A fierce and perhaps, fistful showdown are afoot when strugglers, Heartland Queens and Confluence Queens clash in Wednesday’s NWFL Premiership matchday 7 game at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, Imo state.
Wednesday’s matchup is the third time the artisans will be meeting each other in the elite league.
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Previously, the premier leaguers played in the same group last season, and the Lokoja side took an unfair share of four from possible six points off the Owerri mainstreams. And at the 2024 NWFL Premiership Super Six playoff in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, the Watersmeet side picked up the whole three points at stake with two un-replied goals.
The two sides missed themselves by some whiskers at the 2024 topmost preseason, Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT) in Benin City, and the Confluence City side were conspicuously missing at the 2024 Sheroes Cup in Abuja.
In 2023 Federation Cup Round of 16, the Owerri landladies ended the Lokoja side’s dreams for a possible podium dance in the nation’s oldest Cup competition.
When both sides met this time last season, the Owerri side were atop of the group’s log while the Lokoja side were just a point behind but this time around, the sides are poorly seated at the red zones and helplessly, too.
Prior to Wednesday’s dugout, the Owerri side were rudely upended with two unanswered goals by the former champions, Nasarawa Amazons in Lafia while the visitors, Confluence Queens fell by the same goal margin this time on home soil to the reigning champions, Edo Queens.
So the platform is set aright to further the rivalry between the twos who were up high cruising nicely in the immediate past season but this time around are finding it tough to clinch, at least, a win after six games in the ongoing season.
Unarguably, coach Obi Ogbala, the gaffer of the Owerri side, is not the happiest person at the moment but not one that shirks away from tough tasks and he knows he must find an answer on how to squeeze out an appeasing victory for the side’s waning support base and thereby end the first term on high.
Ogbala may still go for youth against experience in goal in the person of goalie, Amarachi Atulayo, while the trusted strong women, Oluomachi Onwere, Chisom Henry, Prisca Nwachukwu and Nnenna Williams may keep the backline and the middle will see the trio being shirted, Oluchi Okwara Samson Faith and Endurance Omoraka. And to get the needed goals and victory choices will be among the likes of captain Chimebere Opara, Emmanuella James, Onyinyechi Kalu, two-goal heroine Monica Matthew and Nigerian cadet player, Yetunde Ayantosho.
The Owerri side are seventh on the eight-team group log on two points, 14 behind leaders, Remo Stars Ladies and need an outright win badly to end the first term on high.
