Atule bags brace as Enyimba hit Pillars for five

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By: Abiodun Adewale

Midfielder Joseph Atule scored twice while striker Chijoke Mbaoma also scored his 13th goal of the season as nine-time champions Enyimba humiliated Kano Pillars 5-0 in a match-day 28 Nigeria Premier Football League game in Aba on Wednesday.

Eze Ekwutoziam started the rout for Enyimba with the first goal 13 minutes into the game while Mbaoma doubled the lead in the 35th minute.

Atule made it three on the stroke of halftime and then completed his brace with finesse after the restart while Muyiwa Alade put the icing on the cake for Enyimba in stoppage time.

The emphatic win took Enyimba to second in the table with 48 points, three points behind leaders Enugu Rangers who beat 10-man Sunshine Stars 2-0 in Enugu.

Thanks to a 61st minute equaliser from Samuel Tiza, Lobi Stars secured a 1-1 draw in Lagos against Sporting Lagos who took the lead through Junior Lokosa but the result only saw them stay third with 48 points, same as Enyimba but they trail the People’s Elephant on goal difference.

Akwa United’s hope of swimming out of relegation waters also suffered a setback on Wednesday after losing 1-0 at home in Uyo against Doma United. The win was Doma’s first in 13 matches, since their 1-0 win over Heartland on December 20, 2023.

Elsewhere, Bayelsa United moved to safety with a 1-0 win over another relegation-threatened side, Heartland.