Rangers 1-0 Kwara United: Chimezie Strike Extends NPFL Lead

Enugu Rangers beat Kwara United 1-0 at the Awka Township Stadium on Sunday to stretch their lead at the top of the NPFL table. Victor Chimezie scored the only goal five minutes before half-time, and the defending champions survived a late scare when Kwara had an equaliser ruled out.

Rangers 1-0 Kwara United: How the Game Played Out

Rangers started brightly and should have been ahead early. Pius Igwe fired wide from a good position in the 12th minute after Godwin Obaje led a quick counter-attack, and Enoh Uwana hit the post 10 minutes later (Voice of Nigeria (opens in a new tab)).

Kwara had their moments too. Benjamin Jack broke through in the 28th minute, but his weak shot was an easy save for Rangers goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh.

The breakthrough came just before the break. Igwe set up Chimezie, who finished from a tight angle to give Rangers a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu made a triple change on the hour, bringing on Solomon Ebo, Adebayo Waheed and James Emo for Obaje, Igwe and Chimezie. Kwara pushed forward and thought they had levelled in the 78th minute through Alex Jerry, but the assistant referee flagged an infringement and the goal was ruled out. Rangers held on for the three points.

Ilechukwu: A Hard-Earned Win

Ilechukwu admitted the history of this fixture weighed on his side. He said Rangers had prepared carefully because "we have not beaten Kwara United in the past two seasons." Both league meetings last season ended 0-0. He also thanked the fans who travelled from Owerri and Abeokuta to support the team in Awka.

What the Result Means for the NPFL Title Race

Rangers now have 24 points from 11 matches and sit three points clear of second-placed Bendel Insurance, who have played a game more (Premium Times (opens in a new tab)). Rivers United did not play. Their game against Sporting Lagos was postponed, and they sit on 18 points from 11 games.

Rangers are now unbeaten in six league games, and three of their last four wins have come by a single goal. They are not blowing teams away, but they keep finding ways to win.

Kwara United Still Searching

For Kwara United, it is now five league games without a win. They stay on 12 points from 12 matches and will feel unlucky after the disallowed goal, but they again struggled to turn pressure into clear chances.

How Our Prediction Did

Our pre-match prediction for this game was Rangers 1-0 Kwara United, with Rangers to win, under 2.5 goals and Rangers to win to nil as the tips. All four landed.

NPFL Top Four After Matchday 12

• 1. Rangers: 24 points (11 played)
• 2. Bendel Insurance: 21 points (12 played)
• 3. Nasarawa United: 20 points
• 4. Kano Pillars: 19 points (12 played)

Matchday 12 summary via Football in Nigeria (opens in a new tab) and Premium Times.