After the mid-season break and the election layoff, action resumes in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this evening with Group B’s last placed team, Dakkada hosting Niger Tornadoes at the Nest of Champions in Uyo, while Rangers welcome Bayelsa United to Awka City Stadium. The remaining eight matches in the two sections of the league will be played tomorrow.
Dakkada must start their redemption with victory over Tornadoes, who are fifth in the log. In the nine matches of the first half, Dakkada posted only two wins and have seven points in all having shared honours away to struggling Bayelsa United.
Tornadoes won the first leg 1-0 at Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna requiring the 42nd minute strike of David Okoromi.
Ikon Allah have 12 points through three victories and the same number of draws. They are only three points away from the top 3, who will go on to challenge for the title against the top 3 of Group A.
Seven-time champions Rangers will be hoping to revive their campaign using relegation-threatened Bayelsa United. Four defeats and three draws in the opening half of the season means the Flying Antelopes are in seventh place on nine points, while Bayelsa are a point and a place below.
Both are not immune from relegation as the two teams in that zone – Wikki Tourists and Dakkada – are hot on their heels. While Wikki are only behind Bayelsa by goal difference, and a point short of Rangers; Dakkada have a point behind Bayelsa and two shy of Rangers’ haul.
If the high-flying Bendel Insurance are going to be stopped from soaring out of sight in Group A, this is the weekend to begin achieving that as they travel to the home of the league’s most successful side, Enyimba.
This southern clash headlines the beginning of the second half of the well-organised 22/23 season. Both teams rounded off the first stanza in Benin with Insurance clinching the three points in a 1-0 win on 19th February.
Enyimba would be looking to respond and inflict the first defeat of the season on their visitors, but Insurance have been seemingly invincible in what has become something of a storied season for the two-time champions in which they have remained unbeaten.
Scoring 23 points out of a possible 27 – after draws in two games – the Vipers are seven points clear of second-placed Enyimba. When you consider that the 10-team group boasts five past champions, Insurance success has been nothing short of remarkable.
Obioma v Osarenkhoe
Once again the league’s leading scorers Chukwuemeka Obioma and Imade Osarenkhoe clash in the Enyimba v Insurance game. Obioma’s seven goals put him one ahead of Osarenkhoe whose goal decided the contest when both sides clashed a month ago
But then this is sport, football no less, and it’s never quite over until the fat lady sings. Third-placed Akwa United have a decent chance to keep up pace with the frontrunners when they host struggling five-time champions, Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
In other games, Plateau United, who are fourth, host Gombe United; two spots below them.
Early season flyers Remo Stars have sunk to fifth after a run of poor results, but the Ikenne side bankrolled by billionaire sports betting tycoon, Kunle Soname have a chance to bounce back against relegation-threatened northern visitors Nassarawa United.
Tight race in Group B
In Group B, the picture at the top could change as the two leading sides face tricky opponents this weekend. Leaders Lobi Stars, who are on 19 points, travel to fifth-placed Doma United of Gombe, while defending champions Rivers United, a point behind the group leaders, welcome fourth-placed Abia Warriors.
Fixtures
Group B: Rangers v Bayelsa United, Dakkada v Niger Tornadoes (both 4 pm WAT) (Saturday)
Sunday
Group A: Enyimba v Bendel Insurance, Remo Stars v Nasarawa United, Kwara United v El-Kanemi Warriors, Plateau United v Gombe United, Akwa United v Shooting Stars (all 4 pm WAT)
Group B: Rivers United v Abia Warriors, Doma United v Lobi Stars, Wikki Tourists v Sunshine Stars
Courtesy: NPFL Media Unit
