Rangers, Heartland set for Oriental Derby in Awka as Remo Stars dare Insurance in Benin

The Nigeria Premier Football League continues this weekend after explosive mid-week encounters.

Already, six matchdays have been decided in the Nigerian league though clubs like Remo Stars, Enyimba, Bendel Insurance and Doma United have some outstanding matches yet to be played.

League so far

Akwa United are the 19th team in the league to record a win; leaving just Heartland as the only club with no victory in this current campaign.

The Promise Keepers got their maiden win in the league this season when they narrowly edged Gombe United by a lone goal.

For Enugu Rangers, while they are muscling out the points, they have failed to record a clean sheet in their last six games.

The Flying Antelope are the only top three ranked team to have conceded more goals, eight so far despite scoring the highest goals, 11.

Unfortunately, no team is currently unbeaten in the league after Lobi Stars became the 20th club to have suffered a defeat following their lone-goal loss to Rivers United.

Four games to watch out for this weekend

Oriental derby in Awka

Heartland are yet to get into the momentum that saw them gain promotion last season to the top-flight league in grand style.

The Naze Millionaires gained promotion to the NPFL unbeaten but their current performance is beginning to doubt their tenacity.

They are the only team without a victory, staying in the 20th position.

Adding to their yo-yo performance in the league, they might face another defeat on Sunday when they play Enugu Rangers in Awka.

The newcomers are yet to defeat Rangers at home in their 10 meetings. And the best they got against the Antelope was a draw in 2016.

But with Rangers 100% record at home, Heartland might wait a little longer for their first win of the season.

Resurgent Akwa United target another win Eket

Akwa United fought hard to pick a lone-goal victory over Gombe United on Wednesday and a weekend tie against Plateau United would be a reality check for Fatai Osho and his boys in Eket.

Their newly adopted home has quickly yielded positive fruits with the midweek result but they would have to repeat such a feat to take note of their great awakening after a sloppy start this season.

One thing that has been consistent between both teams’ previous matches is goal drought. The two teams have scored a total of 28 goals in the last 14 meetings.

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A look into their present stat shows that Saturday’s game may result in fewer goals. Plateau United have only scored four goals of which three were at home and one on the road. Meanwhile, Akwa United have scored only a goal at home this season.

Northern derby between the Scorpions and Tigers in Gombe

This will be the first time both Gombe United and Doma United will be facing each other in the top-flight league.

With both teams playing in the same state, the derby game should be spectacular as Gombe United and Doma battle for supremacy.

Bendel Insurance against Remo in Benin

Remo Stars will seek to continue from their last solid performance against Shooting Stars when they play Bendel Insurance in Benin.

Last season, both teams weighed their options and the Benin Gunners earned four points in the double bout affair before they lost to Remo Stars for the first time during the Super Six championship.

So far, Remo Stars are the only side to have picked maximum points on the road this season and that might be a booster for them as they face Bendel Insurance who were forced to a barren draw by Akwa United last weekend.