Tout Puissant Mazembe beat AS Vita Club to retain Congolese title
Tout Puissant Mazembe beat AS Vita Club 1-0 in Lubumbashi on Wednesday to edge three points ahead of their rivals in the league table, clinching their 16th title on the final day of the season.
When the play-off fixture calendar pitted these two together on the last day, there was always the chance that the Congolese Classico could prove decisive in the destination of the title, and it was Mazembe who secured the crown when Daniel Adjei scored the only goal of the game.
The Ghanaian headed home a cross by Democratic Republic of Congo international Issama Mpeko after two minutes to set Mazembe on their way to victory in a pulsating atmosphere in Kamalondo.
Les Corbeux suffered a 1-0 defeat in the last meeting between the two sides at the Martyrs Stadium, when Tady Etekiama scored the only goal of the game for Vita Club.
This time, however, the tables were turned, and Mazembe secured all three points to move up to 33 points, having won 10 matches to Vita Club's nine. Both teams end the campaign having drawn three matches, with Mazembe having lost one to Les Dauphins Noirs' two.
Victory secures Mazembe's record 16th title, and the triumph should set them up well ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal double-header against Angolans Recreativo do Libolo in September.
For Vita Club, whose own continental campaign ended in the CAF Champions League group stages after they took five points from six matches, the wait for a 14th title goes on.
After their first and second-placed finishes in the Congolese top flight this season, both Mazembe and Vita Club are set to represent the Central African nation in Africa's premier club competition next season.
NPFL Wrap: Sunshine Stars end Rivers United's unbeaten home run
Match day 30 produced some exciting results for the away teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League, as Sunshine Stars of Akure picked up a valuable win on the road in Port Harcourt.
Rivers United 0 Sunshine Stars 1
Ezekiel Thompson's 68th-minute goal was all Sunshine Stars required to end Rivers United's unbeaten home record this season. Stars, who moved up to 14th in the league standings were the better team on the day, and should have taken a first-half lead, but Sikiru Alimi saw his strike flagged for offside.
The result eases Stars' relegation worries after a second successive away league win, while Rivers United continue to battle for survival in 15th-place.
Enyimba 2 Lobi Stars 1
Ikechukwu Ibenegbu netted a stunning free kick on the stroke of full time to hand Enyimba a priceless home win over sixth-placed Lobi Stars a crazy end to the match.
Anthony Okpotu gave the away team the first-half lead after scoring in his second successive game. The bulky forward missed a few chances to increase the lead, and Lobi Stars were made to pay by Mfon Udoh, who volleyed in his 11th goal of the season in the 86th minute.
Ibenegbu, however, turned things around for the Peoples Elephant on his return from suspension, as Enyimba moved up fourth position on the league standings.
Plateau United 1 FC Ifeanyi Ubah 0
Plateau United secured a 1-0 win over FC Ifeanyi Ubah to open a five-point lead at the top.
The leaders were business-like from kickoff, taking the lead through Emma James' 13th-minute penalty after Stephen Eze fouled a Hamzat Owolabi in the area. The result is a setback for FC Ifeanyi Ubah's continental ambitions, as they slipped down into seventh place.
Remo Stars 1 Shooting Stars 1
Ekene Awazie netted in added time to salvage a point for rock bottom Remo Stars, in a thrilling end to a southwest derby against Shooting Stars in Sagamu.
Moses James opened the scoring in the 66th minute, but Awazie late equaliser couldn't prevent Shooting Stars from moving out of the drop zone into 16th place.
Wikki Tourists 1 ABS FC 0
Wikki Tourists inflicted a 14th defeat of the season on ABS FC in Bauchi, as the visiting team continued their recent free fall, which has seen them go winless in their last six games.
Harrison Madu headed in Idris Guda's second-minute free kick to hand Wikki Tourists a vital win, which propelled them to the 40-point mark for the season.
ABS FC, 18th in the standings, have now played 180 minutes of football without scoring a goal, a situation they need to address in their last eight games of the season.
Abia Warriors 0 Akwa United 0
Third-place Akwa United secured a hard fought away draw against Abia Warriors in Umuahia.
Abia Warriors would rue their missed chances, as Sunday Adetunji on two occasions failed to add to his 12 league strikes. Christian Pyagbara should have clinched maximum points for Akwa United, but he lost his composure with only goalkeeper Agbor Ekoi to beat.
Nasarawa United 2 El Kanemi Warriors 1
Adamu Hassan's brace handed 10-man Nasarawa United a vital home win over fifth-placed El Kanemi Warriors.
Hassan put the homers in front in the fifth minute, before doubling their advantage a minute after the break. Hashimu Haliru then reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute to hand El Kanemi Warriors a lifeline.
There was a tense finish to the game, after Abubakar Ahmed was sent off with a minute of regulation time remaining, for a needless foul on the visiting goalkeeper.
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