Rangers International of Enugu continued their impressive form as they made it back-to-back wins after defeating Lobi Stars in an eight-goal thriller in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, Matchday 19 on Saturday evening.
Rangers who are currently playing home matches at the Awka City Stadium in Awka, Anambra State ran riot on their visitors, scoring five in an entertaining fashion.
The Flying Anteoples took control of the game in the early stages, with Kelechukwu Agu opening the scoring inside 10 minutes following a foul on Ossy Martins.
Ossy Martins doubled Rangers’ lead with a close range finish in the 21st minute, before he made it three with his second goal of the game in the 45+2 minute into half time with a 3-0 lead.
The Abdul Maikaba side returned in the second half on a high, scoring the fourth through Chidiebere Nwobodo in the 47th minute.
The visitors responded with two quick goals in the 57th and 66th minutes through Ayagwa Raphael from the spot, before Joshua Akhabue scored another to bring the scores to 4-2 with 25 minutes left to play in the game.
Rangers International made sure the game was beyond the visiting Lobi Stars when Agu scored his second goal of the game in the 79th minute to make it 5-2.
Lobi Stars scored again through Douglas Achiv to reduce the scoreline to 5-3.
The victory still leaves Rangers third on the log with 34 points from 19 games, five points behind table-toppers Rivers United and four points behind second-placed Plateau United, with both teams in action on Sunday against Akwa United and Sunshine Stars, respectively.
Abia Warriors 2-2 Katsina United
Katsina United took an early lead with a 16th minute strike from Salisu Mustapha before Valentine Odoh scored to level it at 1-1 for Abia Warriors in the 25th minute with a close-range finish inside the box.
Katsina United made it 2-1 through Adebayo Waheed in the 29th minute before Godwin Obaje scored for the host to level for the second time as the game ended 2-2.
In other games played on Saturday, Dakkada FC returned to winning ways with a 2-1 home win over Abubakar Bala’s Niger Tornadoes in Uyo.
Edidiong Ezekiel scored to give the home side the lead inside two minutes, before they doubled their lead to 2-0 through Sunday Akinmoladun’s own goal in the 15th minute.
Sani Rabiu scored from the spot kick in the 88th minute to pull a goal back for Niger Tornadoes.
While Heartland FC were held to a goalless draw by MFM FC in Owerri.
NPFL Matchday 19 Results
Abia Warriors 2-2 Katsina United
Dakkada FC 2-1 Niger Tornadoes
Heartland FC 0-0 MFM FC
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