Six days from in the present day, the Nigeria Premier Soccer League (NPFL) will resume its 2024/2025 season after a three-week mid-season break. On this article, SportsRation’s Nsikakabasi Akpan presents upcoming fixtures and assessment of the standings as followers put together for the NPFL second stanza.
WHEN WILL THE NPFL SECOND STANZA BEGIN
The league’s second stanza is about to kick off on January 25, 2025, with golf equipment desirous to proceed their campaigns and battle for supremacy. The break, which commenced on January 6, 2025, additionally noticed the opening of the switch window, permitting golf equipment to make strikes to bolster their squads forward of the second half of the season.
As the primary half concluded, Remo Stars sit on the high of the league desk with a powerful 36 factors, two factors away from second-placed Rivers United. This creates the right backdrop for an intense title race, with groups resembling Capturing Stars, Rangers Worldwide, and El Kanemi additionally positioning themselves for a powerful end.
NPFL Spherical 20 Fixtures (January 25 – 27, 2025)
The second half of the season will start with a number of intriguing matchups:
- January 25, 2025:
- Abia Warriors vs. Bayelsa United
- Kwara United vs. Capturing Stars
- Nasarawa United vs. Katsina United
- Rangers Worldwide vs. Niger Tornadoes
- Sunshine Stars vs. Ikorodu Metropolis
- January 26, 2025:
- Kano Pillars vs. El Kanemi
- Akwa United vs. Remo Stars
- Heartland vs. Lobi Stars
- Plateau United vs. Rivers United
- January 27, 2025:
NPFL Spherical 21 Fixtures (January 29 – 30, 2025)
The fixtures proceed with extra action-packed encounters:
- January 29, 2025:
- Akwa United vs. Lobi Stars
- Bayelsa United vs. Sunshine Stars
- El Kanemi vs. Rangers Worldwide
- Ikorodu Metropolis vs. Kano Pillars
- Katsina United vs. Plateau United
- Niger Tornadoes vs. Kwara United
- Remo Stars vs. Abia Warriors
- Rivers United vs. Bendel
- Capturing Stars vs. Nasarawa United
- January 30, 2025:
- Enyimba vs. Heartland –
NPFL Spherical 22 Fixtures (February 1 – 3, 2025)
- February 1, 2025:
- Sunshine Stars vs. Remo Stars –
- February 2, 2025:
- Abia Warriors vs. Akwa United
- Bendel vs. Katsina United
- Heartland vs. Rivers United
- Kano Pillars vs. Bayelsa United
- Kwara United vs. El Kanemi
- Lobi Stars vs. Enyimba
- Plateau United vs. Capturing Stars
- Rangers Worldwide vs. Ikorodu Metropolis
- February 3, 2025:
- Nasarawa United vs. Niger Tornadoes
Evaluation of the Standings
Because the league enters its second stanza, Remo Stars lead the desk with 36 factors, having secured 11 wins, 3 attracts, and 5 losses within the first half. Their stable protection (23 targets conceded) has been considered one of their key strengths.
Rivers United, who’re solely two factors behind with 34 factors, have additionally proven nice consistency, with 9 wins, 7 attracts, and three losses. The Port Harcourt aspect’s sturdy protection (11 targets conceded) has been key to their problem for the title.
In third place, Capturing Stars have been in exceptional kind, profitable 10 matches and dropping solely 6, placing them simply 3 factors behind Rivers United. Their attacking model (18 targets scored) has made them a formidable drive within the league.
Reigning NPFL champions, Rangers Worldwide (31 factors) and El Kanemi (29 factors) are additionally within the combine for the highest spots. Each groups will look to enhance on their performances because the season progresses.
On the decrease finish of the desk, Nasarawa United (16 factors), Lobi Stars (20 factors), and Akwa United (19 factors) are struggling to seek out consistency, and their focus shall be on survival within the high division.
With the switch market open and the second half of the season about to start, the battle for the NPFL title is about to accentuate, with golf equipment reinforcing their squads to mount a severe problem.