We have come a long way since the beginning of the 2016/17 NPFL season which have had various twists and turns. We started the season on a sour note in Kano. 5 months later, we have come to the mid-point with another unpleasant incident in Gombe. Wrapped between these incidents that tried to hamper the league so far, the 20 teams have had their fair share of results after 19 matches played by each of the teams.

Matchday 19 was for Toni Okpotu who grabbed a hat-trick for Lobi Stars against visiting Sunshine Stars. Ndifreke Effiong was also one of the stars of the final Matchday before the break. He grabbed a brace for Abia Warriors as the Umuahia based side defeated Wikki Tourists 2-0. Plateau United returned to the top with an emphatic 3-0 bashing of Katsina United in Jos. They displaced MFM FC who lost 2-0 to Akwa United in Uyo. FC IfeanyiUbah needed two Godwin Obaje penalty kicks to see off a stubborn Shooting Stars side 2-1. The Oluyole Warriors stunned the host in the 21st minute thanks to Sunday Falaye. Remember that name.

Other results include a 1-0 home win for El-Kanemi Warriors over ABS FC and you know who the regular scorer in Maiduguri is – Samuel Mathias. Stephen Chukwude’s 41st minute freekick was all Enyimba needed in a 1-0 victory over Remo Stars. Niger Tornadoes were 1-0 winners over Kano Pillars.

Rangers FC and Rivers United took the opportunity to drag themselves out of the relegation zones after playing out their outstanding matches. After qualifying for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, Rivers United were defeated by Katsina United (2-0, away). They lost narrowly to Nasarawa United (1-0, away) before defeating Remo Stars 1-0 in Port Harcourt.

Rangers International FC, on the other hand, were 3-1 winners over Kano Pillars in Enugu. They also scored three against Wikki Tourists in their next game (3-2 home win) before losing 2-0 to Sunshine Stars in Akure. They were 1-0 winners over visiting table toppers Plateau United and rounded the first section of the season with an emphatic 3-3 draw at Gombe United. They allowed a 2-0 lead slip and were on the verge of losing 3-2 but Osas Okoro scored a late free kick in the 95th minute. Phew.

One look at the table and you could draw inferences from the positions of the teams. Plateau United, MFM FC and El-kanemi Warriors are in a three-house race for the title, separated by just two points. Plateau United and Kennedy Boboye have picked up more points on the road than any other team. Will they survive the remaining 19 games of the season? By this time last season, Plateau United were 17th, El-Kanemi Warriors were 13th and MFM had slipped down to 10th. The tables have turned around for them and El-kanemi Warriors have maintained their home ground as a fortress with Samuel Mathias guaranteed to score every day in Maiduguri.

The next set of clubs are within two points of themselves but at least three points off El-Kanemi Warriors in third position. Niger Tornadoes (30), Akwa United (29) and three Oriental teams – Abia Warriors (28), Enyimba (28), and FC IfeanyiUbah (28). They can still nurse chances of making the top three but will need to make necessary improvements. Akwa United started late but that away win in Kano have really lifted them up. Enyimba have allowed too many late goals in away matches and have been denied valuable points on the road. Can they hold on in the dying minutes of future games? Gbenga Ogunbote is doing well but I am sure 7th is not Felix Anyasi’s target.

At the bottom of the table is newly promoted Remo Stars. They are the only team that have lost two home games this season and it is one of the reasons they are rooted at the bottom of the table. It is very unlikely that they beat the drop but we would check back by Matchday 38. It is like FC Ikorodu United all over again. Wikki Tourists are next with 21 points in the 19th spot. They are the only team without an away point this season. This is a club that finished third in the three-horse race last season but faltered in the CAF Confederation Cup and seem to what to follow the path of Warri Wolves to the NNL.

Shooting Stars have been struggling with relegation since they returned to the NPFL. They are currently 18th and would need to do more to avoid the drop. Gombe United and Champions Rangers are separated by goal difference only with 23 points each. The Champions are just above the relegation zone but will need to do better in the second half of the matches they play. If second half results were considered alone, they would be the Atlas of the league.

This is the Nigeria Professional Football League and anything can happen in 19 weeks of football. Will Plateau United emerge champions or would the bigger names emerge from the blues to usurp the title? Will Remo Stars survive relegation? Will champions Rangers avoid the drop like the English Foxes? Who knows?

Bonus: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah), Ibrahim Alhassan (Akwa United), Sikiru Olatunbosun (MFM FC) and Stephen Odey (MFM FC) have been invited to the Super Eagles - good. Hopefully Rohr is impressed enough to feature them for the games to come. Their absence will be felt and I expect the other teams to take advantage.

@AmosCP

Image credit : NPFL website