How the teams now stand on the #NPFL table after today's matches... Remo Stars Vs FCIU now on Tuesday 11/7/2017.

all d match officers flopped yesterday abs against sunshine stars. i was disappointed, i nt 4 God sunshine stars will lose d match.

Enyimba suspension snafu overshadows NPFL weekend



Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

ESPN.com | 9:53 AM FJT




Daniel Itodo produced another throw-in assist as Plateau United reopened their five-point lead at the top of the Nigerian Professional Football League table as Enyimba comprehensively put Niger Tornadoes to the sword only to find themselves in a spot of bother.

Going into the weekend with 10 games to go until the end of the Nigerian football season, action was expected to be fierce and so it proved.

In this feature, KweséESPN pick out the key talking points from the weekend's action.

Itodo throws league leaders back to top spot

Itodo threw his way to an eighth assist of the season as Plateau United hammered 10-man Akwa United 3-0.

The defender saw his long throw headed in by substitute striker Emeka Umeh with four minutes left of play to extend the home side's lead to 2-0 before Kabiru Umar turned in a stoppage-time free kick to make the game well and truly safe.

Plateau came into the game having lost 1-0 to El-Kanemi Warriors to see their lead at the top cut to just two points by MFM FC.

However, they wasted no time taking control, and were in front within 20 minutes when Ifeanyi Ifeanyi was adjudged to have handled and Emmanuel James despatched the resultant penalty.

Akwa United have surged up the table in recent weeks, climbing all the way up to third and have an eye on the title. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the boys from Uyo were causing the league leaders all sorts of breakaway problems, until Itodo intervened with his throw in.

The defender is now second on the assists table, with MFM FC's Sikiru Olatunbosun leading with nine.

Enyimba in costly suspension snafu

Enyimba picked up the second three-goal win of the weekend, dismissing Niger Tornadoes 3-0 on the back of goals from Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Chinonso Okonkwo and Stanley Dimgba.

That win saw them jump four places to third on the log, seven points behind leaders Plateau United. However, there's a snag...

Opening-goal hero Ibenegbu was supposed to be suspended for the game after accumulating five yellow cards, but played nonetheless.

Tornadoes have protested to the LMC and both parties now await a ruling.

If the league organizers rule against Enyimba, they will forfeit the game to Tornadoes. It's a shame, as Okonwo's third goal in two games would have to be nullified.

Sunshine Stars heap woe on ABS

Sunshine Stars posted the most significant win of the weekend, and perhaps the second half of the season so far, by downing ABS FC 4-2.

Sikiru Alimi, Ajibola Otegbeye, Abiodun Joseph and Ezekiel Thompson all scored for Sunshine, while Samuel Oyedeji and Chukwuebuka Anaekwe got the goals for the hosts.

With both sides still hovering over the relegation places, this could be a critical result for the duo. Sunshine moved up two places to 15th, while ABS dropped two places to 16th.

It was ABS FC's fourth poor result on the spin, following a 2-0 reverse at 3SC, a 1-1 home draw with Kano Pillars and a 2-1 loss at MFM for a return of just one point out of 12.

The club management were quick to respond, firing off a three-match ultimatum to coach Henry Makinwa and his team to win or get fired.

Okpotu chasing Odey

Lobi Stars lost 2-1 at Katsina United, but striker Tony Okpotu is not letting up in his chase for the top scorer's award.

He claimed Lobi's only goal to take his tally to 12, four goals behind leading scorer Stephen Odey.

Odey has only scored once since the beginning of the second round, and passed up the opportunity to take a penalty two match days ago which would most probably have added to his tally.

Abia Warriors' Sunday Adetunji also tied up with Okpotu, creating one and scoring one in his side's 2-0 defeat of Nasarawa United.

Nasarawa goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso failed to add to his league-leading clean-sheet tally, which he shares with Niger Tornadoes' Mustapha Aliko.

Food poisoning hits Remo Stars

No less than 10 Remo Stars players found themselves hospitalized after lunch on Sunday, forcing the club to appeal for a postponement of their fixture against FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

Club officials say the players were diagnosed with food poisoning and would be unable to honour the match.

