El-Kanemi, Kano Pillars clash headlines NPFL Matchday 2 fixtures

Read Time:4 Minute, 14 Second

By George Akpayen

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) returns this Wednesday and Thursday with Matchday 2 and six matches are on offer with El-Kanemi Warriors versus Kano Pillars presenting a mouthwatering northern contest.

El-Kanemi and Kano Pillars have got their campaign this season to winning starts and occupy first and second positions respectively in Group B of the ranking.

Mohammed BabaGanaru’s men produced the biggest upset of the opening day on Sunday by winning at title hopeful Akwa United 1-0 through a very late goal from substitute Ba’akaka Ajikolo while Kano Pillars held on to Chinedu Sunday’s early goal to edge a valiant Heartland 1-0 at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

REALITY OF LIFE WITHOUT LOKOSA

Now four-time champions Kano Pillars know that they will have to move on without Junior Lokosa and the onus now rests on the shoulders of Nyima Nwagua who played as attacking partner to last season’s top scorer who has now joined Tunisian side Esperance.

Pillars interim head coach Kabiru Baleria is expected to stick to the same 11 that started against Heartland barring any injuries against a coach who knows the Kano club having previously had stints with them. BabaGanaru will relish the chance of making it two wins in two after watching from the sidelines at the Nest of Champions as his team benefited from the gaffe of Akwa United goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo.

WEDNESDAY’S MATCHES IN PERSPECTIVE

Three clubs Go Round FC, Niger Tornadoes and Rivers United will play their first matches of the season as the newly-promoted sides sit out for the second matchday after being excused to take rest following a hectic promotion playoff last week.

Rivers United will start their season away at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna where Niger Tornadoes will play hosts. In the last two trips away to Tornadoes, Stanley Eguma and his men have come up second best. Tornadoes have won the last two meetings 1-0 and 3-2 of this corresponding fixture and will hope that provides the fillip for them to start this season with a win like the previous past two campaigns.

After suffering a 0-2 defeat at Enyimba on Matchday 1, MFM FC will look to put life into their campaign this season when they play hosts to Kwara United who held Sunshine Stars to a 1-1. Fidelis Ilechukwu had hoped for “a fresh start” with MFM following high-profile departures of Onuwa Chukwuka, Sikiru Olatunbosun and Stanley Okorom in the off-season but his team met a super-charged Enyimba who knocked the wind out of their sails. MFM need to improve on their opening day outing when Kwara United come calling or find themselves gasping for survival early in the campaign.

Kwara United, on the other hand, will be disappointed that they struggled to carve open Sunshine Stars who lead by 1-0 for almost half of the match on Sunday before Seun Olulayo scored an own goal to save Abubakar Bala’s men the blushes of losing at home.

Former champions Heartland have been granted provisional clearance to play their home matches at the Okigwe Township Stadium as they regroup after losing by a goal to Kano Pillars. The Naze Millionaires play hosts to Plateau United who were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by an unrecognizable FC Ifeanyiubah side full of greenhorns. Heartland could well look to capitalize on the fact that Abdu Maikaba’s teams are slow-starters as Plateau United have shown in the opening game though it is still early days.

Maikaba is expected to alter his starting XI as striker Godwin Obaje is in line to start from the outset. Heartland have not beaten Plateau United in a league game since a 2-1 win in February 2011 as both teams look to make amends after their opening day performances.

Written off by pundits on the eve of the kickoff to the season, FC Ifeanyiubah now have the chance to throw their hat in the ring to finish up the ranking in Group B if they see off Nasarawa United. The Solid Miners have started with a win this time but have not enjoyed their last three trips to Nnewi which they have lost by same scoreline of 1-0.

After suffering their first-ever loss on the opening day, Abia Warriors will square up against Go Round FC. This will be only the second time both clubs will meet in the top division after Go Round won 1-0 last season when they hosted. Henry Makinwa is eyeing his first win in charge as Abia Warriors head coach.

MATCHDAY 2 FIXTURES

GROUP A
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Niger Tornadoes vs Rivers United
MFM FC vs Kwara United

GROUP B
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Abia Warriors vs Go Round FC
FC Ifeanyiubah vs Nasarawa United
Heartland vs Plateau United

Thursday, January 17, 2019
El-Kanemi Warriors vs Kano Pillars

POSTPONED MATCHES

GROUP A
Remo Stars vs Wikki Tourists
Katsina United vs Rangers Int’l
Sunshine Stars vs Lobi Stars
Bendel Insurance vs Enyimba

GROUP B
Kada City vs Yobe Desert Stars
Gombe United vs Akwa United