Tag: NPFL

• Heartland  end 2023 with magic win against Remo Stars

Heartland FC produced their best performance of the season to beat Remo Stars 3-1 at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri while Enyimba FC survived a late penalty kick scare in Yenagoa to record the only away win of the Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 16 games played yesterday.

The Naze Millionaires started the game at the bottom of the table but  have  now moved to the 17^th  spot with 16 points after goals from Promise Anyanwu, Onyekachi Okafor and Ikechukwu Chinedu handed the Owerri-based  side their biggest win of the season. Sikiru Alimi scored the Sky Blue Stars’ only goal for his 11th goal of the season.

Despite the loss, Remo Stars are still atop the league table with 29 points and ahead of second placed Lobi Stars only on goals difference. The Pride of Benue pipped Niger Tornadoes 1-0 in Lafia through Kumaga Suur’s 75^th  minute strike.

Meanwhile at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, Enyimba bagged their second away win of the season following a 2-1 victory over Bayelsa United.

Ekene Awazie put the reigning champions in the ascendancy in the 65^th  minute but the Prosperity Boys equalised through Israel Consul six minutes later. Chijioke Mbaoma netted the winner from the penalty spot in the 81^st  minute.

Bayelsa United had a chance to equalise in the 85th minute after they were awarded a spot kick but Robert Mizo who could have drawn level with Alimi had he converted. Mizo missed the kick as the game ended 2-1. It is Bayelsa United’s third home loss of the season.

Enyimba are fourth in the log with 26 points and still with a game at hand while Bayelsa United are at the bottom of the log with 14 points.

Katsina United are now in the 11^th  spot with 20 points after Chidera Eze’s 21^st  minute penalty kick earned them the three points against Akwa United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina. The Promise Keepers are now 19^th  with 15 points.

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Abia Warriors thrashed Gombe United 3-1 in Umuahia to move to the eighth spot with 23 points while Enugu Rangers made it a memorable return to Enugu’s Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium after a 2-0 home win over Shooting Stars. Kalu Nweke and Chiedozie Okorie got the goals in the 27th and 90th minutes. The Flying Antelopes are ninth with 22 points.

Kano Pillars came back from a goal down to beat Kwara United at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano. The Harmony Boys scored first through Emmanuel Ogbole in the 14^th  minute before two late goals one in each half fetched them a home win. Sai Masu Gida are now sixth on the table with 25 points while the Harmony Boys are in the 12^th  spot with 19 points.

In Jos, Plateau United needed a late goal to beat Sporting Lagos. Albert Hilary rescued the Peace Boys for the umpteenth time with the winning strike in the 76th minute. Plateau United are fifth on the log with 25 points while Sporting Lagos are 15th with 17 points.

At the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers United were held to a 1-1 draw by Bendel Insurance. Chisom Okereke put the visitors ahead in the 20^th  minute before the Pride of Rivers’ skipper, Nyima Nwagua got the equaliser in the 38^th  minute.

Insurance are seventh with 24 points while Rivers United are 16^th  with 16 points but from 11 games.

After playing away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu for over two seasons the organizers of the Nigeria Premier Football League have accepted the request of Rangers International FC to return back home as from their next week home game with Shooting Stars.

Rangers have been making use of the Awka City Stadium, Awka for over two seasons but with the completion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu and the inspection from the NPFL the league body has written to the General Manager of the Flying Antelopes, Amobi Ezeaku that the club can return home as from their NPFL Matchday 16 tie with the Oluyole Warriors billed for December 28th, 2023.

The NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi wrote: “We refer to your letter on the above and the subsequent inspection exercise carried out by our team, and hereby convey our approval for the use of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu as your home ground with effect from Matchday 16 fixture involving Rangers Vs Shooting Stars in the 2023-24 NPFL season scheduled to take place on Thursday 28th  December, 2023.

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“You are to ensure that all necessary logistics are put in place for hitch free fixtures, both before, during and after the matches. The above is for your information and compliance, accept our sincere sporting regards.”

Rangers played a 1-1 draw away to Enyimba on Wednesday in a Matchday 15 tie and their return home to Enugu will be a big boost to Fidelis Ilechukwu and his boys ahead of their subsequent games.

