Edidiong STEPHEN
13th-placed Wikki Tourists will be executing only their third home fixture at the refurbished Abubakar Tafawa Baelwa Stadium, Bauchi, when they play hosts to 5th-placed Dakkada FC tomorrow, Sunday, February 2, in a Match Day Eighteen fixture of the Nigeria Professional Football League 2019/2020.
Dakkada who have racked up nine points as accrued from one win, six draws in eight matches on the road are NPFL’s away form table toppers and arrived Bauchi early on Friday exuding humongous levels of confidence.
Last Sunday, a ruthless Dakkada side needed a long range pile-driver from Osimaga Duke and a routine tap-in by Spencer Bassey after a majestic chest control by Femi Ajayi to see off the challenge a toothless Jigawa GS side who are still in search of their first away point of the campaign. With swagger and emerging certainty, the win took them to 7 wins and 6 draws in 17.
As the first half of the season winds down, the need to finish on a high is a compelling force which has combined well with an insatiable craving for away points to drive Coach Caleb Esu and his charges to tick all the right NPFL boxes so far.
Wikki Tourists on the other hand would appear a bit weakened with several first team players having departed to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
Reliable defender, Franklyn Ebuka, who spent two years at Akwa Starlets (now Dakkada FC) in the NNL has teamed up with Rangers from Wikki while midfielder Ukeme Williams is now on the payroll of two-time Aiteo Cup winners, Akwa United.
As Head Coach of Wikki, Usman Abdallah will put his unbeaten streak since assuming the reins on the line as he and his charges welcome the surprise act of this year’s NPFL – Dakkada.
The former Enyimba gaffer has overseen two away draws and one home win in the Wikki dugout since taking over from Garba Ibrahim who has since been redeployed to the Bauchi State Sports Council.
Abdallah has yet to name the same starting eleven in any of the three matches he has supervised. In the goalless draw against Rivers United in Port Harcourt last Sunday, the gaffer made two changes to his start list with the inclusion of Nafiu Kabuga and Arinze Madu in the places of Manu Garba and Waziri Christopher. It would be interesting to see how he lines up on Sunday.
In a first ever meeting between these sides, history is on the cards, three points, pride and bragging rights are all at stake as pressure to deliver a promise goes face-to-face with promise delivered.
Kick-off in Bauchi is at four o’clock in the afternoon while live text updates and video highlights are available on Dakkada’s social media handles.
Form Guide
WIKKI TOURISTS
Rivers United 0-0 Wikki Tourists
Wikki Tourists 2-1 MFM FC
DAKKADA INT’L FC
Dakkada 2-0 Jigawa GS
Lobi Stars 0-0 Dakkada
Next Fixtures
WIKKI TOURISTS
Lobi Stars Vs Wikki Tourists
Wikki Tourists Vs Lobi Stars
DAKKADA
Dakkada Vs Plateau United
Plateau United Vs Dakkada
