JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The third day of the EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League has already started with a statement, and Sunday now has the responsibility to respond to it.
Doma United didn’t wait for anyone.
The Savannah Tigers defeated nine-time Nigerian champions Enyimba 2-0 at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe on Saturday, extending their remarkable start to three wins in three matches and strengthening their position at the top of the initial standings.
Sadiq Rilwan opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, continuing his extraordinary individual start with his third goal in three EuroMatch NPFL appearances, before Yusuf Fantami scored in the second half to put the match ahead of Enyimba.
Three games. Nine points.
And Doma still hasn’t given in.
What started as an impressive return to the top flight is quickly becoming one of the first big stories of the EuroMatch NPFL 2026/27 season.
But Saturday’s Doma statement is just the opening act.
Six more matches arrive on Sunday, while three postponed fixtures complete the wider matchday three programme, meaning the league still has plenty of entertainment waiting to unfold.
Doma United 2-0 Enyimba: leaders no longer whisper
Doma entered Saturday with wins over Sporting Lagos and Inter Lagos. Enyimba represented a completely different test: pedigree, history and nine league championships against the early season leaders.
Dressage passed the exam.
Rilwan’s first goal made him one of the first unmistakable personalities of the campaign. Fantami then ensured coach Deji Ayeni’s men picked up another three points.
For goalkeeper Ibrahim Pius and the players protecting him, another clean sheet means that Doma have now gone three full league games without allowing an opponent to score.
That gives EuroMatch NPFL an irresistible opening story: the promoted club that everyone expected to fight for survival is currently forcing everyone else to chase.
And while three games will never decide a 38-game championship, nine points out of nine certainly gets people’s attention.
Inter Lagos vs Sporting Lagos — Lagos has a new derby
Then comes Sunday’s box office attraction.
Inter Lagos against Sporting Lagos.
The Mobolaji Johnson Arena will host the first top-flight match between the two clubs, according to the official NPFL preview.
Neither side has enjoyed the start it wanted.
Inter Lagos have lost their first two matches, while Sporting Lagos were beaten 2-0 by Doma United in their first league match.
But that almost makes Sunday’s matchup more fascinating.
Someone can become the hero of the first EuroMatch NPFL meeting between these clubs. A goalie can make the save that people remember. A striker can score the goal Lagos is talking about on Monday morning.
The form can be forgotten for an afternoon.
The history of the derby cannot.
The match kicks off at 4pm at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, and is scheduled to be covered live via MBI, Afro Soccer and FRCN’s YouTube channel.
This is more than just another meeting.
It is the beginning of a rivalry.
Barau FC vs Ranchers Bees: Atule meets league hat-trick attraction
There could be plenty of entertainment at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
Barau FC remain undefeated after their first victory over Nasarawa United and a goalless draw against Kun Khalifat.
This gives Joseph Atule another opportunity to continue the personal scoring mission that began on the first day.
But the Ranchers Bees arrive with a player whose name suddenly demands attention.
Mohammed Rabiu Zulkifilu announced himself by scoring the first hat-trick of the new campaign against Abia Warriors.
Now comes the fun part.
Was that the beginning of something?
Barau will want to stop him. The ranchers will want to release him again.
There is another intriguing story: Ranchers Bees coach Usman Abd’Allah returns to familiar surroundings at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
Atule at one end. Zulkifilu to the other.
The EuroMatch NPFL has given Kano another afternoon with personalities worth following.
Bendel Insurance vs Kun Khalifat: Akuchie wall faces another test
The Kun Khalifat has discovered an unusual formula to remain undefeated.
They haven’t scored.
They have not given in either.
Two matches produced two goalless draws, and goalkeeper Akuchie Obinna began his first NPFL campaign with consecutive clean sheets.
Now comes Benin.
Kun Khalifat visits Bendel Insurance at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium at 4pm, and the match will be broadcast live on the NPFL YouTube channel.
For Akuchie, the challenge is wonderfully simple:
Can he make it three NPFL EuroMatch appearances without conceding a goal?
For Insurance, the mission is the opposite: to become the first club to cross the Kun Khalifat wall.
There is also a milestone in the field of coaching on the horizon. The official NPFL preview says Kennedy Boboye is expected to take charge of his 25th match as Bendel Insurance head coach, having recorded 10 wins, 10 draws and four losses in his previous 24.
Abia Warriors vs Ikorodu City: Someone needs a breakthrough
The Abia Warriors have another chance to turn the tide of their season when Ikorodu City arrives.
The Warriors entered matchday three with just one point from two games and, more worryingly, without a goal.
Ikorodu City played just once, but made that appearance count, defeating Ranchers Bees 3-1.
