Photo: NPFL Matchday 12 action — Complete Sports
Enyimba's troubled NPFL season hit a new low on Matchday 12, as a 1-0 defeat away to Ranchers Bees in Minna dropped the nine-time champions into the relegation zone.
Chiedozie Jude Okorie's goal just before half-time at the Bako Kontagora Stadium ended Ranchers Bees' six-match winless run and gave the newly promoted side a famous win. Enyimba had a header ruled out in the 82nd minute and could not find a way back.
The Aba giants now sit on 11 points from 12 matches — their seventh defeat of the season and their fourth loss to a newly promoted side — in the relegation places.
- Rangers beat Kwara United 1-0 to stay top with 24 points from 11 matches, three clear with a game in hand
- Bendel Insurance beat Niger Tornadoes 2-1 to move second on 21 points
- Monday's Lagos derby: Ikorodu City 2-2 Inter Lagos at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan
Lagos derby delivers a four-goal thriller
Matchday 12 closed on Monday with the Lagos derby, and it did not disappoint. John Danga put Inter Lagos ahead, Ayodeji Abayomi scored two penalties in four minutes (59th and 63rd) to turn the game for Ikorodu City, and Akinwale Oriyomi equalised for Inter deep in stoppage time at 90+2 minutes.
The draw leaves Ikorodu City 11th on 15 points, while Inter Lagos remain bottom of the table with four points from 12 matches, seven points adrift of safety.
Rangers hold the summit as Insurance rise
Rangers' 1-0 win over Kwara United — Victor Chimezie scoring in the 40th minute — keeps the Flying Antelopes three points clear at the top, and they still have a game in hand on second-placed Bendel Insurance, who came from behind to beat Niger Tornadoes 2-1. Elsewhere, Barau beat Shooting Stars 1-0, Abia Warriors drew 2-2 with Doma United, Nasarawa United beat Plateau United 3-1, and Warri Wolves drew 1-1 with Katsina United.
What happens next
Matchday 13 follows this weekend, with attention split between Rangers' title charge at the top and the growing relegation battle below — where Enyimba, the most successful club in Nigerian league history, now find themselves fighting for survival.
Credit: Complete Sports and ACL Sports Matchday 12 reports, November 8–9, 2026.
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