Nigerian Football
Battlegrounds open in five centres as curtain falls on NPFL 2021/22
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Professional Football League for the season 2021/22 comes to a close this Sunday. The champions already emerged so also is the first runners-up.
However battle grounds are open elsewhere where the struggles for third place as well fight against relegation reaches crescendo.
The battle grounds are the hitherto sleepy town of Ikenne, Owerri, Uyo, Gombe, Kano and Aba.
In Ikenne, Remo Stars have everything to play for as they host Niger Tornadoes. A win crowns their efforts this season with a ticket into the CAF Confederation Cup irrespective of result elsewhere, especially in Owerri where fellow third-place contenders, Kwara United are away to relegation prone Heartland.
The Owerri match is potentially explosive and has a tendency to be bloody. Kwara United are aiming for a win that could see them upstage Remo Stars in the third position.
Similarly, Heartland, who had gone down before, will be battling against another possible drop on home ground. Only a win can ensure their survival.
Another battleground is Uyo where relegation-bound Dakkada face Sunshine Stars in a battle against a looming drop. Wikki Tourists at home in Gombe face similar ordeal like Dakkada as they host similarly relegation fighters in Katsina United.
In Kano, relegation candidates, Kano Pillars are hosting Shooting Stars, perennial strugglers against relegation. In Aba, only a win may save Abia Warriors in the battle against relegation as they face Lobi Stars.
In Port Harcourt, it will be more of entertainment as it often happens on coronation days. It will be a coronation ceremony for the new Nigerian football kings – Rivers United. Newly appointed Commissioner for Sports, Chris Green will no doubt be grinning, performing a major function as the flagship sports outfit of his state will be crowned.
Second-placed Plateau United will host Enyimba of Aba in what looks a dead rubber. Both teams have no real battle to fight.
MATCHDAY 38 FIXTURES
SUNDAY 17TH JULY, 2022
• Abia Warriors vs Lobi Stars 4:00PM
• Dakkada vs Sunshine Stars 4:00PM
• Rangers Int’l vs Akwa United 4:00PM
• Heartland vs Kwara United 4:00PM
• Remo Stars vs Niger Tornadoes 4:00PM
• Rivers United vs Gombe United 4:00PM
• MFM vs Nasarawa United 4:00PM
• Kano Pillars vs Shooting Stars 4:00PM
• Wikki Tourists vs Katsina 4:00PM
• Plateau United vs Enyimba Int’l 4:00PM
NPFL STATS AHEAD OF LAST MATCH DAY
No. of Matches Played:370
No. of Matches Won:291
No.of Matches Won at Home: 262
No. of Matches Won Away:29
No. of Matches Drawn:79
Goals
No. of Goals Scored: 759
Average Goals/Match: 2
No. of Goals Scored at Home: 577
No. of Own Goals:12
No. of Goals Scored Away:202
Penalties
No. of Penalties Scored:70
No. of Penalties not Scored: 22
No. of Penalties Awarded: 92
Cards
No. of Yellow Cards:1,365
No. of Red Cards: 48
Top Goals Scorers:
18 Goals
Chijioke Akuneto-(Rivers United)
16 goals:
Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba)
Yusuf Abdullazeez (Gombe Utd)
Best Attacking Team: Rivers United (57 goals Scored)
Worst Defense: MFM (50 goals Conceded)
Rivers United led on 28 Matchdays out of 37 Matchdays
Remo Stars on Saturday made it two straight wins in the Nigeria Premier League after labouring to a 1-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars of Akure to follow-up their last weekend 2-0 away win over Abia Warriors.
On Saturday, under eight minutes they shot ahead through Shuaibu Ibrahim. That was where the story ended as Sunshine Stars came up strongly and almost stalemated scores.
The win, though narrow, is enough to temporarily take Remo Stars to the top of the log after two games.
They are followed by Rivers United who beat Heartland 3-1. It is the second consecutive 3-1 loss that Heartland are getting in the two-week old season.
The situation could change on Sunday when other matches are played.
On the card are: Akwa United hosting Abia Warriors while Kano Pillars will be away to Bayelsa United.
Katsina United host Bendel Insurance and Niger Tornadoes will be home to Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars will host Plateau United.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, who was in Arnhem, Netherlands.
Former Nigeria manager, Clemens Westerhof has recommended one of his former players, Samson Siasia as the substantial coach for the Super Eagles.
Siasia was one of his players of the famed golden generation of the Super Eagles.
“I called him last month to greet him for his birthday and also to celebrate with him for the end of his five-year ban”, Westerhof told Sports Village Square at his house in Arnhem in the Netherlands.
According to him, Siasia is just like Keshi and that he has the capacity to turn the Super Eagles around for the better. Westerhof, the author of the famed ‘Golden Generation’ of the Super Eagles made his suggestion shortly after Germany’s Bruce Labbadia turned down the Nigerian job offer.
Westerhof remarked that he was surprised about the choice of Labbadia in the first instance and that the now Mali coach, Tom Saintfiet who is his friend could have been a better choice.
Saintfiet, a Belgian, was speculated among the coaches initially short-listed for the Super Eagles’ job. But Westerhof, before the naming of Austin Eguavoen, another member of his famous 1994 squad, strongly back Siasia for the job.
He remarked that he was in touch with the former striker as well as Austin Okocha whom he met with in London recently.
To Westerhof, Siasia has the same quality like Stephen Keshi to handle the Super Eagles. “He has done it before and I think he can still do it.”
The balls hit the nets 17 times this Sunday as the Nigeria Premier League Season 2024/25 burst into life this Sunday.
The first of the goals was from Plateau United’s Olawale Doyeni who converted a 24th minute penalty kick against Katsina United in an eventual 1-0 home win.
Another star-man of the the day is Enyimba’s Clinton Jephta who has become the season’s first hat-trickster. His three goals in the 65th , 70th and 73rd minutes sank heartland 3-1 in their home match.
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