It is as yet unclear how it happened, but club officials have told KweséESPN that an investigation would be undertaken to establish exactly what led to the incident.

See how my darling team is swimming inside relegation

Yesterday's NPFL Match.
Rivers United 1-0 MFM FC

It's a 10th #NPFL win for Rivers United FC this season But a 10th defeat of the campaign for MFMFC Lagos.

The league table after yesterday's game.

NPFL Clubs with wins On The Road this Season.

1)Plateau United
2)Akwa United
3)FC Ifeanyiubah
4)Enyimba
5)Lobi Stars
6)MFM FC
7)Abia Warriors
Sunshine Stars
9)Niger Tornadoes
10)El-kanemi Warriors

#LMCNPFL

Its weekend...big games coming up.

*NPFL Fixtures*

*Matchday 29 (Sunday 16th July)*

ABS FC vs Rivers
MFM FC vs Wikki Tourists
Shooting Stars vs Katsina utd
Kano Pillars vs Rangers IFC
Lobi Stars vs Remo Stars
FCIU vs Enyimba FC
Niger Tornadoes vs Plateau utd
Akwa utd vs Gombe
Sunshine stars vs Nassarawa utd
Elkanemi Warriors vs Abia Warriors.

Last week's away winner has just become this week's home victim. Sunshine stars lose to Nasarawa by 1 goal to nil.

Odey doesn't look like he will be caught but the record is another matter.

League Table after match day 29.

Push for most #NPFL clean sheets... A neck & neck race between Suraj Ayeleso & Mustapha Aliko so far

I think Gombe United will beat the drop. Tbh after watching them on Sunday I can't believe they are even in this position. Manu Garba is still one of the best in Nigeria.

LMC has also advised Kano Pillars to admonish their fans to avoid provocative actions that may lead to breakdown of law & order before, during & after the #NPFL match.

Today's league matches. Which team do you see picking the complete points. it's another day of serious action as the league draws closer to take final day.

To Get #NPFL highlights on the go via your mobile devices, Subscribe, download & watch

O boy, this midweek fixtures goes to the bookies, all punters should avoid today. The fixtures are just too balanced and unpredictable.

O my, do we get more away wins?
90+'Remo Stars - Shooting 0:1
87'Rivers United FC - Sunshine Stars 0:1

Rangers 1-0 MFM #RANMFM
Game stopped due to heavy rainfall. It resumes with second half from 8am Thursday.

#NPFL MATCHDAY 30 RESULTS
Wikki 1-0 ABS
Katsina 1-0 Pillars
Remo Stars 1-1 3SC
Enyimba 2-1 Lobi
Plateau Utd 1-0 FCIU
Gombe Utd 0-0 Tornadoes
Abia Warriors 0-0 Akwa
Nasarawa 2-1 El-Kanemi
Rivers Utd 0-1 Sunshine Stars

4 crazy minutes in Calabar #NPFL
85' Enyimba 0-1 Lobi
86' Enyimba 1-1 Lobi - Mfon Udoh
90' Enyimba 2-1 Lobi - Ikechukwu Ibenegbu

Lobi Stars Football Club striker Okpotu Anthony has now scored 65 goals in his
#NPFL career #ENYLOB

Sunshine Stars FC are the only team to win back-to-back away matches so far this #NPFL season #RIVSUN

DID YOU KNOW?
Enyimba FC were the previous team that won back-to-back #NPFL away games, last term.
Sunshine Stars FC achieved same yesterday

Today's Concluded match.
Rangers IFC 2-0 MFM FC

Updated league Table.