The official league preview also offers an interesting historical warning for the Lagos team: Ikorodu City have lost on both of their previous trips to Abia.
Therefore, something has to move.
Abia needs goals.
Ikorodu wants another statement.
And another player has a chance to become Sunday’s starter.
The official match date sets the match for 4:00 p.m.
Niger Tornadoes vs Plateau United: The search for momentum
A victory. A defeat.
This is the same record that Niger Tornadoes and Plateau United bring to their meeting at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna.
The Tornadoes shocked Enyimba 2-1 on matchday one before becoming part of one of the most entertaining matches of the season so far – the 3-2 defeat against Kano Pillars in which centre-back Fabian Nworie scored two notable goals.
Plateau United responded to their opening defeat against Rivers United by beating Kwara United 1-0.
Now someone has a chance to put the back-to-back disappointments behind them and start building momentum.
History slightly favors the hosts: the official league preview notes that Plateau have only managed one victory in their recent trips against the Tornadoes.
Kick-off in Minna is at 4 p.m.
Kwara United vs Katsina United – Ilorin awaits first celebration
Kwara United are still looking for their first win after picking up a point from their first two matches.
Meanwhile, Katsina United have only played once and were on the verge of achieving one of the best results of matchday one before Rangers rescued a 1-1 draw at the last moment.
The history between Sunday’s opponents provides another layer. Kwara have won three of their last five meetings with Katsina, including the double over them last season.
That makes Sunday’s 4:00 pm encounter at the Kwara State Sports Stadium in Ilorin another encounter that sees local expectations take on an opponent who has confidence from their last away performance.
And the third day is not over: there are still three postponed battles
This is important when telling the full story of the third day.
Three matches originally scheduled along with Sunday’s program were postponed, largely reshaping the weekend due to continental commitments.
Rivers United vs Warri Wolves has been moved to Wednesday, September 16 at 4 pm, with the official schedule placing the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
Rangers International vs Nasarawa United continues on Thursday, September 17 at 4 pm at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena.
Next comes Shooting Stars vs Kano Pillars, now scheduled for Wednesday, October 7 at 4 pm at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
That last encounter will be particularly interesting when it finally arrives.
Kano Pillars defender Fabian Nworie heads into his next league appearance with much more focus after scoring two goals from centre-back against the Niger Tornadoes.
And Nworie has already noted the influence of Ahmed Musa, describing the Nigerian international as an important role model whose motivation is to help the Pillars players.
That’s another facet of the league worth promoting.
Not just scores.
Personal allusions. Mentors. Young players. Established names. New heroes.
The complete image of the third day of the EuroMatch NPFL
Saturday September 12
Doma United 2-0 Enyimba – FT
Sadiq Rilwan, Yusuf Fantami.
Sunday, September 13 – 4 pm
Abia Warriors vs Ikorodu City
Barau FC vs Rancheros Abejas
Bendel Insurance v. Kun Khalifat
Kwara United v Katsina United
Niger Tornadoes vs Plateau United
Inter Lagos vs Sporting Lagos
Reorganization of the matches of the third day
Rivers United vs Warri Wolves – September 16
Rangers International vs Nasarawa United – September 17
Shooting Stars vs Kano Pillars – October 7.
This is where players become product.
Three weeks into a new campaign, the EuroMatch NPFL is already starting to develop characters that fans can recognize.
Sadiq Rilwan He has three goals in three games for the leaders.
Ibrahim Pio is chasing a clean sheet with Doma.
Mohammed Rabiu Zulkifilu He achieved the first hat-trick of the season.
Fabian Nworie He has shown that a center back can become a two-goal winner.
joseph atule He has started his scoring career with Barau.
Akuchie Obinna is building his reputation among the ranks of the Kun Khalifat.
And Sunday’s Lagos derby promises something completely new: someone has the chance to become Inter Lagos’ first great hero against Sporting Lagos in the EuroMatch NPFL.
This is how a national league grows beyond the results.
Fans need someone to celebrate. Someone to debate with. Someone whose shirt the kids want to wear. Someone whose save, goal, tackle or celebration becomes the image of the weekend.
The main sponsor gives the competition its identity as EuroMatch NPFL. The clubs provide the rivalry. But the players give the league their faces and their stories.
Doma United has already started the third day shouting louder than the others.
Nine points. Three victories. Three clean sheets.
There are now six matches coming up on Sunday before rearranged matches complete the round.
From Gombe’s statement on Saturday to Sunday’s historic Lagos derby, from Akuchie’s gloves in Benin to Atule and Zulkifilu in Kano, the stage is set again.
Welcome to the third day of the EuroMatch NPFL – where every weekend a hero is needed and Nigerian football has much to discover.
