Matchday 4 of the NPFL26 season was a weekend of release and reminder. For Shola Adegun and Plateau United, it was release.
The weight of three straight defeats was finally lifted with a first win of the season.
In Bayelsa, Enyimba sent out the sharpest reminder yet of their intent, maybe.
They are still unbreached. Rivers United held their ground, still unbeaten, still stubborn.
And in Lagos, there was joy of a different shade. Ikorodu City had its first win of the season, having drawn the first three, and remaining unbeaten.
Here are the biggest talking points from Matchday 4 of the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Adegun’s relief in Jos
When a coach goes three defeats deep, questions multiply faster than answers, especially when he is new on the job and in a high-pressure league like the NPFL. Shola Adegun knew it, as well as the faces in the stands. The early weeks of NPFL26 offered Plateau United little but growing desperation. Sunday changed that.
Against the champions Remo Stars, who were unbeaten until matchday 4 with two wins and a draw, Plateau United finally got moving. A 2–0 win at home was a good win. Adegun, once of Sporting Lagos, is talked about as a bright tactician with ideas to offer. What he needed was a result to steady the mood, and against the toughest of opponents, he found it yesterday.
NPFL26: Enyimba Ruthless, still unbreached
Away at Bayelsa, Enyimba played with the calmness of a side that knows exactly what they are doing. A 2–0 win pulled them to the top of the table, unbeaten after four games, and still yet to concede. That balance of scoring when it matters, staying watertight at the back, and grinding out results is why you almost always find them on any list of title favourites. The season is still early, but Enyimba may already be sending a clear message.
Rivers United remain unbroken
Rivers United were runners-up last season, and everything about Rivers United so far says they are not here to fade away. Two wins, two draws, and still unbeaten. On Sunday, they edged past Shooting Stars 1–0 to move into second place. They are yet to win a game convincingly, but who really cares? In the end, it’s the win that counts, and they have found a way to keep delivering it when needed.
Ikorodu City’s unbeaten run now has a win inside it
Three games, three draws. That was the story for Ikorodu City before yesterday. For a team that had lost many key players, It hinted at the resilience they have, but left them still waiting for a spark. That spark came yesterday with a 2–0 win at home against Barau FC. For a team made up largely of new faces, learning their rhythm together, it felt like the season finally started. Four games in, they are unbeaten, and now they have the winning taste to go with it. It is a small step, but an important one.
Kun Khalifat: three goals, one statement of belief
Many times, promoted sides are often handed little chance. Kun Khalifat may not be listening. On Sunday, they struck three past El-Kanemi Warriors in a 3–1 win, their first victory of the season and the first time any NPFL side has managed to score three in a game this season. That alone makes it worth noting. For a club still introducing itself to this level, it was a day that said, maybe we belong here after all.
NPFL26: Trouble for Shooting Stars and Barau FC?
It is not a panic mood yet, but patience is not endless. Shooting Stars have two points from four matches, still without a win, and the murmurs will grow if the next home fixture against Kun Khalifat doesn’t deliver a win.
Barau FC, too, is stuck at the bottom, with two points as well, and Rivers United visit them next.
It is too early to call it a crisis, but it is not too early to feel the unease.
Elsewhere
Abia Warriors edged Katsina United 1–0, Kano Pillars beat Rangers by the same scoreline, Nasarawa United saw off Wikki Tourist, and Bendel Insurance ground out a 1–0 win over Niger Tornadoes. Warri Wolves and Kwara United cancelled each other out in a stalemate.
And that’s the beauty of the NPFL, one weekend, so many moods. Relief in Jos, swagger for those in Aba, calm in Port Harcourt, joy in Lagos, and a few murmurs in Ibadan.
Four games in, it already feels like this league has decided it won’t let anyone breathe easy.
If this is how early September looks, imagine what the rest of the ride will be.
