The Week 6 of the Nigeria Women Premier League, which is the last games of the regular season for all the 16 clubs in the Premier League will today end in a photo finish a clear indication of the improved standard of play and the technical discipline of all the clubs.
The dynamics of the NWPL last league games, going by the standing on the table, indicate that all the eight teams at the top two of each of the groups have the opportunity of playing in the NWPL Super 4 to determine the true champion of the season.
In Group A, both Rivers Angels on 10 points and Delta Queens on 8 points, are faced with the opportunity of booking a place in the Super 4.
Rivers Angels will host second-placed team Delta Queens in Port Harcourt. A win for Rivers Angels will take them to 13 unassailable points and a place in Super 4. While a win for Delta Queens will give them 11 points and a clear lead to play in the Super 4, while Rivers stay glued to 10 points. A draw for the two teams may not be a comfortable one, especially as FC Robo of Lagos who are also on 8 points with Delta Queens, may snatch the single slot of Group A if they end up beating Osun Babes by 2-0 at the Osogbo Township Stadium.
Osun Babes may also have to play for their lives, as a loss to FC Robo will take them on relegation to the lower division.
So, all the games in Group A have the trappings of a cup final.
In Group B, we have Adamawa Queens topping with 11points and Edo Queen’s second place with 10 points. It’s a more dicey situation in Group B, as Adamawa and Edo will be engaged in fierce battles respectively in Lagos against Dream Stars at the Agege Stadium, Lagos and Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. Adamawa will battle against Dream Stars in Lagos for an outright win, which would take them to 14 points and a place in Super 4. Anything short of three points on away ground would be a precarious one for them. It would be a tough task, as a loss or scoreless draw for Dream Stars would confirm their return to the lower division, which they just left one season ago.
At the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Edo Queens must beat the recently motivated Heartland Queens outrightly to earn three solid points. A draw for Edo Queens would end their ambition of playing in the Super 4 and confirm Adamawa Queen’s for their first-ever appearance in the Super 4. Edo Queens will be going to Owerri with all their arsenal’s as they badly need a win and pray for Adamawa Queens to lose in Lagos, a loss that would make Dream Stars on relegation.
In Group C, table toppers Bayelsa Queens on 10 points, will host former champions, Nasarawa Amazon on 4 points at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa. A win for Bayelsa is important to wade off the threat of Sunshine Queens of Akure who are on 7 points. The Amazons are far away from the Super 4 challenge, but a loss for them in Bayelsa and a win or draw for Kaduna Queens will take the Christopher Danjuma Girls on relegation, as Kaduna will come to 7 points or 5 points, higher than their 4 current points. Also, a loss for Kaduna Queens means relegation. So all the two games in Group C in Yenagoa and Akure are equal to cup finals.
In Group D, Lokoja and Abia will be on fire, as Table-toppers Ibom Angels on 9 points must defeat home team Abia Angels on their home ground to book a place in the Super 4. Though Abia Angels coached by former Super Falcons goalkeeper, Ann Agumanu Chiejine, don’t have any fears as they are on safe mode with 7 points. while newly promoted Invincible Angels, are on 4 points, deep into relegation waters. For Ibom Angels to go to Super 4, they must beat Abia Angels in their home in Abia. A draw game will be dangerous if Confluence Queens in second place with 8 points eventually beat Invincible Angels in Lokoja. If Confluence Queens beat Invincible Angels, they will get 11 points to go to Super 4. Will Abia Angels allow Ibom Angels to beat them at home, it’s a matter of 90 minutes today September 11, 2019.
This is the first time all the last games in the Nigeria Women Premier League become a cup final going by the important and value of the results for teams that want to pick the tickets for the Super 4, retention in the Premier League and race against relegation. This is a confirmation of the obviously improved standard of the Nigerian women’s football league under the tutelage of Aisha Falode, the Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League board.
NWFL MEDIA.
