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Opinions of Sunday, 11 July 2021

Columnist: Johnny Edward

NPFL: Adamawa, IfeanyiUbah, five others in relegation dogfight

With seven matches remaining in the Nigerian Professional Football League, seven teams are embroiled in a fight to avoid the drop to the Nigerian National League, Saturday PUNCH reports.

Four teams will be relegated from the topflight to the NNL at the end of the season.

The teams involved in the fight to avoid relegation are Adamawa United, IfeanyiUbah, Warri Wolves, Wikki Tourist, Abia Warriors, Sunshine Stars and Jigawa Golden Stars.

Adamawa United’s fate appears to be sealed as they are currently bottom of the NPFL table with 23 points from 31 games and they are eight points’ adrift 19th-placed Warri Wolves.

Despite this, the Yola-based outfit still stand a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation if they win all their remaining seven NPFL fixtures and hope four of the six teams battling for survival lose at least five of their remaining games.

Adamawa United have recorded only five wins, eight draws and 18 defeats this term. They also have the worst away record in the NPFL, with only one point on the road from (15 games) out of a possible 45.

The only point they earned on the road was a 1-1 stalemate against fellow strugglers Sunshine Stars in Akure on February 28.

Their remaining fixtures will see them face Sunshine Stars, Kwara United and Enugu Rangers at home, while they will be away to Lobi Stars, Dakkada, Abia Warriors and Wikki Tourist.

IfeanyiUbah and Warri Wolves, who occupy 18th and 19th place respectively are both tied on 31 points from 31 games.

Both teams play three of the top five NPFL teams battling for a place in next season’s CAF competitions.

They need at least five wins to stand a chance of avoiding the drop.

Wolves face Rivers United, Kwara United, Akwa United, Wikki Tourist, Jigawa Golden Stars, Heartland and IfeanyiUbah.

IfeanyiUbah on their part, will lock horns with Nasarawa United, Plateau United, Enyimba, Rivers United, Akwa United, Jigawa Stars and Warri Wolves.

Sunshine Stars, who have climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time under new coach Deji Ayeni, must maintain their new-found form if they hope to avoid going down.

The Akure Owena are currently 16th in the NPFL log and have amassed 33 points from 31 games.

They recorded back-to-back wins (against Wikki Tourist and Heartland FC) for the first time this season under Ayeni, who remains confident his side won’t be relegated.

“That is the target, to avoid relegation,” Ayeni told Saturday PUNCH.

“The wins we have recorded has restored confidence in the team and I believe that it will continue till the end of the season because we have the quality to stay up.”

From their remaining fixtures, they need four wins to retain their NPFL status at the end of the season.

Ayeni’s side will play Kano Pillars, Adamawa United, Katsina United, Nasarawa United, Plateau United, Enyimba and Rivers United. Jigawa Golden Stars, who are on a three-game losing streak, occupy 17th position on the log with 33 points from 31 games. They are tied on the same points with Sunshine Stars but have a -6 inferior goals difference to Akure-based Sunshine.

Golden Stars battle Plateau United, Enyimba, Rivers United, Akwa United, Warri Wolves, Ifeanyi Ubah and MFM in their remaining fixtures.

Wikki Tourist, who are 14th, also need at least three wins to move into the top half of the log. They face Enugu Rangers, Abia Warriors, Kwara United, Warri Wolves, Heartland, Kano Pillars and Adamawa United before the end of the season.