This weekend’s fixtures in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) will take place without last season’s top-three clubs, champions Rangers International, Rivers United and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).
All three clubs will be busy with continental football in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup. However, this match week will start at the Onikan Waterfront, where promoted sides, Inter Lagos and Doma United, go head-to-head in a first-ever NPFL meeting on Saturday.
Last matchday, Doma United saw off another Lagos club, Sporting Lagos 2-0 while Inter Lagos were defeated in this season’s opening match at Shooting Stars 1-2.
Shakiru Giwa will be keen to get his Inter Lagos side off the mark after that opening day defeat at Shooting Stars.
On Sunday, there will be five more matches with Nasarawa United going up against Bendel Insurance who have failed to win in their last five head-to-head meetings with the Lafia side (D2 L3).
Kun Khalifat FC will hope to end their winless run against Barau FC in the NPFL. Barau FC have won their only two head-to-head meetings with the Owerri-based club.
After suffering a 2-0 defeat at Rivers United on the opening day, Gbenga Ogunbote will surely push his men to go full throttle against Kwara United at the New Jos Stadium.
Kwara United, on the other hand, escaped an opening day defeat at home where they fought back from two goals down to earn a point thanks to Alex Jerry’s double against Kano Pillars.
Kano Pillars return to their Sani Abacha Stadium to play hosts to Niger Tornadoes after coming within seconds of clinching the first win on the road of the campaign in a 2-2 draw at Kwara United last weekend.
However, Daniel Ogunmodede must have checked up his side’s head-to-head meetings with Niger Tornadoes in recent seasons and noticed they have struggled to put points on the board.
In their last seven head-to-head NPFL meetings, Kano Pillars have managed just one win against Tornadoes (D2 L4) who began the season with a 2-1 win over Enyimba.
One of the promoted sides Ranchers Bees will play hosts to Abia Warriors at their adopted Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina.
The Lagos derby between Sporting Lagos and Ikorodu City earlier scheduled for this Sunday, has been rescheduled to September 30th owing to the unavailability of their home venue, the Mobolaji Johnson Arena billed to host a political activity.
