NPFL Survival Battle: Amuneke needs a miracle to save Heartland from going down for the second season in a row!
Curtains will be drawn on the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, season on Sunday with the battle for survival at its most intense.
Two more teams out of the quintet of Katsina United, Niger Tornadoes, El Kanemi Warriors, Akwa United and Heartland will join Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars who confirmed their places in the Nigeria National League, NNL, long before this final matchday.
While three of the clubs hold their destinies in their hands, one of Heartland and Akwa United, who incidentally face each other in the final matchday fixture will need help from others to escape the drop.
Former Nigeria international winger, Emmanuel Amuneke, the technical manager at Heartland needs more than a win against the Promise Keepers from Uyo on Sunday to avoid going down to the second tier of Nigerian football league for the second straight season.
The Naze Millionaires found a way back to the NPFL last season despite ging down after buying the space of Beyond Limit FC who could not play in the top tier league because of its owner, Kunle Soname who also owns another team, Remo Stars already playing in the division.
Tornadoes on 48 points need only a draw when they host Ahmed Musa-led Kano Pillars who have nothing else to play for while Katsina United and El Kanemi Warriors need a win to be absolutely certain of staying in the Nigerian topflight league.
A draw on Sunday at the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri will see both Heartland and Akwa United relegated while a win for the host will still require one of Tornadoes, Katsina United and El Kanemi Warriors to drop points and pave the way for them to remain in the NPFL.
For Akwa United who have only kept a promise of bad performances with its fans since the beginning of the season, a win on Sunday can only be meaningful if either El Kanemi and Katsina United drop points in their final games against relegated Sunshine Stars in Maiduguri and Kwara United in Katsina respectively.
