Rivers United head coach, Finidi George
El-Kanemi Warriors and Rivers United both secured away victories in an action-packed Matchday 3 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.
In a thrilling encounter at the New Jos Stadium, El-Kanemi Warriors earned their first win of the season by defeating Nasarawa United 4-3 in a dramatic contest.
Nasarawa United started strong, with Amas Yusuf netting twice in the opening 20 minutes to give the home side an early advantage.
However, the visitors responded swiftly as Nasiru Salihu fired back with two quick goals to level the score.
Just before halftime, Alamin Umar put El-Kanemi Warriors ahead, sending them into the break with a 3-2 lead.
The second half saw more drama as Yusuf completed his hat trick for Nasarawa United, equalising once again.
But it was Etaghara’s 89th-minute penalty that sealed the win for El-Kanemi, marking a memorable match for both teams.
At the Lafia City Stadium, Rivers United continued their impressive form under head coach Finidi George, edging out Lobi Stars 1-0.
Kabir Abdullahi’s goal in the 72nd-minute penalty secured the victory, extending Finidi’s unbeaten run with the team to three games.
Despite the win, Finidi played down the significance of the result.
“Every victory, we will take it. It’s just a game. This is nothing. We have to go back and prepare for the next game. That’s the philosophy,” the former Super Eagles coach said after the match.
He also looked ahead to their next fixture, a challenging clash against his former club, Enyimba.
“It’s going to be a difficult game,” Finidi admitted, “but I commend the boys for their effort today.”
NPFL action continues on Sunday, with more matches set to take place across various venues.