Ikorodu City FC fight back to beat Ranchers Bees in 2026/27 NPFL opener

Posted : 31 August 2026

Ikorodu City FC began their 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) campaign on a winning note, overcoming a spirited Ranchers Bees side 3-1 in an entertaining opening-day encounter at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

The victory saw the Oga Boys recover from an early setback to claim the first home win of the new NPFL season, while Ranchers Bees’ long-awaited return to the elite division ended in defeat.

The Kaduna-based side, back in the top flight after 16 years away, stunned the home crowd when striker Jude Okorie broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with a solo effort.

Ikorodu City gradually settled into the contest and began to exert pressure on the visitors in search of an equaliser.

Their persistence paid off in the 38th minute when new signing Umar Dan’Azumi found the back of the net to restore parity and bring the Oga Boys back into the contest.

The hosts then completed the turnaround deep into first-half stoppage time as Abayomi Ayodeji produced a fine finish in the 45+4th minute. He nutmegged a Bees defender before curling a low effort into the bottom corner.

Ranchers Bees struggled to regain control after the interval as Ikorodu City continued to dictate proceedings.

Ikorodu City head coach Bright Ozebagbe introduced Gift Udoh for Ujunwa Elijah in the second half as he sought to strengthen his midfield and maintain his side’s advantage.

The decisive moment came in the 87th minute when the referee awarded Ikorodu City a penalty after a Bees defender handled Tomiwa Awojobi’s goal-bound effort inside the box.

Ranchers Bees were further reduced to 10 men following a red card before Ikorodu City captain Farouk Salami calmly converted the resulting penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3-1.

The result gave Ikorodu City an encouraging start to the new campaign despite conceding first.

Speaking after the match, Ikorodu City player Adam Abdulrahman said the team remained confident even after falling behind.

“We are glad to win the first game because it is important to us as a team. This is our first match of the season.

“We were not really scared to come from behind to win the match; we only needed to be patient,” he said.

For Ranchers Bees, right-back Aminu Baba attributed the defeat partly to what he described as unfavourable refereeing decisions.

“The referee’s decision did not favour us at all, but we have to accept the defeat.

“We will have to bounce back in our next game because we have learnt our lessons, which have also boosted our morale,” he said.

The match marked a significant moment for Ranchers Bees, who returned to the NPFL after securing promotion in April 2026, having last featured in the country’s top division during the 2009/10 season.

Also present in the VIP section was Adeyinka Adeboye, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Grassroots Sports.

Ikorodu City will now look to build on the victory in their next league fixture, while Ranchers Bees will seek to recover from the setback as they continue their return to the top flight.

Ikorodu City FC fight back to beat Ranchers Bees in 2026/27 NPFL opener

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