Seven-time league champions Enyimba held hosts Kano Pillars to a one goal all in Matchday 9 tie of the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Both teams came into the encounter unbeaten in five games and in the upper reaches of the NPFL log.
Paul Aigbogun made two changes to the side that won at home against Plateau United. Dare Ojo started at left-back, and there was also a place from the start for Austin Oladapo, his first league start for Enyimba since joining in the off-season.
The opening period was expectedly cagey, and the tone of the game, especially in the first half, was frenetic.
Amid the midfield battle, there were brief moments on quality, notably from former Enyimba midfielder Nzube Anaezemba.
After Rabiu Ali had blasted a presentable chance over the top.
But the hosts took the lead just after the half-hour mark.
A quick free kick found Junior Lokosa on the far side, and he steadied himself before firing home low into the bottom corner.
The hosts could have gone two up a minute later when Alassan fired over the top from an identical position. Instead, they were pegged back three minutes after their opener.
There looked to be no danger as Emmanuel Anyanwu played a pass back to his goalkeeper David Obiozor.
Inexplicably though, the goalkeeper let the pass slip through his legs and all the way through for an equaliser.
Having been gifted a route back into the game, Enyimba clung on and refused to let go.
Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda led the resistance, twice denying Anaezemba in the second period, and claiming cross after cross.
When he was beaten, however, Victor Denis saw his mishit cross come back off the crossbar.
Enyimba then came close to snatching the win late on, after a sizzling pass from Chinedu Udeagha found Stanley Dimgba in space.
However, the winger elected to shoot directly at goal rather than pass, dragging his shot and failing to trouble Obiozor.
The result extends Enyimba’s run of games without defeat to six.