Enyimba suffered a fourth consecutive NPFL defeat as Sporting Lagos came from behind twice to win 3-2 in Aba, deepening the pressure on the nine-time champions.
Enyimba Hit New Low as Sporting Lagos Complete 3-2 Comeback in Aba
Enyimba’s season has moved beyond a bad start.
It is now a crisis of results.
The nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League champions suffered a fourth consecutive defeat as Sporting Lagos came from behind twice to win 3-2 at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba.
The result left Enyimba without a point from their opening four league matches and rooted to the bottom of the table.
For Sporting Lagos, it was the opposite story: a statement away win against one of Nigerian football’s biggest names, secured with enough resilience to survive two separate Enyimba leads.
Enyimba led twice — and still lost
Enyimba appeared to have found the response their season desperately needed when Stanley Dimgba put them ahead just before half-time.
Sporting Lagos refused to fold.
Abdullahi Abdulraqeeb equalised six minutes after the restart before Tobi Ige Iyanda restored Enyimba’s lead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute.
Once again, the advantage disappeared.
Haruna Hadi made it 2-2 in the 65th minute, and substitute Daniel Aboh completed the turnaround four minutes later with what proved to be the winning goal.
Enyimba had twice moved in front.
Sporting Lagos still left Aba with all three points.
Four games, four defeats
The damage is bigger than one result.
Before Sporting Lagos arrived, Enyimba had already lost to Niger Tornadoes, Doma United and Inter Lagos.
The home defeat to Inter Lagos had already intensified pressure around the club. Another loss in Aba has now made the pattern impossible to ignore.
The NPFL has described this as Enyimba’s worst top-flight start in decades.
That changes the scale of the conversation.
This is no longer about one poor afternoon or an isolated defensive mistake.
Enyimba are chasing their first point while the league is already beginning to take shape above them.
Sporting Lagos turn pressure into opportunity
Sporting Lagos arrived in Aba needing their own response.
They had lost their previous game and faced an opponent whose reputation might normally have made the trip look unforgiving.
Instead, they exploited a team carrying growing pressure.
The promoted side showed enough composure to recover from 1-0 and 2-1 down before finding the decisive third goal.
That makes the result more than an upset.
It was a test of game state and nerve — and Sporting Lagos handled both better.
Pressure grows in Aba
Enyimba’s problem is now psychological as much as numerical.
The table says zero points.
The pattern says something deeper: they have lost away, lost at home, lost narrowly and now lost after leading twice.
Every additional match without a result makes the next one heavier.
For a club with Enyimba’s history, expectation does not disappear because a season has begun badly.
It gets louder.
The People’s Elephant now need a response before poor form hardens into something much more difficult to reverse.
Barau take control at the top
Elsewhere, Barau FC moved to the top of the NPFL table with a 2-0 victory over Abia Warriors.
Joseph Atule opened the scoring before Ibrahim Ayoola added the second, keeping Barau unbeaten and strengthening their early position at the summit.
Doma United were held by Plateau United, while Rangers remained close behind after beating Ranchers Bees.
Those results sharpen the contrast with Enyimba.
While the leaders are beginning to build momentum, one of the league’s biggest clubs is still searching for its first point.
Enyimba now need more than reassurance
There is still time in the season.
But the table does not care about reputation, and four defeats have already created a problem that explanations alone cannot solve.
Sporting Lagos came to Aba, fell behind twice and still won.
Enyimba are bottom.
The pressure has moved beyond warning signs.
The next response has to come on the pitch.
