Matchday 33 of the Nigeria Premier Football League delivered dramatic twists at both ends of the table, with title contenders dropping points while crucial wins reshaped the relegation fight.
READ ALSO: Israel Adesanya Under Pressure To Retire From UFC Fights
League leaders Rangers International were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Barau FC, missing a chance to pull clear at the summit.
Closest challengers Rivers United also faltered, suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Warri Wolves.
Goals from Igbunu Evwierhurhoma (12’, pen) and Othuke Egbo (90’) sealed a vital win for the hosts and dented Rivers United’s title ambitions.
In one of the biggest shocks of the round, Nasarawa United fell 1-0 at home to relegation-threatened Kun Khalifat FC, with Stanley Otu striking deep into stoppage time (90+5’) to secure a dramatic victory.
Elsewhere, Kano Pillars produced the standout performance of the matchday, thrashing Bendel Insurance 4-0.
Goals from Mustapha Jibrin (23’), Chiedozie Okorie (33’), Muhammad Aminu (81’) and Bernard Ovoke (85’) highlighted a dominant display.
In Ikenne Remo Stars gained valuable three points after edging Shootings Stars by a lone goal to boost to survival hopes as they had another one over shooting stars in the south west derby.
Kwara United also boosted their survival hopes with a commanding 3-0 win over El-Kanemi Warriors. Junior Aimufua (10’), Samsudeen Mohammed (30’) and Abdulsalam Abdulsalam (71’) were all on target in a convincing home victory.
Meanwhile, Katsina United edged Niger Tornadoes 1-0 thanks to Elijah Akanni’s 65th-minute strike, further tightening the mid-table standings.
Despite dropped points, Rangers remain top with 55 points, level with Rivers United, while Ikorodu City (52 points) continue to lurk in third.
The race for continental qualification remains tight, but the bigger story is at the bottom, where Kun Khalifat’s win lifts them to 36 points, keeping survival hopes alive.
With just five games left, the NPFL title race remains wide open, while the relegation battle grows increasingly intense heading into the final stretch of the season.
Results at a Glance
Katsina Utd 1-0 Niger Tornadoes
Nasarawa Utd 0-1 Kun Khalifat
Rangers 0-0 Barau
Kano Pillars 4-0 Bendel Insurance
Kwara Utd 3-0 El-Kanemi
Warri Wolves 2-0 Rivers Utd
Remo Stars 1-0 Shooting Stars
