Akwa United and MFM start the second round
of the season in the top-five and their coaches
have made it clear that they intend to
challenge for the title, or end up in the top-
three at the end of this campaign.
MFM coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his Akwa
United counterpart, Abdu Maikaba are known
for setting up their teams to play expansive
style of football – pressing play, short passes
and use of wide men.
The two teams have scored a joint 47 goals
after 19 rounds of matches – 13 per cent of
the total goals recorded so far this and that
should shape the game as a contest that will
involve goals as their last three NPFL meetings
have produced nine goals.
In Stephen Odey, MFM can boast of one of the
free-scoring talent in the country at the
moment. Odey has scored 14 times and
provided two assists in 16 appearances. There
is also Sikiru Olatunbosun whose mazy runs
and intricate style has seen his goal against
Rangers earn Worldwide acclaim and voted
CNN Goal of the Week.
On the other hand, Maikaba’s Promise Keepers
are not in the city of Lagos for just sight-
seeing. This time they have quite a squad with
the like of Alhassan Ibrahim, Christian
Pyagbara, Moses Ebiye, Amaechi Orji as well as
former MFM boys, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi and Musa
Newman, who can all change a game on its
head.
Last season, Akwa United found no joy at the
Agege Stadium in this same fixture. Their off-
colour performance meant they were outplayed
and dismissed three-nil by a very mobile MFM
team on the last day of April last year.
Interestingly, Odey and Olatunbosun scored the
goals with the latter helping himself to a brace.
Under Maikaba this time, Akwa United have
become one of the teams to watch despite an
early season blip that saw them winless in their
opening five matches. In the reverse game at
the Nest of Champions, Akwa United hit MFM
2-0 with Alhassan and Ubong Friday
accounting for the goals.
Alhassan just like his team will be hoping to
catch up with Odey in the race for the top
scorer. However by the time referee Abdullahi
Shuaibu ends proceedings it is hoped that this
tantalizing fixture will live up to its billing –
having produced two plus goals in each of its
last three matches.
In Port Harcourt, two of the league’s best
defending sides square up at the Yakubu
Gowon Stadium. Rivers United, also with the
headache of goalscoring – 12 goals in 19
matches – play hosts to Nasarawa United who
have the safest hands in the country in Suraj
Ayeleso. The Nasarawa United goalkeeper has
kept eight clean sheets in 19 appearances so
far and will go up against a blunt Rivers United
frontline as it seems.
More than 200 kilometres away from Port
Harcourt, the NPFL champions Rangers will
hope to put their relegation worries to bed
when they host Gombe United having played
out a 3-3 draw just over a week ago.
League leaders Plateau United hit the road to
face Katsina United. This game is a banana
peel for Kennedy Boboye and his table-toppers
who are seeking to land a first league title.
Six other matches will take place in Akure,
Bauchi, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kano and Sagamu.
Matchday 20 Fixtures
Saturday, 20 May, 2017
Rivers United v Nasarawa United
Sunday, 21 May, 2017
Remo Stars v Enyimba
Katsina United v Plateau United
Rangers v Gombe United
Wikki Tourists v Abia Warriors
ABS v El-Kanemi Warriors
MFM v Akwa United
Kano Pillars v Niger Tornadoes
Shooting Stars v FC Ifeanyiubah
Sunshine Stars v Lobi Stars http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/npfl-returns-mouthwatering-fixtures/