NPFL Preview: Shooting, Remo Stars set for Titanic clash in Ibadan as title race, survival battles intensify

The 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League is heating up and the Matchday 34 weekend fixtures are set to deliver a host of mouth-watering encounters and storied rivalries across the country.

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The stars are shining brightly for Southwestern teams, except for Sunshine Stars, the team that’s been stuck in the shadows.

Remo Stars will face Shooting Stars in a fiery derby encounter at Adamasingba Stadium, seeking to build on their current seven-point cushion at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, Rivers United will host Sunshine Stars, who are currently 19th on the table, in what appears to be a more favourable fixture on paper.

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Abia Warriors, Ikorodu City and surprisingly Bendel Insurance with an upsurge in form after a wobbling firsthalf of the season complete the top 5 accordingly, with just 6 points the difference between 2nd and 5th on the log.

Heartland and Katsina United sit just above the relegation waters in 15th and 16th, with just 2 points better than Nasarawa United, who seemed to be mining for the NNL so far in 17th.

Akwa United despite an upturn in form with 3 wins and a draw in their last 5 matches are 18th, while Sunshine stars have forgotten how to shine this season in 19th, and are 13 points ahead of already relegated Lobi Stars in 20th.

***Kano Pillars are ready to face Enyimba***

Clash of the Titans – Enyimba vs. Kano Pillars

The day’s first match pits Enyimba International against Kano Pillars.

Enyimba, still reeling from their surprise President Federation Cup loss to Abakaliki FC, will look to draw inspiration from the underdog performance that knocked them out.

Meanwhile, Kano Pillars will be bolstered by the return of Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa, who rejoined the team after an injury layoff and could prove a key factor in their bid to take down Enyimba.

With one win two draws and two losses in the league the People’s Elephants are not in the best of forms, but will no doubts be confident to get a good outing with the home support behind them.

The Sai Masu Gida also are in an identical situation with a win, two draws and two losses in their last five outings, but will be very confident going into the clash with the timely return to action and form of Ahmed Musa who was on the score sheet in the last game for the Northerners.

While, the hosts will be seeking to regain lost grounds, and would be depending largely on home comforts, the Sai Masu Gida will be boosted by the 2-0 win at home in their last game, and would be hoping to at least share the spoils in Aba against a team some believe is a weakened Enyimba side.

This is a mouth-watering encounter any neutral fan should be watching out for!

***Can Shooting Stars outshine Remo in the Southwestern Derby***

Southwest Derby – Shooting Stars vs. Remo Stars

Continental hopefuls Shooting Stars will be seeking to put a dent on their Southwestern neighbors Remo Stars title charge, in one of the most talked about fixtures of the round.

With just a win in five games, the Oluyole Warriors will be hoping to get one over their rivals in the Southwest derby.

Having played a drab draw against another Southwestern team in Ikorodu City, the Warriors will be going all out to get a win to placate their teeming angry fans on home soil, who are still reeling from the draw against the Oga Boys.

Meanwhile, after a drab goalless draw on home soil in their last game, runaway league leaders Remo Stars will be going all out for the three points against the hosts, to create a 10 point gap between themselves and the chasing Rivers United in second.

Coach Finidi George’ men are hot on the heels of the Sky Blue Stars, and with a favourable home game against whopping boys in the league Sunshine Stars, they still harbour some form of believe to reduce the margin between them and the table toppers.

It’s the blockbuster battle of the stars in Ibadan, as first face sixth, may the best star win!

Other fixtures

Relegated Lobi Stars would be playing against defending champions Rangers International on “home soil”, and would be hoping to give the fans something to cheer about.

Rangers International, on 46 points and 6 points away from Ikorodu City in 4th place will be seeking to grab crucial away points as they continue their hot pursuit for a place on the continent again even though they were awful in the last campaign.

In Katsina, Katsina United will need to be at their best, and probably put up a better performance than the one that gave them a draw away to table toppers Remo Stars in Ikenne last weekend.

They have a tough assignment against visiting in-form Abia Warriors who are a surprise 3rd on the log, and have lost just once in their last 5 games; a narrow 2-1 loss in the eastern derby against Enyimba International.

In the reverse fixture, Abia Warriors defeated their hosts 2-0 on home soil, in Umuahia earlier in the season and will be hoping to do the double over their inconsistent hosts on Saturday in Katsina.

**Ikorodu City scored nine goals in their last two games**

Inconsistent Elkanemi Warriors will be hosting ‘the baby of the league’ Ikorodu City on home soil on Sunday

However, make no mistake, this ‘baby’ seem to have grown faster than their elders, and punching above their weight, as they currently sit in 4th place, just 10 points behind Southwestern neighbours and table toppers, Remo Stars.

Ikorodu City should not be underrated by the hosts.

El Kanemi will be without their head coach who is on national team assignment with the U-20 side, but will want to snap their poor run of form of just a win in five games, and a draw and a loss in the last two on home soil.

Though Maiduguri is a difficult terrain, the Oga Boys will be boosted with the back-to-back big wins in their last two games with a total score line of 9-0 on home soil, they will be hopeful of getting something back to Lagos from the far North.

In Kaduna, Niger Tornadoes will play host to Ladan Bosso’s Bayelsa United, in a must win game for mid table consistency, as two points separate both sides on the log.

The hosts on 12th and the away side on 10th, with 43 and 45 points respectively.

Tornadoes will want to avenge their 4-1 loss earlier in the season, and will be looking up to Super Eagles midfielder Papa Daniel since his comeback to the side from national assignment to deliver in that regards.

For Bosso, he will be boosted by the timely return to form of his boys with three wins and two draws in their last five games, and will want to continue the form.

Unbeaten in three matches with two wins and a draw, Heartland FC’s return to form could not have come anytime better than this, as they play hosts to an inconsistent Kwara United in Owerri.

Buoyed by the away win against Enugu Rangers at the cathedral last weekend, they’d be seeking to make it back to back wins on the bounce with home comforts.

Kwara United on their part will be seeking redemption, after last week’s loss against Bendel Insurance on home soil and to stop the rot of three losses, and a draw in five games.

READ ALSO: NPFL: Ikorodu City record historic 6-0 victory over Katsina United

The Afonja Warriors would need to be at their best to get anything from the game in Owerri.

From experience most coaches will say, they’d rather avoid a relegation battler towards the tale end of the season, as one wouldn’t be sure of what to expect from the team, but one thing is quite certain, they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The above is the case between 19th on the log Sunshine Stars (the Akure Gunners) and second on the log, Rivers United who is chasing down Remo Stars (7 points ahead) in the battle for the NPFL crown in the ongoing season.

The ‘Akure Gunners’ will be gunning for three points on away soil to give them a hope for survival in an otherwise forgettable season.

For the Finidi George led side; with three wins and two losses in five, they will be going all out to pile more misery on the Sunshine team side who have lost two and drawn three in their last five games.

Do the Akure Gunners have enough bullets in them to shoot for a golden three points on away soil?

Or would the well oiled and drilled pride of Rivers, make it a walk in park with three points to cut the lead at the top, and give them a chance at the title? Only 90 minutes action can tell.

Bendel Insurance will play host to the Solid Miners Nasarawa United in Benin under the floodlights, in a clash that can be taken by who wants it more.

While the hosts are in the race for the continent the visitors, are in a race to remain in the league.