Alimi announces NPFL return with stunning goal

Sikiru Alimi marked his return to the Nigeria Premier Football League with a stunning goal for Kano Pillars in their 1-1 draw against Kun Khalifat FC in Owerri on Friday.

The striker came off the bench to break the deadlock in the 74th minute, producing a moment of individual brilliance to put Pillars on course for what would have been their first away win of the season.

Kano Pillars coach Daniel Ogunmodede had initially left Alimi, Rabiu Ali and Ahmed Musa, who was returning from illness, on the bench for the trip to Owerri.

With Ubong Friday and Yahaya Ibrahim leading the attack, Pillars struggled to make their early dominance count, although Yahaya came closest to scoring midway through the first half when he skipped past his marker before seeing his effort pushed away by Kun Khalifat goalkeeper Esomchi Ekwujuru.

The opening exchanges of the second half offered little attacking threat until Ogunmodede introduced Alimi and Musa for Friday and Justus Ohanu in the 57th minute.

The substitution proved decisive as Alimi needed just 17 minutes to make his mark.

Picking up a pass from the right, the forward drove towards the middle, initially appearing to seek out Musa before the ball took a deflection off a Kun Khalifat defender and fell kindly for him to unleash a shot from the edge of the box beyond Ekwujuru.

However, Pillars’ hopes of securing their first away victory of the campaign were dashed late on when Kun Khalifat won a penalty, which Ebuka Okoro converted to rescue a point for the hosts.

The draw nevertheless moved Pillars to within two points of league leaders Enugu Rangers, who host Kwara United on Sunday.

It was a memorable return for Alimi, who had spent time abroad before rejoining the domestic league.

His last involvement in the league was in the 2024/25 season, when he won the title with Remo Stars before moving to Algerian side JS Saoura.

The 30-year-old now has 62 goals and 13 assists in 199 NPFL games, according to the football stats website Transfermarkt.