Kano Pillars on Thursday claimed a crucial 2-0 victory over Enyimba International in a rescheduled NPFL fixture at the Sani Abacha Stadium, thanks to a brace from striker Abba Adam.
The win sees Pillars leapfrog Enyimba into seventh position on the league table, with 29 points from 19 matches, while the Aba Elephants drop to eighth with 28 points from 18 games.
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Enyimba head coach Stanley Eguma made just one change to his starting lineup from their last outing in Cairo.
Goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena was replaced by Zali Abdullahi, making his second league start.
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Meanwhile, Jephta was unavailable, with Nnaji taking a spot on the bench.
For Kano Pillars, the usual suspects featured prominently, with Ahmed Musa leading the attack and Shehu Abdullahi anchoring the defence.
Zobia Derby
The match kicked off at the historic Sani Abacha Stadium with both teams looking to assert dominance. Pillars came close early on, with Zulkifilu Muhammad heading just wide from a Rabiu Ali corner in the 5th minute.
The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Abba Adam latched onto a pass from Ibrahim Inuwa, skillfully evading his marker before slotting the ball into the net to give the hosts the lead.
Despite Enyimba’s attempts to equalise, Pillars held firm, taking their 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
Second half
The second half resumed with Pillars making a substitution, as Auwalu Ali Malam was replaced by Mustapha Umar.
Enyimba looked to respond, but their efforts were stifled by a disciplined Pillars defence.
Abba Adam doubled his tally in the 72nd minute, showcasing his composure and clinical finishing to notch his fourth goal of the season.
The striker’s brilliance left Enyimba chasing shadows as the hosts tightened their grip on the game.
Pillars made further changes, with Aminu Adam Sani replacing Zulkifilu Muhammad in the 75th minute, while Enyimba introduced Nwaodu and Moses in place of Paschal and Atule in the 86th minute.
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However, the changes did little to alter the course of the match.
The victory is a significant milestone for Kano Pillars, who last lost to Enyimba at home 3,187 days ago, on 4 May 2016.
That rescheduled Matchday 7 fixture saw Enyimba clinch a 2-1 win, courtesy of goals from Nzube Anaezemba and Ike ThankGod after Rabiu Ali had put Pillars ahead.
