Lobi Stars who are now oppositions’ nightmare are set to play Rivers United as they tackle the reigning NPFL champions in a rescheduled Week 11 fixture on Wednesday, April 12, at the New Jos Township stadium, Plateau State.
Coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru and his boys intend to apply the same fighting spirit they deployed in Match-Day 13 against Abia Warriors FC.
Certainly, the city of Jos will come alive once again following the enormous importance attached to the encounter as many believe it will go a long way in deciding who eventually tops Group B because the two NPFL giants are in strong contention for the leadership of the group.
Since Lobi Stars toppled Rivers United from the top the group in the first stanza, it has been a keenly contested race as the title holders have continued to pile pressure on the current leaders of the group B.
In view of the crucial nature of the fixture, the Head Coach of Lobi Stars, Mohammed Baba Ganaru, is living no stone unturned as he prepares his wards mentally and physically to go all out for the maximum points which would give the ‘Pride of Benue’ the much needed reprieve from their closest rivals in the chase for one of the top three spots that will qualify them for the supper 6 at the end of the abridge league season.
The good news in the camp of the “Shoe get size” is there are no injury worries as the squad is healthy heading into tomorrow’s tie.
Lobi Stars duo of Joseph Atule and Abba Umar have scored 5 goals each this term and Coach Ganaru will definitely be glad to select them to lead the charge and they will be complemented by other dependable like Elijah Ani, Suur Kumaga, Moses Tsehuan, Sunday Chinedu, Francis Odinaka, Wasiu Alalade and Daniel Emmanuel for the encounter.
Meanwhile, the title holders are also in town with a game plan because after securing a CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final ticket, the Head Coach, Stanley Eguma and his men have turned their attention to the domestic league especially tomorrow’s rescheduled match against Lobi Stars.
It will be recalled that Rivers United had secured a vital point on the road in MatchDay 13 against Niger Tornadoes in Kaduna and Coach Eguma will be hoping on former Lobi Stars players, Duru Ebube, Nyima Nwagua,Denis Ndasi as well as Joseph Onoja to contain Lobi Stars’ firepower..
The two NPFL giants meetings have been explosives over the years.
Recall that in the opening match of the abridge group B season, lobi stars lost gallantly to the defending Champions 2: 1 in Port Harcourt.
