Author: Felix Egbomuche
Another game week have come and gone and we have witnessed another round of excitement in the NPFL. As usual we come with our weekly briefing on the biggest talking points from the game week. Insurance At It Again As was the case last season, Bendel Insurance have won their first two home games of the new NPFL campaign and have now shot to the top of the table despite having a game in hand. The Benin Arsenal defeated Plateau United 1-0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to maintain their perfect start to the season. Monday Odigie’s men are one…
Chance To Go Top For Bendel Insurance After a comfortable 2-0 win against Shooting Stars last weekend, Bendel Insurance can go top of the league with a win against Plateau United on Saturday. Monday Odigie’s men host the Peace Boys in Benin in what would be the third-ever meeting between both sides. The Benin Arsenal are undefeated against their visitors and would strive to keep it that way. The chances of that record remaining intact is very high with the 2023 Federation Cup winners unbeaten at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium since September 2021. For United, they need to find their…
After another round of games in the NPFL, we highlight some of the biggest talking points. From the fans’ support to the exciting goals scored, game week two delivered on many fronts. Home teams maintain Dominance As was the case last week, teams continue to make their home advantage count. Nine of the ten games on match day two saw the hosts pick up maximum points, that’s two more than the 7 from the opening week. And if not for Lobi and Sporting who’ve picked up draws on their travels, it would have been 100% home wins so far. At…
Remo Stars head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede has talked up the ‘rivalry’ between him and his friend Fidelis Ilechukwu. Ogunmodede and Ilechukwu are close pals off the pitch but on Sunday they will be in opposing dugouts fighting for points and bragging rights. Last season, the Remo Stars coach edged the tactical battle between both men with a win and a draw against Plateau United, the team Ilechukwu managed last season. Fidelis has since moved to Rangers and will be leading his new team to Ikenne where they will be looking to build on their win from the opening match day.…
The first weekend of the NPFL 2023/2024 season saw mouth-watering clashes as teams looked to get off to flying starts. 23 goals were scored from 8 match centers and we also saw the first hattrick of the season. Here, this writer takes a look at the biggest talking points across the grounds. Super-sub Rescue For Home Sides On a weekend when points were crucial to try and make a good start to the season, everyone had to be on their game, including players coming off the bench. And that was the case with 7 substitutes scoring vital goals to help…
1. Another Opening Day Goal Fest Last season, games between Shooting Stars and Plateau United produced the most goals over two legs in the league. Gbenga Ogunbote’s side relinquished a two-goal lead in the second half to draw 3-3 in their first game in Jos but they held on despite a late onslaught to win 3-2 in the reverse fixture. The Oluyole Warriors have had a good summer window and will be hoping it reflects on the pitch against a Plateau side that are going through a rebuild after the departure of Fidelis Ilechukwu and the appointment of former Enugu…
For the 5th consecutive season, there won’t be a Nigerian team in the group stage of the CAF Champions League. Both of the country’s representatives this season were knocked out in painful circumstances in the first preliminary round. Enyimba were eliminated after a narrow 4-3 defeat to Al Ahly Benghazi in Libya and a barren draw in Aba. Remo Stars were pipped on even more excruciating conditions, losing on penalties to Ghanaian champions, Medeama after a 1-1 draw. In the CAF Confederation Cup, the situation is a bit palatable. Nigeria have had at least a team in the group stage…
Former FIFA badge referee, Anietie Ferdinand Udoh has backed his erstwhile colleagues after they were snubbed by CAF in the selection for referees to officiate at next year’s Nations Cup. CAF released a 69-man list of match officials on Tuesday. the referees will undergo a preparatory course to get them ready for the continental championship which will be held between 13 January and 11 February 2024 in Cote d’Ivoire. There was no Nigerian among the 32 referees, 33 assistant referees, and 4 VAR referees listed. Following the publication of the list, Nigerians expressed their disappointment both online and offline on…
Sporting Lagos chairman, Godwin Enakhena has made the bold claim that his side will be gunning for the title when the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League season kicks off. The Lagos-based side will be competing in the top flight for the first time after gaining promotion from the Nigeria National League last season. But the veteran sports journalist cum administrator believes everything is in place for them to win the league or at least qualify for the continent. “We want to win the league,” Godwin says in a bullish fashion while speaking to Felix Egbomuche on Sports Vibes on Lasgidi…
The 2023-24 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season begins on Saturday in Ibadan at the Adamasingba Stadium with Gbenga Ogunbote’s Shooting Stars hosting Plateau United who have a new gaffer in Mbwas Mangut. Last season both sides faced off in the opening week and served a 6-goal thriller, hopefully, they serve us another cracker. No team in the past decade has managed to retain the title and Enyimba will surely be hoping to do it this time around but the other top teams wouldn’t want that to happen. We have asked six journalists who cover the league a couple of…