Believe it or not, Nigerian football is one of the most entertaining sporting events in the world. It’s just that most football fans are focused on major leagues like the Premier League or La Liga. Similar to the status of the English Premier League in the UK, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is regarded as the highest level of Nigerian football league organized by the League Management Company (LMC).
The NPFL’s 2020-21 season is also the league’s 50th season and the 31st since its rebranding. Here are some of the highlights of Nigerian football.
Kwara United’s Draw Match
Although Enyimba were the defending champions in the 2019-20 season, Kwara United is currently at the top of the leaderboard. The team was able to remain at the top of the leaderboard after a forced draw match against the Wikki Tourists on March 7.
Both teams played an exciting game as Giant Elephant’s Chinedu Udeagha and Harmony Boys’ Ajibola Adeleke both scored goals. Udeagha scored a goal first but Kwara United got their reward when Adeleke stepped into the field in the final 10 minutes. There is no doubt that sportybet betting spectators did not expect this result.
Auwalu’s Freekick
The latest match between Enugu Rangers and Kano Pillars was a 1-1 draw. The first goal was scored by Rangers’ Ernest Governor in the 9th minute. Midfielder Yusuf Bala Maigoro of Kano Pillars was also given a straight red card after pulling down a Ranger.
Spectators were surprised by how the Rangers dominated the field with a well-coordinated play. However, Kano Pillars’ Auwalu Ali Malam’s freekick ended the match in a draw. Pillars coach, Lionel Soccia admitted that it was definitely one of the toughest matches of the season but both teams were able to pull it off.
With this, the Enugu Rangers is in the 2nd position to be followed by Kano Pillars.
‘We know it is going to be a tough match because Pillars have been very strong. It was a good game for us, we have a point’, Rangers’ head coach Salisu Yusuf said.
Enyimba’s Home Win
The team had a good start in a match against Al-Ahly in the CAF Confederation Cup and ended the game in a 2-1 win. The goals of the team were scored by Augustine Oladapo and Victor Mbaoma. Ahly also showed a good fight by scoring a goal but still failed to bring home the bacon.
Even with this victory, spectators say that the team is at the 4th position because they are playing in both NPFL and CAF Confederation Cup. Nevertheless, there is still a big chance for the team to claim their crown once again.
The Goalless Draw
Both Akwa United and Warri Wolves showed an impressive game. However, the match ended in a goalless draw. The game had a few clear cut chances with the Wolves goalkeeper Pwadadi Bulus great saves.
Akwa United, also known as The Promise Keepers, managed to increase their chances of scoring a goal in the first half. During the second half, Charles Atshimene also drew a good save after hitting the target from David Philip. With this, Akwa United is in the top 10 while the Warri Wolves is one of the lowest-ranking teams in the current NPFL season.
Nasarawa United’s Victory
Ikenna Ofor of Nasarawa United became the hero of the team when he scored a goal in the 49th minute. The Lobi Stars showed a good start while Nasarawa United struggled in the first 45 minutes. It is also obvious that both teams found it difficult to find the rhythm of the game. As a matter of fact, they went to halftime break without scoring a goal.
With the ongoing season, sportybet betting fans are definitely keeping up with the latest odds. There are still a lot of matches to play this season so teams can still push for a better finish.