman Adefemi equalised one minute later with virtually the last kick of the game to rescue a point.
In the final match of the day, Bendel Insurance extended their unbeaten run in both the regular season and the play-offs to a remarkable 20 games with their fifth consecutive draw.
The Edo Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunshine Stars, who earned their first point of the play-offs.
Divine Nwachukwu gave Insurance an early lead in the seventh minute but Ekerette Udom netted two minutes after the hour mark to secure the point for Sunshine.
The play-offs continue on Wednesday with Insurance facing Enyimba in the first game, Remo Stars battling Sunshine Stars in a South West derby and Lobi Stars coming up against Rivers United in the evening kick-off.
