March 18, (THEWILL)- Enugu Rangers defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 in a closely contested Nigerian Professional Football League match on Sunday. Godwin Obaje scored from the penalty spot in the 37th minute to give Rangers the lead before Maduforo Kingsley doubled their advantage just after halftime.
Lobi Stars pulled one back through Samuel Tiza Iorwuese’s 65th-minute strike, but Rangers held on for all three points. The result sees Lobi Stars remain top of the NPFL table after matchday 26, though their lead over second-placed Rangers has been cut to just a single point.
Furthermore, Lobi Stars’ goal difference of +7 compared to Rangers’ +12 means that although the Makurdi club currently maintains pole position as the league heads into its final weeks, they will need to avoid dropping further points to remain in control of their title-winning destiny.
With the gap narrowing, the confidence of the Rangers squad in overtaking their rivals in the chase for the NPFL title will only increase.
Sunday’s victory for Rangers show how crucial home form could be in deciding the destination of the trophy. Both teams will need to maximise their remaining home games and avoid any further slip-ups on the road if they are to be crowned champions come the end of the season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
