By Kehinde Osagiede
It looks certain that the second round of the Nigeria National League (NNL) 2021/2022 football season will resume this weekend as scheduled.
This followed the assurances given by the chief Operating officer of the Nigeria National League, Emmanuel Adesanya that the May 13 date fixed for the resumption of the second round is sacrosanct.
With fixtures already released, it will be a busy week for the most important football league in Nigeria as the 46 participanting teams will be slugging it out in the process that will only produce four teams for promotion to the elite division the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
As four teams will be jostling for a place in the country’s elite division NPFL upon qualification while some,most of whom are new entrants will be working hard to take the pride of sustaining their stay on the most important league. On the other hand, others who are familiar with the terrain will be battling to stay above the red zone and avoid embarrassing situation of dropping to the NLO environment.
In the southern conference, Group B1,Bendel Insurance FC will be playing host to Adoration FC on Saturday evening at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City. Time is 6:00 PM as usual.
In the other fixtures of the group B1, Abeokuta Stormers are also at home against J. Atete FC while Ibom Youth FC will be visitors at Osun Utd.
Group B1 leaders Gateway Utd FC will be hosting Ekiti Utd just as Lagos based sides Ikorodu City FC and Vandrezzer FC will host Campos FC and Giant Brillars FC on Saturday and Friday respectively at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.
Insurance FC are second on the Group B1 with 21 points, a point close to Gateway Utd. The Benin Arsenal,no doubt will be in aggressive mood when they file out against the Enugu based side on Saturday to cancel the 1-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of their visitors Adoration FC in their last game of the first round at the UNEC Stadium, Enugu.
With the new arrangement in place that the first top finishers in each of the four groups spread across the country get direct tickets for promotion before super 4 tournament would be organised to determine the champions of the NNL season 2021/22 unlike the old structure whereby two top finishers are picked from each group to play in the super 8 tournament,the second round of the most important league in the country Promises to be explosive and interesting as the battle for the crown and survival continues on Friday, May 13,2022.
Which four clubs are destined to qualify for promotion to NPFL and who get the NNL trophy?
The best four winners would be determined at the end of the season.
