NPFL: Rangers, Shooting Stars Take Search For First Away Win To Akure and Ilorin
Finidi hopeful performance level will improve as Enyimba face Pillars in Kano
Rangers international of Enugu and Shooting Stars of Ibadan will be seeking for their first away win in the ongoing NPFL season to Akure and Ilorin
respectively when the match week eight of the competition NPFL takes centre stage this weekend.
Rangers defeated Heartland of Owerri 2-0 at the weekend in Awka to make it four consecutive home wins this season but the Flying Antelopes have only gained
a point away from home.
The ‘Flying Antelopes’ have not won away in the competition since March 2023 when they defeated Akwa United 3-0 at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo.
The same page Shooting Stars have copied from as the Oluyole Warriors’ are yet to win a game away from home this season.
The last time Shooting Stars won an away game was in April this year when they defeated Kwara United 1-0 at the Akure Township stadium where the Ilorin
outfit played their home games at the time.
Meanwhile, the game between Heartland of Owerri and Bayelsa United have been postponed due to the Governorship elections holding in the two states of Imo and
Bayelsa this weekend.
Like Rangers and Shooting Stars, Enyimba of Aba will also be gunning for their first away win of the season when they visit the Sanni Abacha stadium in the
ancient city of Kano to face their host, Kano Pillars who have only lost twice at home since January 2022 ( to Rivers United and Plateau United).
Enyimba head coach, Finidi George is however hopeful the People’s Elephant’s performance level will improve after watching his side laboured to a 1-0 win
against Kwara United in Aba.
Forward Chijioke Mbaoma converted a penalty in added time of the first half to hand the NPFL champions maximum points – a win that lifted the team further up
on the standings.
It is also the second consecutive game without conceding a goal by the People’s Elephant following back-to-back defeats in the inaugural African Football
League (AFL).
Finidi told the club’s official website he has put the African Football League exit behind and is looking forward to competing favourably in the NPFL.
‘Continental is continental, that one (AFL) is gone,’ he noted. ‘We competed but it was not enough. So, this is where we belong.
‘The league has kicked off, we just want to see how we can be winning games. If we are not winning, then we shouldn’t lose, especially in away matches, then
we can come back to solidify. I think that is the way forward.’