Akwa United FC Have not lost at home this season in NPFL game, and are yet to concede a goal at home in last 6 game. #AKWNAS

Plateau Utd have scored 9 away goals in the #NPFL this season; all from 9 different players. Variety. #NPFL

Most assists in the 2016/17 #NPFL
9 - Thomas Zenke (NAS)
9 - Sikiru Olatunbosun (MFM)
8 - Daniel Itodo (PLA)

Most away goals in the 2016/17 #NPFL
4 - S. Adetunji
3 - S. Odey
3 - D. Etor
3 - A. Okpotu
3 - J. Abiodun
3 - K. Eduwo
3 - M. Ubale

NPFL WK 31 Fixtures

Rivers vs Wikki Tourists
MFM FC vs Katsina
3SC vs Enyimba FC
FC Ifeanyi Ubah vs Gombe Utd
Kano Pillars vs Remo Stars
Akwa Utd vs Nassarawa Utd
Niger Tornadoes vs Abia Warriors
Sunshine Stars vs Elkanemi
Lobi Stars vs Plateau Utd
ABS vs Rangers

@EnyimbaFC & @FCIfeanyiUbah have conceded the least amount of goals [8] in the NPFL since the beginning of the 2nd stanza of this season.

On this day in 2016:
FT: Valencia 2-1 NPFLAllStars
(Alvaro Medan 10', Rodrigo Moreno 84' - Joseph Osadiaye 32')

On this day in 2015, @Official3SC recorded their only away win in the 2014/15 #NPFL
FT: Heartland 1-3 Shooting Stars
Venue: Oba, Anambra.

Three takeaways from the NPFL weekend


Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

With four rounds of Nigeria Professional Football League matches left, Remo Stars were officially confirmed as the first club to be relegated this season.

Defending champions Rangers, who have struggled this campaign, improved their chances of survival, and FC Ifeanyi Ubah found themselves in a spot of travel bother.

Here then, are three takeaways from this past weekend's NPFL action ...

PLATEAU UNITED GET ONE FOOT IN THE DOOR
This was set to be the game that all but handed Plateau United the title. Second-placed MFM FC came visiting with a three-point deficit, and needed a win to keep the fight going.

That was always going to be difficult in the best of circumstances, but the weather conspired to reduce the game to 'hoofball,' the very opposite of MFM's possession-based style.

Ibeh Johnson found the net for Plateau after just three minutes, and that was all she wrote. As the weather turned from bad to atrocious, football became even more difficult to play and United hung on for the 1-0 win.

Both sides were hit by absences, having contributed players to Nigeria's CHAN squad. Those absences made it somewhat fitting that John Gaadi, rather than the regular Dele Ajiboye, was in goal. It would be Gaadi's first ever title win in an NPFL career spanning almost 15 years if (when) they claim the crown.

RIVERS WIN RELEGATION DOGFIGHT, SEND REMO DOWN
Rivers United finally won an away game, and it took all of 34 matched to do so. To put this in perspective, this time last campaign, they had won two road games and were top of the table, looking over their shoulders at eventual champions Rangers. This time, while the focus was centred on the championship race, they were at the bottom, locked in a battle for survival with the other team in the most danger.

Rivers, in 18th place, travelled to bottom side Stars and did enough to claim their first away win of the season with two first half goals from Bernard Ovoke and Emeka Ogbugh, and a second half effort from Esosa Igbinoba. Ochowechi Salifu found late consolation for Remo as they lost 3-1 and went a 10th straight game without a win.

For Rivers, it is a huge change in fortunes from last season. They will now need to hold their nerve if they are to stay up.

TRAVEL TROUBLE FOR IFEANYI UBAH FC
Ifeanyi Ubah's game at El Kanemi Warriors had to be rescheduled to Monday morning after the Anambra-based club ran into a spot of travel bother. Their scheduled morning flight to Maiduguri on Sunday was delayed until late afternoon, meaning they failed to arrive the match venue on time.

They showed few signs of fatigue when play kicked off on Monday, taking the game to the hosts initially. That was not enough though, as Chibuzor Okonkwo blasted home a free-kick and substitute Bello Kofarmata converted a penalty for a 2-0 El Kanemi win, which kept the Warriors in the hunt for a place on the continent.

http://kwese.espn.com/football/nigeria-professional-league/story/3180168/three-takeaways-from-the-npfl-weekend