Premier league clubs angling for the league shield are in for a hard fight against 2003 champions, Enyimba of Aba, who have taken a two point lead in the seven week old competition.
The African champions, who are very serious in their quest to reclaim the title they lost to Dolphin of Port Harcourt last season, have, on three occasions gone ahead to claim the diadem once they take hold of the top position.
Last season, they came second on the table, a position, which many league watchers attributed to their unimpressive beginning on the competition. The Aba team had to fight from the eight position towards the end of the competition, but then, it was already too late for them to dislodge Dolphins of Port Harcourt.
Yet, they only lost their table on the last day of the league, after Dolphin's emphatic victory over Iwuanyanwu Nationale in Port Harcourt had kept the Rivers boys two points ahead of the peoples elephant.
This weekend, the Okey Emordi-led team are away to Nassarawa United in Lafia in a match they want to win to leave other teams still gropping on their trial.
Speaking with The Guardian at the Aba Stadium shortly after his side's 4-0 victory over Simba Star of Tanzania in the CAF Champions league, Coach Emordi declared Enyimba's intention to win the league championship to add to the Super Cup they win early this year, and the FA Cup and the champions league titles to win to annex.
Emordi said their game plan was to win as many away matches as possible, given fair officiating, as they were sure of getting all the points available in their home matches.
According to Emordi, "we would have won the league last year but for some things that happened towards the end of the competition. This year, we are taking chances with my club no matter how weak they may look. We are going for every point available so that no matter how some desperate teams try to manipulate the competition we will still be at the top."
Enyimba defeated Kano Pillars 3-0 in a rescheduled match played Wednesday to continue their unbeaten run in the competition.
Apart from being the team with the highest number of goals (alongside Lobi Stars), Enyiba's defence is also very miserly with goals, having considered only one goal and scoring eleven.
The strength of Enyimba's rear will be put to a sermon test this weekend when they play against tenth placed Nasarawa United in Lafia.
This is one of the matches that will Indicate if the African champions can go through the first half of the season undefeated.
Second-placed Lobi Starts, who have been in top scoring from this season, travel to Minna to guests to drowning Tornadoes in a match their chairman, Dominic Lorfa, says, will help them wrestle the top position from Enyinba.
Lobi, like Enyinba, have been very prolific in goal scoring, with eleven goals in six matches, and only six against. Against a Tornadoes side that have lost four matches, and won only one, it will be a big surprise if Ndidi Anumnu and his team mates fail to short down Torndadoes I this match.
Kwara United, who have been keeping abreast of the leaders, are quests to Gombe United in a match that may change the status of either team on the league table.
Kwara United is third on the table, while Gombe occupies the sixth position, but only one points separates both teams. Kwara have 11 points, to Gombe's 10, which remains victory for Gombe will increase their points to 13, while Kwara will remain on 11. But should Kwara United pull an away victory, they will climb to 14 points, and possibly, drive Enyinba away from the top. That's is of the Aba boys get anything less than a victory in Lafia.
Shooting Stars of Ibadan are scheduled to host Iwuanyanwu Nationale in a match that may bring Dick memories of the epic clash of both sides at the same venue in 1986.
In that match, 3SC led 3-0 for a better part of the tie, but Nationale later rolled out their ??? to pull an amazing draw with their hosts. They scored three goals with less than fifteen minutes of play left.
Although both teams are no longer than ????? they were in the 80's, they are expected to put up a thrilling performance on their quest to win the points, and maintain their mid-table positions.
Lagos side, NPA, will host Insurance of Benin, who only last Wednesday defeated 3SC to record their tenth point in the chase for the league crown.
But against an NPA side, which wants to do better than they did last term it may be a Herculean task for the Benin boys. On paper, although Insurance last week qualified for the last preliminary round of the confederation cup, the best they can hope for today is a draw.
Kano Pillars will host Wikki Tourists at the Sani Abacha Stadium, while struggling new comers, Sharks of Port Harcourt and Gateway of Abeokuta will settle their differences at the liberation stadium, Port Harcourt tomorrow.
Other matches include Julius Berger against Rangers at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, the Aba clash between Gabros and defending champions, Dolphin of Port Harcourt, and the northern battle between hosts, Zamfara United and El Kanemi of Maiduguri.
