The 2021/2022 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League is gradually coming to an end with three matches remaining for each team for the completion of the eventful campaign.
With the point’s closeness and how tricky the bottom half of the league looks, we may likely see some surprising outcomes before the league comes to an end.
It is just four points separating Shooting Stars in 15th position and the team in the 19th placed Dakkada F.C on the table, with clubs between the range having chances of escaping relegation to the Nigeria league second division.
Recall, that four teams will be relegated to the Nigeria National League(NNL) as we take a look at some teams’ remaining matches and how it will determine their survival.
Shooting Stars
The Oluyole Warriors’ remaining matches include one home game against the season’s champions, Rivers United, and two away matches against Enugu Rangers and Kano Pillars.
Currently 15th on the NPFL table with 44 points, Shooting Stars face a tricky task ahead in the remaining games, with the home advantage and being that Rivers United already won the league title, 3SC can easily get the three points against the ‘The Pride Of Rivers’ in their only home game but the tricky task are the away matches against Enugu Rangers who are pushing for a continental football next season but might probably been hoping for a point.
And considering the hostility in this certain region of the country, there is little chance that 3SC can get any result against Kano Pillars in their last match of the league which leaves their hope hanging on the results from other teams in the bottom half of the league.
Abia Warriors
Abia Warriors currently placed 16th on the table with 43 points but have a much easier job to do given that they have two home games out of the remaining three matches and their remaining opponents have been guaranteed survival and nothing to worry about.
They will take on 9th placed Gombe United and 12th Lobi Stars in the two home matches which serve as a great advantage for Abia Warriors and can easily get 6 points from the games which could place them high on the league table if the results from other matches favour them.
The only difficult game for Abia Warriors is the away match in Uyo against 8th placed Akwa United which are pushing to secure a continental ticket for next season.
Niger Tornadoes
Despite being below Abia Warriors based on inferior goal difference, the Ikon Allah have a difficult task ahead of them in their last three remaining matches, including only one home game and two away matches which is of great disadvantage for them.
Niger Tornadoes will slug it out against the 20th placed team in the league, MFM F.C in their next game in the league.
Although they will be on road for the game, Tornadoes can hustle a draw in the match considering the current poor run of the Olukoya Boys and the nearly impossible chance of avoiding relegation at the end of the season.
Also, Tornadoes may face a tough test in their only home game against Heartland F.C who are also fighting for survival and will do everything within their capacity to achieve their goal.
Remo Stars with their focus on playing continental football next season will likely not come with a friendly approach against Niger Tornadoes in their last match of the league.
The inferior goal difference between the Ikoh Allah and Abia Warriors may also turn out to be a determining factor in the last matchday of the league.
Heartland FC
The Owerri-based club in the 18th position with 41 points also have tricky tests ahead of them but to their advantage, they have two home matches out of their remaining three games which are against Sunshine Stars of Akure, fellow relegation struggling side, Niger Tornadoes, and Kwara United.
Heartland’s game against 7th placed Sunshine Stars in their league match should be an easy win for them, considering the home advantage Heartland will enjoy and that Sunshine Stars have nothing to be fighting for,
Naze Millionaire’s toughest game in their remaining matches will be their away against 17th placed Niger Tornadoes who are likely to bring an all-out fight in their battle for survival in the encounter.
In their last game of the league, Heartland will be at home against Kwara United. Taking into account the home advantage for the Naze Millionaires and the poor away record of Kwara United, they may likely win the match and can only hope other results in the league come their way.
Dakkada F.C
Dakkada are up against an impossible mission in their remaining matches in the league against Katsina United, Enyimba International, and Sunshine Stars.
Despite the fact that they will be at home, Dakkada will face a hard fight against 14th-placed Katsina that will be looking to seal off their survival in their next match of the league and the Uyo-based club can only hope for the best against Enyimba who are in contention for continental football next.
Dakkada who will be at home in their last game of the league, are not expected to have many problems against Sunshine Stars in Uyo taking into account that the Owena Waves have not been doing well in their away matches.
MFM F.C
It is only a divine intervention that can save MFM from relegating to the Nigeria National League(NNL) at the end of the season and can only hope that Shooting Stars, Abia Warriors, Niger Tornadoes, Heartland, and Dakkada lose all of their remaining three matches and win theirs, to have any chance of escaping going down to Nigeria league second division.
The Olukoya Boys will play Niger Tornadoes, Kwara United, and Nasarawa United in their remaining games of the 2021/2022 NPFL season.
