With Rangers going into the last Matchday as champions of the 2023/24 season of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Sunday, the other major decisions to be made at the end of the 10 games across the country include the other team that will join the Flying Antelopes in representing the country in the 2024/25 CAF Champions League. In the chase for second spot three clubs – Remo Stars, Enyimba and Shooting Stars.
For the only CAF Confederation Cup ticket through the NPFL, the content involve those three teams, as well as Plateau United and Lobi Stars.
Bottom-of-the-table Gombe United and Heartland are already relegated, and unless a miracle happens, Doma United are also down. Doma’s loss at home on Wednesday to Sunshine Stars in a rescheduled fixture appeared to be the final nail on their aspiration to stay on in the topflight league. To survive, the Savannah Tigers will not only have to beat continental ticket-chasing Remo Stars at home, score as many goals as 15, and expect both Sporting Lagos and Akwa United to be defeated by Shooting Stars (in Ibadan) and Rivers United (in Uyo).
In the relegation battle are also Kano Pillars, Kwara United, Niger Tornadoes and Bayelsa United. To be sure of safety, Pillars only need to avoid defeat to visiting Lobi Stars, while Kwara United, Niger Tornadoes and Bayelsa United will do themselves well by winning.
Meanwhile, 822 goals have been scored going into the last game of the season, 70 of them from the spot. With 370 matches played, that is an average of two+ goals per fixture.
In the 370 matches so far, 255 home victories were recorded, while 29 wins were recorded by away sides.
2023/24 NPFL statistics (by end of Matchday 37)
Matches played – 370
Matches won – 284
Matches lost – 284
Matches drawn – 86
Goals scored – 822
Average goal(s) per match – 2
Home victories – 255
Away victory – 29
Home loss – 29
Away loss – 255
Penalty scored – 70
Penalty lost – 20
Penalties awarded – 90
Hat-tricks – 6
Double brace – 0
Own goal – 17
Yellow cards – 1,409
Red cards – 49
