Enyimba earn first point as Ikorodu City bring Rangers down in Lagos
Enyimba finally have something on the board.
After opening the Nigeria Premier Football League season with four defeats, the nine-time champions stopped the slide in Kano, holding Kano Pillars to a 0-0 draw to collect their first point of the campaign.
It was not a full recovery, but for a club that had endured a historically poor opening run, the draw carried more weight than an ordinary point.
Elsewhere, Ikorodu City delivered one of Matchday 6’s strongest statements by beating defending champions Rangers International 2-0 in Lagos, while Abia Warriors defeated Bendel Insurance 3-0 and Warri Wolves edged Shooting Stars 1-0.
Dede Dare helps Enyimba stop the slide
Enyimba started brightly against Kano Pillars and twice threatened to break through in the first half.
Tobi Iyanda was denied by an offside decision before Ifeanyi Ihemekwele also found the net, only for his effort to be ruled out.
At the other end, goalkeeper Dede Dare became central to Enyimba’s first point of the season.
He made important saves before the interval and was called upon again after the restart as Pillars increased the pressure.
Enyimba held firm.
That alone represented a change.
Before the trip to Kano, the People’s Elephant had lost their opening four league matches.
The point does not erase the damage from that start, but it finally gives Enyimba something to build on.
Ikorodu City punish Rangers from set pieces
In Lagos, Ikorodu City did more than return to winning ways.
They beat the defending champions.
Aderemi Adeoye opened the scoring after six minutes with a free kick before Ikechukwu Junior added a second from another set piece.
Those two goals were enough to secure a 2-0 victory and hand Rangers a sharp setback.
For Ikorodu City, the result carried extra weight because it came against the reigning champions and was secured through an aggressive start that forced Rangers to chase the match almost immediately.
Ikorodu did not need a late breakthrough.
They seized control early and protected it.
Obioma leads Abia Warriors response
Abia Warriors were even more emphatic.
Chukwuemeka Obioma scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Bendel Insurance, with Ikoi Etta also finding the net.
Etta opened the scoring before Obioma added two more as Abia Warriors responded strongly to their previous setback.
For the Umuahia side, Matchday 6 offered another sign that their difficult opening spell may be beginning to loosen its grip.
Warri Wolves answer heavy defeat
Warri Wolves also produced a response.
After a heavy defeat in their previous outing, Wolves returned with a 1-0 victory over Shooting Stars.
Othuke Egbo scored the decisive goal as Warri Wolves took all three points.
The significance was simple.
A team that had just been hit hard found a way to win immediately.
That kind of response can steady a season.
Matchday 6 shifts the pressure
The weekend did not settle the NPFL.
It redistributed the pressure.
Enyimba remain in trouble, but their first point stops the slide from becoming even steeper.
Ikorodu City have shown they can take down the defending champions.
Abia Warriors are building momentum.
Warri Wolves have answered a damaging defeat.
And Rangers have been reminded that defending a title offers no protection once the next whistle goes.
For Enyimba, the crisis has not ended.
For Ikorodu City, the statement has already been made.
Matchday 6 did not deliver a conclusion.
It delivered movement.
