Enugu Rangers host Abia Warriors as title race hits homestretch

Enugu Rangers battling Lobi Stars for ball possession during a recent NPFL game.

•It’s Sporting Lagos vs Sunshine Stars in Onikan
League leaders, Enugu Rangers, will host Abia Warriors as they bid for only their second Nigerian Premier Football League title in eight years.

Rangers won the title last in the 2015/2016 season and this is the closest they have come to taking the crown since those glorious days under Imama Amakapabo.

They sit atop the league table with 61 points, the same as second-placed Lobi Stars, who, however, have inferior goals aggregate to the Flying Antelopes.

Rangers Coach, Fidelis Ilechukwuacknowledged that although the game with Abia Warriors would be tight, theyare in good shape for victory.

“What we are going to do is continue to do our work and we are going to be positive going into the ‘Oriental Derby,’ just as we want to quickly put the loss in Katsina behind us and focus on the game at hand with the mindset for a positive result.”

Another ‘Oriental derby’ will hold in Aba where fourth-placed Enyimba will host relegation-threatened Heartland of Owerri.

Defending champions, Enyimba, still harbours the ambition of retaining their title as only three points separates them from leaders, Rangers, with nine games to go. So, they see today’s game against Heartland as a must-win in their final run towards the finishing line.

Second-placed Lobi Stars will travel to Ibadan for a date with Shooting Stars with an eye on the Enugu game, which result could hand them the league’s leadership if they get a victory over the Oluyole Warriors.

In other games of the day, Sporting Lagos will host Sunshine Stars at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan; Rivers United will entertain Plateau United in Port Harcourt, while Bendel