Grace Pull Away as the League Table Begins to Speak

Two Saturdays, six matches, late goals, cards, comebacks, and a league table that is starting to tell its own story. After Matchdays 5 and 6, Grace FC are not just leading the league; they are beginning to look like the team everyone else must chase.

Grace now sit top with 14 points from six matches, unbeaten with four wins and two draws. Their latest statement came on June 13 with a narrow but important 1–0 win over Joy. The decisive moment arrived in the 42nd minute when the ball ricocheted off Joy’s defenders and fell kindly to Bolaji Ola inside the box. Bolaji stayed calm and finished the chance to give Grace all three points.

“It was not the cleanest goal, but football rewards alertness,” one supporter said. “Bolaji was awake when everyone else was reacting.”

The match was tight and physical. Kanmi and Eghosa were cautioned for Grace, while Sesan Sopitan and Tosin Bayode went into the book for Joy. For Grace, it was another example of their growing maturity. They can win high-scoring games, and they can also grind out close results.

Bolaji’s goal also moved him to four goals for the season, level with Daniel O, also known as Chike, and Delight Baadi. Derek Kariboye leads the scoring chart with six goals, while Femi Emmanuel follows with three. The Golden Boot race is quietly becoming one of the league’s most interesting side stories.

The second match on June 13 brought late drama as Love and Peace played out a 1–1 draw. Peace took the lead through Delight Baadi in the 34th minute, but Love refused to go away. Deep into added time, Derek Kariboye struck at 50+2 minutes, assisted by JP, to rescue a point.

“We kept believing,” a Love player said after the final whistle. “Until the referee blows, the game is still alive.”

That goal kept Love second in the table with nine points from six matches. They remain competitive and difficult to beat, but with three draws already, they may need to start turning more of those tight games into wins if they want to catch Grace.

Peace remain sixth with five points, but their position does not fully reflect their attacking threat. Delight Baadi has four goals, and Peace have shown they can trouble any team. Their challenge is closing games out. They scored three against Grace and lost. They led Love and drew. The quality is there; the control now has to follow.

Faith and Light closed June 13 with a 0–0 draw. It was not a game for highlight reels, but it showed discipline from both sides. Faith remain third with seven points, built on a record of one win, four draws, and one loss. They are difficult to beat, but they need more goals to turn steady performances into stronger results.

Light sit fifth with six points, level with Joy but behind on goal difference. After losing heavily to Joy the previous week, the clean sheet against Faith was a useful response.

June 6 had delivered much more chaos. Grace and Peace produced a seven-goal thriller, with Grace winning 4–3. Delight opened the scoring for Peace in the 3rd minute, Ola replied for Grace, Yinka converted a penalty for Peace, and Bolaji levelled again. Michael then put Grace ahead, Delight made it 3–3, before Daniel Emapose scored the winner in the 43rd minute.

“That was not just a match; that was a test of character,” one observer said. “Every time one team scored, the other team came back. Grace just had the final word.”

Joy also made noise on June 6 with a 4–1 win over Light. Light started quickly through Femi Emmanuel in the 2nd minute, assisted by Taiye, but Joy took over from there. Chike equalized in the 18th minute from Preston’s assist, Chibuzor scored from the penalty spot, and Chike added two more goals to complete a brilliant hat-trick.

“When a striker smells goals like that, defenders are in trouble,” a fan joked. “Chike came hungry.”

Love and Faith also shared the points on June 6 in a 1–1 draw. Dara gave Faith the lead in the 14th minute from Patrick’s assist, before Kelvin equalized for Love in the 50th minute with Ibrahim providing the assist.

After six matches, the table is tight behind Grace. Grace lead with 14 points. Love follow with nine. Faith are third with seven. Joy and Light both have six, while Peace are close behind with five. The gap from third to sixth is only two points, which means one good matchday can change everything.

Grace have created breathing room at the top, but the chase is still alive. Love are hanging on. Faith are steady. Joy are dangerous but inconsistent. Light are fighting to recover. Peace are bottom, but far from finished.

As one supporter put it after the final whistle: “This league is getting sweeter every week.”

And honestly, it is hard to disagree.