Mandatory conduct of random tests for illicit drugs on players of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has commenced as all 20 clubs have been directed to facilitate the process for operatives of the National Anti-Doping Committee.

In a memo to Clubs signed by Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer, the anti-doping tests will be administered on two players from each of the clubs involved in a given fixture without prior notice.

The clubs were enjoined to extend maximum cooperation to the Anti-Doping agency in the discharge of the task that aims to cleanse the NPFL of real and rumoured doping scandals.

In the circular, Owumi reminded the clubs of the initiative to introduce random tests, noting, “Recall our earlier memo informing all clubs of the commencement of random drug test on Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players and be further informed that we have now completed all processes for its implementation by the National Anti-Doping Committee”.

It further informed the clubs of some of the requirements for full implementation of the doping checks, stating that “a Doping Control Systems office is to be activated at all NPFL stadium for this purpose and all clubs are therefore mandated to ensure a hitch free tests by the Committee”.

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Reiterating that the Test Operatives must not be hindered in carrying out the task, the memo went on to say, “note that relevant operatives of the National Anti-Doping Committee would be arriving your matches for this exercise without prior notice except for purposes of access to the stadium and for your players to submit to the test when demanded”.

The test involves collection of samples from four players two (2) from each team. The four (4) players will be selected by target testing in line with the International Standard for Testing and Investigation and the FIFA Anti-Doping Rules.

The NPFL insisted that it set out to implement the exercise in furtherance of the zero tolerance for doping by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), CAF and FIFA.

Kits for the tests arrived the country recently and selected operatives have since undergone training on its application.

It will be battle for supremacy between the second and third spots on the league table in Lafia this weekend as TUNDE LIADI profiles the big NPFL tie as well as other matches.

The top of the table showdown between Lobi Stars and Doma United billed for the Lafia Township Stadium headlines Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 14 fixtures slated for this weekend.

Lobi Stars, third on the league table with 23 points from 13 games are up against Doma United who are placed second with 25 points and are on nine games unbeaten streak. The Savannah Tigers have also kept 11 clean sheets from 13 matches.

The return of Dominic Iorfa has brought glad tidings to the Pride of Benue faithful with the club making it to the NPFL Championship Playoff in Lagos last season. The club has struggled most times in the past before his second return to the club.

Lobi Stars have tried to maintain that level of performance since the start of the ongoing season and have not left the top three. They were beaten 1-0 through a late goal in Eket last weekend against Akwa United and only a victory will help protect their winning home run and also help restore them closer to the first spot currently occupy by Remo Stars.

Bu they will have a tough task to stop rampaging Doma United who have not only gone nine games unbeaten run but also kept clean sheets in those games owing largely to their almost impregnable defence headed by in-form Goalkeeper, Osayi Kingdom.

What Doma United have done in the past two seasons has been very unprecedented. Their head coach, Akinade Onigbinde deserves a thumbs up and special recognition for the Savannah Tigers’ impressive form.

They narrowly missed out on playoffs spot last season but they are on the cusp of finishing in the top three if they are able to maintain almost the same level of consistency for the remaining part of the season.

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Both teams met for the first time in the top flight last season with Lobi Stars winning 2-0 in Makurdi on 19th February before the Savannah Tigers returned the same favour in the return leg on March 26th .

In the other games, league leaders, Remo Stars, are away to Kano Pillars who are eighth on the log with 19 points.

Rangers International FC will strive to return to winning ways when slug it out with Sporting Lagos at the Awka Township Stadium while Katsina United will have to put their internal issues behind them when they clash with Bendel Insurance on Saturday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina.

In Owerri, Heartland FC will hope to shrug off the disappointment of their 2-0 away loss to Gombe United when they host Akwa United at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

Rivers United and Enyimba’s fixture which should have been the star game of the week has been shifted because of the former’s CAF Confederation Cup tie with Club Africain of Tunisia in Tunis next week Wednesday.

NPFL Matchday 14 Fixtures

Rangers International vs Sporting Lagos

Rivers United vs Enyimba (Postponed)

Abia Warriors vs Shooting Stars

Katsina United vs Bendel Insurance

Sunshine Stars vs Gombe United

Heartland FC vs Akwa United

Lobi Stars vs Doma United

Kano Pillars vs Remo Stars

Kwara United vs Niger Tornadoes

Plateau United vs Bayelsa United