Super Eagles legend Nwankwo Kanu was a notable absentee as his Enyimba came, saw, but held Ikorodu City to a thrilling draw in the NPFL. Super Eagles icon Nwankwo Kanu was nowhere to be seen on Sunday as his Enyimba side dodged defeat in a pulsating 2-2 draw against NPFL newbies Ikorodu City. The People’s Elephant, led on the day by former international Ifeanyi Ekwueme in Kanu’s absence, traded blows with the Oga Boys in a Lagos thriller that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Soccer News in Nigeria from Pulse Sports The game exploded into life early, with Ikorodu City’s Tosin Oyedokun and Waliu forcing Enyimba keeper Ani into action within the first 10 minutes. Tosin nearly broke the deadlock at the 20-minute mark, stinging Ani’s gloves with a fierce shot from outside the box. Two minutes later, Enyimba’s Chineme Chinonso came agonisingly close, his long-range rocket beating the keeper but crashing off the crossbar. The breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute when Oyedokun volleyed home a beauty, smashing the ball into the ground and past Ani to give City a 1-0 lead. Enyimba rang the changes at halftime, pulling Okechukwu Nwanna and Chineme Chinonso for Ayomide Cole and Toyeeb Ajeyigbe, but it was the second half where the drama truly unfolded. In the 67th minute, Mujeeb Odufeso hauled Enyimba level with a clinical finish, and just six minutes later, in-form Joseph Atule fired the visitors ahead 2-1, sparking dreams of an upset. The People’s Elephant, despite being underdogs for the game, looked poised to snatch all three points until the dying embers of stoppage time. In the 97th minute, substitute Ayomide Cole struck gold for Ikorodu City, slotting home a fine finish to rescue a point and send the home crowd into raptures. The draw leaves both sides ruing missed opportunities. Enyimba, who could’ve cracked the NPFL top four with a win, stay stuck in the mid-table mire, while Ikorodu City slip from third to fourth, their early-season momentum taking a hit. For Kanu, watching from afar, if at all, the four-goal spectacle was a rollercoaster his side nearly rode to victory.