January, 27 2023.
A full programme of mouthwatering fixtures are on the Card, as the revamped 2022/23 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) enters Day 4 this weekend, at designated match venues across the country.
The ten games across the two Groups are, headlined by two potentially explosive and intriguing encounters scheduled at the Ogbe Stadium, in Benin City, where Bendel Insurance will play host to in-form Remo Stars of Ikenne, and in Aba, where eight time Champions, Enyimba International are home to Kwara United of Ilorin.
After three round of matches played across board so far, promoted Insurance of Benin and Remo Stars are the only teams out there still with a perfect win record. With nine points apiece and three road victories under their belts collectively. All attention will be focused on this prospective thriller in Benin, on Saturday, but the twinkling stars from Remo in Ogun State, coached by David Ogundade, as the only team in the top flight yet to concede this season, and smarting from the 2-0 thrashing of 3SC of Ibadan, in derby on Wednesday, look good enough to cause Coach Monday Odigie's Edo Arsenal a handful of worries.
Still on Saturday, Kwara United will in Aba feel the might of Enyimba in Aba. The Afonja Warriors lost in Ibadan to Insurance in somewhat controversial circumstances, but victory against the Aba People's Elephant in their fortress is very unlikely.
Other Day 4 fixtures are slated for Sunday, and that includes the three other Group A ties, and all five Group B games.
Having lost their season opener at the Godswill Apkabio International Stadium, 2021 Champions, Akwa United has the opportunity to make amends, when battling Plateau United, in Uyo. The Promise Keepers drew goalless with Enyimba, before fully redeeming thier pride with a 3-0 maulling of Nasarawa United who hosted them in Jos.
Gombe United are good travellers, having drawn the two matches they played away from home so far, but can they shock an inform Akwa United side in thier backyard? Ninety minutes, and added time will tell.
Two promoted sides, Shooting Stars and El-kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri are pitted against each other, in a must win encounter for Coach Gbenga Ogunbote, whose 2 points so far has raised some eye brows amongst the ever volatile fan-base of the Oluyole Warriors.
In Group B, Lobi Stars are already in Jos for the visit of Bayelsa United, following the ban imposed on the Aper Akù Stadium in Makurdi, lately. It is left to be seen if Lobi Stars can build on their smash and grab a win away from Abia Warriors, in Umuahia and pick the maximum point.
Dakkada FC and reigning Champions, Rivers United are locked in a South South derby to be played in Uyo. Rangers Int’l walk a very tight rope, when facing a well oiled Niger Tornadoes side, in Minna.
With maximum points from their previous two matches already in the bag, the Ikon Allah Boys were harshly denied a goal against Rivers United in Port Harcourt, and having lost 1-2 on Wednesday, a struggling Rangers International with just one point so far, and under pressure to end their run of unimpressive results, could bear the brunt.
Elsewhere, Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors will slug it out in Akure, while Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, host new Boys, Doma United FC in an eagerly awaited North-East derby, that pits the two sides from the Old Bauchi State, against each other.
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