NPFL Preview: Incredible Ikorodu City looking to extend unbeaten run to seven games!

All eyes will be on debutants, Ikorodu City, who are seeking to extend their unbeaten run to seven games and earn their second away win when they take on Ladan Bosso’s Bayelsa United in a Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, matchday 16 tie at the Samson Siasia stadium in Yenagoa on Sunday.

The Oga Boys looked set to be making an immediate return to the Nigeria National League after losing four of their opening five games in their first season in the NPFL but two wins in their next three games set the tone for their incredible resurgence that made them the best team in the NPFL in November, winning four of their five games and drawing the fifth at Niger Tornadoes.

They are however up against a Bayelsa United team that has lost only one of their last six games and defeated Niger Tornadoes 4-1 in their last home game.
Ikorodu City will feel they are good enough to get at least a point in Yenagoa like Enyimba and Katsina United did on their visits in November.

In Enugu, defending champion, Rangers international will be gunning for their seventh win of the season, with six coming at the Cathedral, the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in Enugu when they host Rivers United in Enugu on Sunday.

The Flying Antelopes, as Rangers are called, have gone eight games undefeated since they lost 4-3 to an Ahmed Musa inspired Kano Pillars in Enugu in October but face a resurgent Rivers United led by former Nigeria winger and coach, George Finidi who have two and drawn two of their last four games.

The visitors have achieved two of their eight wins so far this season away from home and will feel they can become the second team after Kano Pillars to come to Enugu to pick all three points.

A win for Rangers can take them to within a point of league leaders Rivers United if other results go their way while the visitors will be sure of at least maintaining their three point lead at the top if they are able to secure their third away of the season.

In Jos, precisely at the Jos International stadium, Emmanuel Amuneke will be looking to start another unbeaten run and win for the second game in a row for the second time this season when they play their host, relegation haunted Plateau United on Sunday.

Kwara United snapped Heartland’s unbeaten run of five games late last month and the Naze Millionaires scored a last gasp winner to defeat Nasarawa United last weekend at the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri.

Amuneke and Heartland will be confident of starting another unbeaten run if they can secure their second away win of the season against a Plateau United team that has won five of their seven home games and have lost just once.

Remo Stars lost their 100% home record when they drew goalless with Rivers United in their penultimate home game but will look to start another impressive run and will, for the second home game in a row, be looking to win when they host El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri at the Remo Stars stadium in Ikenne on Sunday.

The Kunle Soname men know only a win can help them keep pace with Rivers United at the top of the NPFL log.

However, they face an El Kanemi Warriors team that has drawn four and won one of the seven games they have played away from the El Kanemi stadium in Maiduguri.
They have however lost their last two games on the road in the southwest to Shooting Stars and Ikorodu City.

In Umuahia, Abia Warriors will be seeking to win for the fifth time in eight home games when they host Niger Tornadoes at the Umuahia Township stadium.

The homers are however against a team that has won twice and drawn twice in their seven trips on the road so far albeit they not only lost 4-1 to Bayelsa United the last time they visited the southern part of Nigeria, they also lost the last time they visited the southeastern part of Nigeria in particular, losing 2-1 to Heartland at the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri.

At the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, Kano Pillars will be looking to return to winning ways when they face Katsina United in a matchday 16 tie after a three-game run of two draws and one defeat.

The Sai Masu Gida led by former Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa knows a win will take them to the top half of the table but will have to overcome the team that played good host to them when they played all their home games at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina until matchday 13 when they returned to Kano.

Pillars won this fixture last season (October 2023) but lost the return fixture in Katsina 3-2 in February this year.