After mixed outings in the opening matchweek of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), not much separates all of the 20 clubs so far in the standings. They will go again this Saturday, Sunday and Monday in mouthwatering fixtures that pit the old guards against the newbies.
Last weekend, there was a lean spell of goals in the 10 matches that opened the campaign.
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Only nine goals were scored, less than a goal per game. It turned to be a good day for the defenders and goalkeepers who shut out the strikers.
The fixtures for Matchday 2 look finely balanced and a number of the matches have the trappings to produce many goals, considering previous head-to-head meetings.
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Old foes start matchweek as bottom-two
When Alfa Sadiq signals for the start of this matchweek’s first fixture in Benin City, two traditional rivals, Bendel Insurance and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), will be battling as 20th and 19th placed teams.
Both sides began the season on losing note – 3SC fell 0-1 at home to Bayelsa United while Bendel Insurance lost 0-2 at El-Kanemi Warriors.
Last season in this corresponding fixture, Insurance edged past 3SC 1-0 through Michael Enaruna’s late goal. Enaruna, like a number of Insurance players from last season, has moved on to newcomers, Barau FC, but this does not take away the advantage that Insurance have posted over their rivals especially when they play hosts in this fixture.
Head coach of 3SC, Nurudeen Aweroro, will have to work on the psyche of his players to banish the club’s poor recent trips to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. In their last five trips to Benin City, 3SC have avoided defeat just once (D1 L4).
The other times 3SC avoided defeat in Benin City was in February 1998 and July 1999 when they played out 2-2 and 1-1 draws respectively.
Bendel Insurance head coach, Greg Ikhenoba, and Aweroro, will hope their teams can put points on the board and score goals as well after watching their sides fire blanks on the opening day.
Champions in tricky trip to Aba without Mbaoma
The champions, Remo Stars, will also be looking to claim their first win of the season after the 1-1 draw at home to Rivers United in the first game of the season.
[Credit: NPFL Media]
The striker returned to Remo Stars in the off-season transfer window and immediately got off the mark in the opening game before leaving the pitch early with a rib injury which his head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, told npfl.ng has ruled him out of the trip for Monday’s match.
Ogunmodede’s explanation borders on taking precautionary measures on the striker since they have subsequent league games and a CAF Champions League match coming up in September.
“Victor will not be available for the match (against Kun Khalifat FC),” Ogunmodede, also known as Ijaball, revealed to npfl.ng.
“The extent of the (rib) injury has not be fully ascertained and we are still monitoring his situation which rules him out of the game entirely.”
Mbaoma’s absence could pave way for Remo Stars’ Malian striker, Adama Goita, to earn his first start of the season.
It is the first time both teams will meet in the topflight and the odds are in favour of the champions though Obinna Uzoho and his men will hope they can hold off another big team like they did in the opening matchday at Rangers where they got a point off a 0-0 draw.
Sunday night football in Lagos
Talk of holding off for a point, Ikorodu City started their season with a 0-0 draw at Kwara United despite featuring nine NPFL debutants and a new head coach in Ali Kandil after the departure of Aweroro to Shooting Stars.
[Credit: Ikorodu City X Page]
Last season, which was City’s debut campaign in the NPFL, they scored 48 goals at home, 15 more than champions Remo Stars who netted the second highest number of goals at home. So, NPFL followers will expect this game to flow with goals considering Kandil was part of City’s coaching setup under Aweroro’s management and will want to continue with the same team ethos.
Both teams have met just twice in the NPFL and City are unbeaten on both occasions (W1 D1). The Oga Boys saw off El-Kanemi 2-0 in this same fixture with Ayomide Cole and Shola Adelani scoring second half goals.
Both players were missing in City’s game at Kwara United but it is likely Adelani should be back in the team for El-Kanemi’s visit. Kabiru Dogo should have a full El-Kanemi squad including his opening matchweek goalscorers, Al’amin Umar and Daddy Abdulrahman, for the trip to Lagos except for suspended midfielder Zayyad Musa who got a straight red card against Bendel Insurance.
This first night game could turn out to be a test for Kandil’s side, now full of newcomers in the top division.
Big guns aim to find comfort at home
On the opening round of the season, the big boys found it difficult to eke out results. This time, they will have to do so in front of their supporters or else the pressure begins to pile up from here on.
Enyimba, Kano Pillars, Plateau United and Rivers United play on Sunday against Niger Tornadoes, Wikki Tourists, Katsina United and Cup holders, Kwara United, respectively.
All four clubs will hope to make playing at home count in order to get their first wins of the season. Enyimba under Stanley Eguma will be keen to kill off games at home after dropping so many points including a 1-1 draw in the same fixture with Tornadoes last season before Chinedu Ufere rescued them late on to cancel Godstime Joseph’s goal.
Four-time champions Kano Pillars have a star-loaded side with Ahmed Musa, Rabiu Ali, Abdullahi Musa, Auwalu Ali Malam and ball-playing midfielder Umar Sani Yakassai who impressed in the team’s 0-1 loss at Abia Warriors.
Wikki under former Kano Pillars head coach, Abdu Maikaba, will be prepared for the firepower of Sai Masu Gida. Last time both sides met in this same fixture, it ended 1-1 in June 2002. Pillars head coach, Evans Ogenyi, will hope for a better outing this time as he aims to guide his side to their first win of the season.
Shola Adegun has moved to stamp his coaching philosophy on Plateau United since he joined in the off-season window as head coach. His first game ended with a 0-1 loss at Wikki but the former Sporting Lagos manager will be keen to see his side get the full points on the board when Katsina United come calling.
Azeez Mohammed’s men suffered a shock 0-1 defeat to promoted side Warri Wolves last weekend and the trip to Jos looks Herculean as they failed to avoid defeat or even score in their last six visits. This gives Adegun’s men some kind of advantage.
A team with quite an advantage over their opponents this weekend are Rivers United. The Pride of Rivers have lost just twice in their last 13 NPFL head-to-head meetings with Kwara United (W5 D6 L2). Last time out in this fixture, Finidi George’s men had to turn things around through quickfire goals from Timothy Zachariah and David Benjamin after conceding early to Akeem Akanni’s goal to win 2-1. Tunde Sanni will hope his side’s Cup triumph last season can inspire them to grind out a result in Port Harcourt.
The other fixtures
The matchweek will also witness Wolves, who won on the road last weekend, play hosts to eight-time champions Rangers while Bayelsa United will want to make it two wins in two against newcomers Barau FC who will be heading to Yenagoa – a familiar stomping ground for their head coach, Ladan Bosso,who was in charge of the Bayelsa club last season. Nasarawa United will look to shake off their midweek misadventure to Ilorin when they play at their Lafia City Stadium against Abia Warriors on Sunday.
Suspensions
There are early suspensions this season for three players.
Rivers United captain, Temple Emekayi will not be part of Finidi’s plan for Matchweek 2. El-Kanemi’s Zayyad and Enyimba forward Mujeeb Odufeso will also miss out on this weekend’s games.
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The trio are suspended for the next three games starting from this matchday owing to straight red cards issued to them last weekend.
MATCHDAY 2 FIXTURES
Saturday, 30 August,
Bendel Insurance v 3SC
Sunday, 31 August,
Warri Wolves v Rangers
Bayelsa United v Barau FC
Enyimba v Niger Tornadoes
Kano Pillars v Wikki Tourists
Plateau United v Katsina United
Rivers United v Kwara United
Nasarawa United v Abia Warriors
Ikorodu City v El-Kanemi Warriors (5:30pm)
Monday, 1 September
Kun Khalifat FC v Remo Stars
