Boluwatife Kehinde

Following consecutive defeats both at home and away at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Shooting Stars of Ibadan is set to face the relegated Sunshine Stars on Wednesday.

The current form of Shooting Stars is concerning, as they were recently defeated by Abia Warriors with a score of 3-1 on April 27, 2025, marking their third loss in succession.

It is important to note that teams such as Remo Stars, the newly crowned NPFL Champions, secured three points on their home ground, resulting in Shooting Stars’ first defeat at home this season. Additionally, encountering Bayelsa United and Ikorodu City has proven to be a significant challenge for Shooting Stars.

The last time Shooting Stars achieved a decisive victory was in their match against Niger Tornadoes, winning 3-1 on home soil during Matchday 30. This victory represented their third win of the year 2025, positioning them eleventh in the league standings with a total of forty-eight points.

Will Sunshine Stars capitalize on the declining performance of Shooting Stars?

The relegated Sunshine Stars are also experiencing difficulties, currently positioned 19th in the league with forty-one points. They have managed to secure five wins this year, placing them ahead of Shooting Stars, who have recorded only three victories.

In their most recent home match, Sunshine Stars defeated Katsina United with a score of 2-0, with Adebayo Waheed, aged 24, contributing both goals to this success.

As the Nigeria Football Premier League (NPFL) reaches its critical finale, teams across the nation are preparing for the decisive battles that will determine the champion. Will Remo Stars secure their first title in the club’s history, or will Rivers United maintain their position, thereby claiming one of the continental spots alongside Abia Warriors and Ikorodu City?

These questions remain poised for resolution as Matchday 35 commences later today, featuring a match where Kano Pillars will host Rivers United, the Pride of Rivers.

In the relegation zone, Sunshine Stars will face Katsina United following an emphatic 5-0 victory against the third-placed Abia Warriors.

With merely three points separating them from a continental position, Bendel Insurance will journey to Jos to compete against Plateau United.

The Restoration Boys of Bayelsa are expected to uphold their home advantage against the El-Kanemi Warriors, having yet to suffer a loss or draw in their previous home matches.

With their total goals scored equaling the total goals conceded (31:31), Shooting Stars of Ibadan will travel to Umuahia, aiming to recover following their recent home defeat to Remo Stars, which marked their first loss of the season.

In other fixtures, already relegated Akwa United and Lobi Stars are set to compete against the “Oga Boys” of Ikorodu and Kwara United respectively.

The two most successful clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Rangers and Enyimba, will face each other at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Leading the table by seven points, Remo Stars are in pursuit of their inaugural title as they host the 14th-placed Niger Tornadoes at the fortified Ikenne, where they remain unbeaten during the 2024/2025 season.

The defending champions, Rangers, are eager to restore their prospects in the intercontinental competition as they face Heartland of Owerri. Following a goalless draw against Bendel Insurance, Rangers of Enugu must secure three to four points in their upcoming matches to enhance their standing in the intercontinental rankings.

In the current Nigeria Premier League standings, Shooting Stars and Ikorodu City lead Rangers by two and three points, respectively. With a record of thirty-two goals scored and twenty-two goals conceded, Coach Fideles Ilechukwu and his team must rebound following their recent home defeat to Plateau United.

In a match lasting seventy-two minutes, Suleiman Mojerola of Plateau United managed to find the back of the net, ensuring victory for his team. On their home ground, Rangers have scored a total of twenty-six goals while conceding twelve, reflecting a subpar performance at home. Conversely, Heartland of Owerri has recorded eighteen goals and conceded ten.

Currently, Heartland is just one point above the relegation zone and will need to build on their recent 2-0 victory against former champions Kano Pillars on Matchday 32.

Samuel Agu’s brace contributed significantly to Heartland’s cause, bringing their total points to thirty-eight, thus moving them closer to safety from relegation. Heartland must approach their forthcoming match in Enugu with caution, as they have only secured one victory this season, which was against Abia Warriors.

Enyimba Football Club will travel to Ijebu ode to secure their third consecutive victory in the Nigeria Premier Football League, facing the Sunshine Stars.
The Akure-based team is currently positioned at the bottom of the league table with thirty-five points, while Enyimba occupies the eighth position with forty-six points.
The Sunshine Stars have experienced a challenging season in 2024/2025, having scored only twenty-nine goals while conceding forty-five. Following Matchdays 6 to 10, where the Sunshine Stars managed to remain just above the relegation zone, they have struggled to distance themselves from potential relegation.
In their last six matches, both at home and away, Sunshine Stars has recorded four draws and two losses, leaving them without a single victory during this stretch (D4, L2). Their most recent outing concluded in a draw against Lobi Stars.
Conversely, the nine-time champions, Enyimba, will aim to build upon their recent momentum from a 2-1 victory against Abia. Currently, Enyimba is tied on points with Rangers, Ikorodu City, and Bendel, but they lag behind Kano Pillars by two points. Their last match occurred during the 2024/2025 season on Matchday 21.

The Nigeria Premier Football League will witness a significant matchup as Abia Warriors host Rivers United in Umuahia on Saturday.

This encounter marks a clash between two top contenders in the league standings. Currently, Rivers United occupies the first position with fifty-five points, while Abia Warriors follows closely in fourth place with fifty points, both teams separated by a mere five points.

Abia Warriors have displayed remarkable performance metrics this season, consistently remaining within the top five of the league standings. At home, they have established an impressive record, remaining undefeated despite securing only one draw in their home matches. Their latest success was a 2-0 victory against Lobi Stars. However, their previous encounter with Enyimba resulted in a 2-1 defeat.

Conversely, Rivers United has maintained a position among the top five since the commencement of the 2024/2025 season. Nonetheless, their away performance has been less than favorable, exemplified by a defeat to Beyond Limits Football Club in the President Federation Cup and a loss during their last Nigeria Premier Football League away trip in Yenogoa.

Historically, Abia Warriors have held a strong advantage over Rivers United at home, triumphing in six of their previous encounters, with the latest victory occurring on May 15, 2024, where Abia Warriors secured a 2-0 win.

In light of their disqualification from the President Confederation’s Cup, Rivers United is set to face the high-performing Remo Stars this Sunday at 4 PM.

Rivers United must execute a significant comeback against Remo Stars, as they currently find themselves just two points ahead of Abia Warriors and five points ahead of Shooting Stars. A failure to secure points in this match could jeopardize their chances of qualifying for international competition.

The recent loss to Rivers United, with a score of 2-1 in the President Federation Cup, has further complicated their situation. However, the team has enjoyed a commendable home record and aims to continue this trend. It is noteworthy that Rivers United remains undefeated in their last five home matches, achieving four victories and one draw.

Conversely, despite having a match in hand, Remo Stars will seek to maintain or extend their current eight-point lead. The team will need to address their away performance, having suffered three consecutive losses, the most recent being against Bendel Insurance, where a goal from Samuel Anakwe was insufficient to secure a favorable outcome for his teammates.