The five concluding fixtures of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 11 produced an away win, two home wins and two draws with 13 goals recorded.
Yusuf Abdullahi scores quintuple
At the Pantami Stadium, Kano Pillars’ Yusuf Abdullahi scored five goals as the visitors secured their first away win of the season by defeating Gombe United 5-2.
The seven-goal thriller recorded in Gombe was a spectacular event as Abdullahi became the first player after Emen Uduok to score five or more goals in a single game.
Samuel Edem Eduok remains the only player to have scored more goals than Yusuf Abdullahi in a single game in the history of NPFL when he scored all six for his team against Nembe City in 2014.
Emem Eduok: Dolphins 6-0 Nembe City (October 2014)
14′ ⚽️
23′ ⚽️
30′ ⚽️
49′ ⚽️
71′ ⚽️… pic.twitter.com/B6zBk6syBn— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) December 3, 2023
Kano Pillars also became the second team to score five goals in a single game this season.
Abdullahi was already up two goals by the 15th minute before Sadiq Shuaibu halved the deficit in the 17th minute for Gombe United.
However, Kano Pillars restored their two-goal lead as Abdullahi scored his hat trick in the 33rd minute. Before the halftime break, two quick-fire goals were scored by both teams; Ahmed Jimoh scored the game’s fourth goal for Gombe but Abdullahi extended Pillars’ lead in the 10th minute of added time at the end of the first half.
The striker then completed his quintuple two minutes after the hour mark to send Kano Pillars to the seventh position with 16 points. Gombe United are in the 16th position with 12 points.
Slim wins for Sporting Lagos and Remo Stars
In Lagos and Ikenne respectively, Sporting Lagos and Remo Stars recorded slim wins over their respective opponents.
A 12th-minute goal from Clement Naantraum earned the Noisy Lagosians their first win after three matches without a win.
Meanwhile, Remo Stars leapfrogged Doma United to the top of the league table with 22 points after Sikiru Alimi capitalise don a 61st-minute defensive gaffe to defeat Plateau United in Ikenne.
Draws in Ibadan and Yenagoa
At the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamansigba, bottom-placed Heartland forced Shooting Stars to a scoreless draw to record their third point on the road and first for new coach Kennedy Boboye. In Yenagoa, Abia Warriors and Bayelsa United played out a 2-2 draw.
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