Enyimba International of Aba and the Plateau United of Jos are among the three teams fighting for the one slot remaining in Group A of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) following Bendel Insurance and Akwa United lead in the group.
With five matches remaining to end the season, Matchday 13 fixtures hot up across 10 centres in the two groups of the abridged season this weekend.
It promises to be the showcase of the best of domestic league again with clubs either battling for playoffs or the task of remaining in the top flight beyond the season.
The star match is of course the royal rumble between eight-time league champions, Enyimba and 2017 winners, Plateau United in Aba on Sunday.
The two clubs are among the contenders for the three playoffs spots in Group A and are presently fourth and third with 18 points each in that order.
The road to two of the three slots to the playoffs is becoming clearer in Group A with Bendel Insurance amassing 26 points to hold a four point gap ahead of second placed Akwa United. The Promise Keepers are also ahead of third place Enyimba by four points.
Remo Stars who were hitherto in the third spot have slipped to the fifth spot with 18 points after three points and three goals were deducted from their total haul by the IMC among other forms of sanctions imposed on them in the aftermath of the crisis that took place during the halftime of their goalless home draw with Gombe United.
The sanction on Remo Stars changed the placements in Group A with Plateau United, Enyimba and Remo Stars now level on points with 18 from the third to the fifth position. The trio will slug it out for the slot with Bendel Insurance and Akwa United picking two of the three tickets available in the group for playoffs.
Pressure is mounting on Enyimba head coach, Finidi George to turn the tide against Plateau United after their 1-0 away loss to Akwa United last weekend.
Fidelis Ilechukwu’s Plateau United could not halt the unbeaten run of Bendel Insurance in Jos in their 1-1 home draw last weekend despite their pre-match boasting.