Plateau Utd maul hapless Heartland as Katsina Utd crumble Pillars

There seems to be in no end in sight as Heartland FC continue to wallow in persistent defeats as they yet again, recorded another humiliating 5-1 defeat to an impressive Plateau United in match day 22 of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League season yesterday.

The game played at Dan Anyiam stadium, Owerri saw the visitors kick-off the massacre from the 14th minute when Olayemi Doyemi opened the scoring.

Six minutes later, the 2017 league champions doubled their lead through Agbor Lawrence as the first half ended 2-0.

The second half had barely restarted when Plateau United made it 3-0 in the 47th minute through Silas Nenrot.

Efforts by the home side to get back into the game failed as the visitors compounded their woes with two more goals in the 89th and 94th minutes through Victor Makalala and Harrison Ebah to make it 5-0.

However,  Onyekachi Okafor scored a consolation goal in the 95th minute as the game ended 5-1.

Following this win, Plateau United are the second team to score five goals in a match away from home in the league this season after Kano Pillars and have moved to second spot with 38 points while Heartland are rooted at the base of the table on 18 points.

In the same vein,  Katsina United edged Kano Pillars 3-2 in a fiesta north-west Derby at the Muhammed Dikko stadium, Katsina.

Jonas Emmanuel got a fully packed stadium excited when he scored the first goal of the game in the 33rd minute.

At the restart of the second half, Ibrahim Mustapha levelled the scoring for Kano Pillars in the 59th minute.

In the 67th minute, Azeez Falolu restored the lead for the visitors and Nazifi Yahaya ensured all three points in the 70th minute as Katsina United bagged all three points.

In the other games played, Agu Kenechukwu scored the only goal as Enugu Rangers defeated Remo Stars 1-0.

Sporting Lagos got back to winning ways as they defeated visiting Akwa United 2-1 in Lagos.

Sani Suleiman had stunned the hosts in the 51st minute but a late double from Tochukwu Udeh in 84th and 90th minutes turned the game around in the favour.

Elsewhere, Bayelsa United defeated Doma United 2-0 with both goals scored from Ekeson Okorie in the 45th and 65th minute respectively.

Also, the clash of the ‘stars’ between Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars ended in a 2-0 win for the Ondo state side.

Vincent Temitope had scored from the penalty spot in the 15th minute while Chidozie Iwundu scored in the 32nd minute to condemn the league leaders to a seventh league loss.

However,  the games between Abia Warriors and Kwara United, Rivers United and Niger Tornadoes as well as Enyimba and Gombe United were postponed.