Enyimba’s miserable start to the season shows no signs of ending as the nine-time NPFL champions suffered a 3-2 defeat to Sporting Lagos on Wednesday, their fourth consecutive loss of the campaign, leaving the Aba giants rooted at the bottom of the table after just four matches.
Stanley Dimgba gave Enyimba the lead in the 44th minute, sending the Elephants into the break in front. But Sporting Lagos roared back after the restart.
Abdullahi drew Lagos level in the 51st minute, only for Enyimba to respond almost instantly when Tobi Iyanda converted a penalty three minutes later to restore their advantage.
Sporting Lagos, however, refused to relent. Haruna Hadi struck in the 65th minute before Daniel Aboh added a second four minutes later, completing a dramatic turnaround that handed the home side victory and further tightened the noose around Enyimba’s season.
Wednesday’s result extends a torrid run that has now seen Enyimba lose all four of their opening league matches, falling to Sporting Lagos, Inter Lagos, Niger Tornadoes, and Doma United in succession. For a club with nine NPFL titles to its name, the run marks one of the club’s worst starts in recent memory.
The slump follows a difficult 2025/26 campaign, when Enyimba finished 11th on the table with 49 points from 38 matches, battling against relegation for much of the season before escaping the drop zone only on the final matchday. That underwhelming finish already left supporters and stakeholders calling for a stronger showing this term, with expectations high given the club’s status as a two-time CAF continental champion.
Instead, Enyimba have started even worse than last season, winless and pointless after four rounds.
The alarming form has coincided with reported off-field crisis at the club, adding further pressure on the technical crew and management to find urgent solutions.
With the gap to safety already growing, Enyimba face a steep climb if they are to arrest the slide before it becomes unbridgeable.