The African champions, who are very serious in their quest to reclaim the title they lost to Dolphin of Port Harcourt last season, have, on three occasions gone ahead to claim the diadem once they take hold of the top position.
Last season, they came second on the table, a position, which many league watchers attributed to their unimpressive beginning on the competition. The Aba team had to fight from the eight position towards the end of the competition, but then, it was already too late for them to dislodge Dolphins of Port Harcourt.
Yet, they only lost their table on the last day of the league, after Dolphin's emphatic victory over Iwuanyanwu Nationale in Port Harcourt had kept the Rivers boys two points ahead of the peoples elephant.
This weekend, the Okey Emordi-led team are away to Nassarawa United in Lafia in a match they want to win to leave other teams still gropping on their trial.
Speaking with The Guardian at the Aba Stadium shortly after his side's 4-0 victory over Simba Star of Tanzania in the CAF Champions league, Coach Emordi declared Enyimba's intention to win the league championship to add to the Super Cup they win early this year, and the FA Cup and the champions league titles to win to annex.
Emordi said their game plan was to win as many away matches as possible, given fair officiating, as they were sure of getting all the points available in their home matches.
According to Emordi, "we would have won the league last year but for some things that happened towards the end of the competition. This year, we are taking chances with my club no matter how weak they may look. We are going for every point available so that no matter how some desperate teams try to manipulate the competition we will still be at the top."
Enyimba defeated Kano Pillars 3-0 in a rescheduled match played Wednesday to continue their unbeaten run in the competition.
Apart from being the team with the highest number of goals (alongside Lobi Stars), Enyiba's defence is also very miserly with goals, having considered only one goal and scoring eleven.
The strength of Enyimba's rear will be put to a sermon test this weekend when they play against tenth placed Nasarawa United in Lafia.
This is one of the matches that will Indicate if the African champions can go through the first half of the season undefeated.
Second-placed Lobi Starts, who have been in top scoring from this season, travel to Minna to guests to drowning Tornadoes in a match their chairman, Dominic Lorfa, says, will help them wrestle the top position from Enyinba.
Lobi, like Enyinba, have been very prolific in goal scoring, with eleven goals in six matches, and only six against. Against a Tornadoes side that have lost four matches, and won only one, it will be a big surprise if Ndidi Anumnu and his team mates fail to short down Torndadoes I this match.
Kwara United, who have been keeping abreast of the leaders, are quests to Gombe United in a match that may change the status of either team on the league table.
Kwara United is third on the table, while Gombe occupies the sixth position, but only one points separates both teams. Kwara have 11 points, to Gombe's 10, which remains victory for Gombe will increase their points to 13, while Kwara will remain on 11. But should Kwara United pull an away victory, they will climb to 14 points, and possibly, drive Enyinba away from the top. That's is of the Aba boys get anything less than a victory in Lafia.
Shooting Stars of Ibadan are scheduled to host Iwuanyanwu Nationale in a match that may bring Dick memories of the epic clash of both sides at the same venue in 1986.
In that match, 3SC led 3-0 for a better part of the tie, but Nationale later rolled out their ??? to pull an amazing draw with their hosts. They scored three goals with less than fifteen minutes of play left.
Although both teams are no longer than ????? they were in the 80's, they are expected to put up a thrilling performance on their quest to win the points, and maintain their mid-table positions.
Lagos side, NPA, will host Insurance of Benin, who only last Wednesday defeated 3SC to record their tenth point in the chase for the league crown.
But against an NPA side, which wants to do better than they did last term it may be a Herculean task for the Benin boys. On paper, although Insurance last week qualified for the last preliminary round of the confederation cup, the best they can hope for today is a draw.
Kano Pillars will host Wikki Tourists at the Sani Abacha Stadium, while struggling new comers, Sharks of Port Harcourt and Gateway of Abeokuta will settle their differences at the liberation stadium, Port Harcourt tomorrow.
Other matches include Julius Berger against Rangers at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, the Aba clash between Gabros and defending champions, Dolphin of Port Harcourt, and the northern battle between hosts, Zamfara United and El Kanemi of Maiduguri.
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