By Tolulope Oguntimehin 

Matchday 16 of the Nigeria Premier Football League delivered high-octane action, with thrilling encounters, a single away victory, and no shortage of drama.

In Jos, Plateau United staged a remarkable comeback in a five-goal thriller, overturning a 2-1 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory against Heartland. This echoed their similar heroics against Nasarawa United earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Nasarawa United had to dig deep and employ every trick in the book to edge out relegation-threatened Lobi Stars 1-0. Despite adopting Lafia as their temporary home, Lobi Stars couldn’t salvage anything from this encounter.

Sunshine Stars’ poor run continued as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at home in Ijebu Ode to Shooting Stars. For 3SC, this win was a hard-fought reward following weeks of frustration over officiating, with their “prayers” finally answered—not at Adamasingba but away in Ijebu Ode.

Imama Amapakabo’s swashbuckling, expansive football was on full display as Abia Warriors edged out Niger Tornadoes 2-1 in a contest that embodied pure "jogo bonito," borrowing the phrase from the late Coach Joe Erico. Meanwhile, Bayelsa United brought the fairytale run of NPFL newcomers Ikorodu City to a halt. Under the guidance of Nurudeen Aweroro, the “Baby” of the league has dazzled fans with fearless performances, but Bayelsa proved too much to handle this time around.

Enugu Rangers’ unbeaten run stayed intact as they stunned Rivers United 1-0 in Enugu. Pulling out all the stops, Rangers threw open the stadium gates to rally fans in support of their team. The win may not yet propel them to the summit, but it keeps them in the title conversation.

In Kano, despite a massive turnout of spectators, Katsina put up a valiant fight but faltered when it mattered most. Abba Adam's decisive 34th-minute goal sealed the victory, leaving the visitors with no way back.

Remo Stars, however, had their eyes firmly on the prize, dispatching El-Kanemi Warriors 2-0 in Ikenne. After a cagey opening 20 minutes, their persistence paid off, propelling them to the top of the table and bolstering their title aspirations.

Matchday 16 was a testament to the NPFL’s unpredictability and the unyielding spirit of its teams—setting the stage for an electrifying second half of the season.

NPFL Matchday 16 Results 
Kano pillars 1-0 Kastina Utd 
Plateau Utd 3-2 Heartland 
Sunshine 0-1 Shooting Stars 
Nasarawa Utd 1-0 Lobi Stars 
Bayelsa Utd 1-0 Ikorodu City 
Abia Warriors 2-1 Niger  Tornadoes
Enugu Rangers 1-0 Rivers Utd 
Remo Star 2-0 Elkanemi Warriors