It’s just the first weekend of the 2015/2016 Nigerian Professional Football League season and there’s quite a lot to look forward to.
Judging by the outcome of this weekend’s games, almost all the ingredients needed to have an even better season than the last, seems to be on deck.
Kudos first of all, must go to the LMC. Yeah… say it’s too early. But, hey! They slated the kick-off of this new season for the just concluded weekend and so it was. Honestly, it is a first of its kind and long may such attitude, reign.
The League season kicked-off on Saturday at a capacity crowded Rwang Pam stadium in Jos, where Plateau United saw off Niger Tornadoes 2 – 1 in quite a nervy game. More than the result, was the presence of the fans in multitudes at the stadium.
A trend that continued the very next day, when remained fixtures were scheduled.
By 4;00pm Nigerian time on Sunday, nine various match centres across the nation were getting set for the first game NPFL season from the Onikan stadium in Lagos to the Dan Ayim stadium in Owerri and to all other venues.
And yes, in thousands, they filled the stadiums.
At the end of hostilities across all the venues, there was only one conclusion – What a season, this will be! Why?
• 17 goals were scored across different match venues in the country. That’s an over of 1.7 goals per-game.
• 17 different players had their names on the score sheet. Nobody scored more than a goal this weekend
• Four teams won away from home, three games ended in draws while only three home teams secured maximum points.
• Enyimba, the defending Champions, kick-started their season in a worst possible way – Losing away to Rivers United FC in Port Harcourt.
Having how various teams rigorously prepare for this new season with intense Pre-season trainings and some mouth-watering transfers (including 6 Brazilians).
It will be very difficult to state who I think will eventually win the League. Traditionally, my heart will pick the big boys, who over the recent seasons, have serially dominated the league. But with the results of fixtures from the first weekend, I’ll skip that beat.
Anyways, I can’t wait to get my first taste of live NPFL action. That will be this weekend, when MFM FC play their first home game of the season at the Agege stadium. I hope to see you there!
RESULTS FROM THE FIRST WEEKEND IN THE NPFL
SATURDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2016
PLATEAU UNITED 2 VS 1 NIGER TORNADOES (Charles Okafor 17’, Ibeh Johnson 87’ – Kunle Issa 64’)
SUNDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2016
GIWA 0 VS 1 IFEANYI UBAH (Seka Pascal 2’)
NASARAWA 1 VS 2 MFM (Ifeanyi Nweke 75’ – Newman Musa 18’ Chukwuka Emmanuel)
RIVERS UNITED 1 VS 0 ENYIMBA (Frederick Obomate 65’)
3SC 0 VS 1 LOBI STARS (Kingsley Eduwo 40’)
SUNSHINE STARS 1 VS 1 AKWA UNITED (Okiki 12’ – Friday Ubong 24’)
IKORODU UNITED 1 VS 1 ABIA WARRIORS (Agbane 49’ – Ndifreke Effiong 40’)
EL KANEMI WARRIORS 0 VS 1 WIKKI TOURIST (Godwin Obaje 70’)
HEARTLAND 0 VS 0 WARRI WOLVES
KANO PILLARS 2 VS 1 RANGERS (Gambo Mohammed 78’ Prince Aggreh 90+3’ – Madu 50’)
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NPFL Roundup done by Adebiyi Tobi
