Imama Amapakabo’s Abia Warriors continued their renaissance in impressive fashion with a 4-1 decimation of Kano Pillars in Okigwe on matchday 15 of the 2020-21 Nigerian Professional Football League.

Obioma Chukwuemeka’s brace was sandwiched between strikes from Godwin Obaje and Daniel Wotlia while Nyima Nwagua scored the visitors’ lone goal.

The win which extends Warriors’ unbeaten run to six games lifts them to 10th in the table with 20 points, four points off the top four and fifth-placed Pillars who drop out of the top four on goals difference. 

It is quite the turnaround for Amapakabo who began his debut season at Abia Warriors with four straight losses and appeared on the verge of losing his job after being issued with an ultimatum to halt his side’s slide.

He has not only managed to halt their dismal run, but has engineered a run of form that not even the club’s hierarchy would have envisaged.

There’s been just the one defeat in their last eleven games and a top four place is within touching distance.

Elsewhere, Chinonso Eziekwe scored six minutes to the end to help Rangers edge past bottom side Adamawa United in Enugu, a result that takes the Flying antelopes up to second in the table.

Christian Ekong’s 14th-minute strike was all it took to give home side Dakkada all three points against Katsina United and Guda Mohammed’s 81st-minute penalty helped Wikki Tourists over the line against Warri Wolves.

There were five goals in Makurdi as home side Lobi Stars beat Plateau United 3-2 while Heartland held leaders Kwara United to a barren draw in Ilorin and it also ended goalless in Nnewi between relegation-threatened FC Ifeanyiubah and Rivers United.