NPFL Super Six Playoff: Enyimba FC off to bright start, Pillars unlucky, Lobi wins

Seven times Nigeria Professional Football League winner, Enyimba International, on Tuesday set up a bright start for  the NPFL playoff as they sealed a 1-0 win over  their rival and another seven times winners, Rangers International FC, at the Agege Stadium in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Lagos State is hosting the NPFL playoff to determine the eventual winners of the 2018/2019 abridged NPFL.
However, in what could be regarded as a competition among the best of the club sides in Nigeria, the playoff had lived up to its reputation with firework displayed on the first day.
The NPFL playoff consists of six top teams from the abridged Group A and B, which produced three teams each.
Rangers International FC, Enyimba FC and Lobi Stars emerged from Group A, while Group B had Akwa United FC, Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
The opening game between the two seven times champions saw Enyimba FC winning  the bragging Oriental Derby match courtesy a 50th minute solitary goal by Joseph Odiaye.
The Peoples Elephant will be eyeing the eight NPFL crown having won it in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2015.
The Gbenga Ogunbote-tutored Rangers FC is also chasing same record as they were  the League champions in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984 and 2016 respectively.
The second match of the day was a four-goal thriller encounter between four times League winners, Kano Pillars, and Akwa United.
The game ended in a stalemated 2-2.
David Ebuka drew the first blood in the third minute, while Effiong Ndifereke equalised for Akwa United FC, with Nyima Nwagua and Godspower Anifiok registering their names in the score sheet in the 33rd minute and 37th minute of the game.
The last match of the first  day between the defending champions Lobi Stars FC and Ifeanyi Ubah FC, however, ended 3-1 in favour of the later.
Goals from Samad Kadiri in the second minute, Sikiru Alimi’s in the 62nd minute and Alex Gtakho’s 85th minute settled the contest, while FC Ifeanyi Ubah got their solitary goal through Tega Ebetomame in the 40th minute.
NAN reports that a faulty Agege Stadium floodlight almost marred the game.
NAN.