Enugu Rangers were crowned champions of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Sunday after a tense 2-1 win over Ikorodu City in Lagos sealed the club’s ninth league title.
The Flying Antelopes went into the decisive fixture knowing victory would keep them ahead of the closest challengers Rivers United, and they delivered under pressure.
Captain Chidiebere N’obodo proved the difference on the day, scoring twice to fire Enugu Rangers to glory.
After a cagey opening with both sides battling for control, Enugu Rangers scored in the 30th minute. N’Obodo produced a superb finish to silence the home crowd and hand the visitors a crucial lead.
Ikorodu City tried to respond, making changes before the break as Musa Malik and Moses Ali replaced Kelvin Briggs and Salami Farouk.
Enugu Rangers returned for the second half with the same intensity and doubled their advantage early after the restart. N’obodo reacted quickest to a rebound to complete his brace and put the visitors firmly in command.
The hosts refused to fold. Moses Ali pulled one back just before the hour mark to spark hopes of a comeback, while Tomisin Adebayo and Tomiwa Awojobi were introduced as Ikorodu City pushed for an equaliser.
Rangers held their nerve through seven minutes of added time to secure a famous win and confirm themselves as the 2025-2026 NPFL champions.
The win takes Enugu Rangers’ tally of NPFL titles to nine following earlier title-winning campaigns in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2016 and 2023/24.
They finished the season top of the table with 68 points from 38 matches, edging Rivers United by a single point after recording 19 wins, 11 draws and eight defeats.
