It’s derby weekend in the NPFL as Ikorodu City host 3SC, Enyimba face Abia Warriors

From the east to the west and the north central, it will be a derby weekend in the Nigeria Premier Football League matchday 12 fixtures just as first and second placed teams clash.

Abia Warriors will host Enyimba of Aba in one of the three derbies on offer this weekend. This Oriental derby is also an Abia state derby as the Umuahia based Abia Warriors host the Aba based Enyimba at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Umuahia, the capital of Abia state.

Enyimba, the more illustrious and successful of the two Abia state teams, won the two games last season, beating their guests 2-1 at the Enyimba international stadium in October 2023 and 1-0 in the reverse fixture in June this year in Umuahia.

The signs are not good for Abia Warriors who have lost the two Oriental games they have played this year, crashing 1-0 at the Nnmadi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu last month to Rangers and 2-0 at the Umuahia Township Stadium to Emmanuel Amuneke led Heartland early this month.

At the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Ikorodu City FC will face Shooting Stars of Ibadan in what will be their first South West derby in the Nigeria Premier Football League, and they will be hoping to start with a win.

The NPFL debutants are the form team going to this game on Sunday having won four of their last six games, including all three home games while the Oluyole Warriors have been bad travelers so far this season after losing six of the seven away games this season including the last four.

At the Kwara state sports complex, Kwara United will face Plateau United in a north central derby. The homers have won just two of their last five home games and drew the last time they hosted Rangers international of Enugu while the visitors are yet to win on the road this season and have lost their last three away games.

In Ikenne, Remo Stars will host Rivers United in a top-of-the-table clash.
While Remo Stars have won all their home games so far this season and drew 0-0 away at Enyimba last week, Rivers United have lost their last two games and have not won in their last three.

A win for the homers will see them go four points clear of George Finidi’s Rivers United while the visitors will go two clear if they win their third away game of the season.

In Enugu, reigning champions, Rangers International will look to compound the woes of bottom of the table Bendel Insurance and in the process extend their unbeaten run to five NPFL matches.

At the El Kanemi stadium in Maiduguri, El Kanemi will be seeking an immediate response after surrendering their unbeaten status in Ibadan last weekend, succumbing to a 3-0 loss to Shooting Stars of Ibadan.

They have won just two of their last five home games and this will give their guests, Niger Tornadoes the confidence they can return tsecure their third win away from home in their last six road trips.

Tornadoes have only lost once away from their Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna this season.

At the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, Knao Pillars will rely on the very influential former Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa as they look to win back-to-back home games for the first time this season while their guests, Emmanuel Amuneke’s Heartland will be seeking to make it four wins in a row and second on the road.