The fight for first place in the NPFL

The Nigerian Premier Football League has been going full-steam since its inception in 1972, and this season looks like it will be no different. Last year’s champions, Akwa United, are returning with a vengeance after their unexpected win. They’re looking to take home another title this year, but as any seasoned fan knows—there’s always a new contender nipping at your heels. This season sees three new teams entering the competition: Remo Stars, Gombe United, and the Shooting Stars. All three of these teams have shown promise in recent seasons, so there’s no doubt they’ll be able to keep up with the best in the league. But who will come out on top?

With 25 of the 38 matches already played, it’s obvious that Nigeria football fans ad gamblers have had an exciting season. The season started back in December last year and is set to continue till 22^nd July 2022. With at least 13 more match days yet to happen, Nigerians can enjoy making some cash through betting. All you need to do to support your favorite team is get the best Nigerian betting site and place your bets. As long as the site is secure, safe and legal, you don’t have to worry about getting scammed. In fact, you can get predictions on the nest possible NPFL Champion and place your wagers on them. But first things first. Let’s see the teams fighting for the first place.

Akwa United debuted last season and are returning to defend their title with a few new additions to the roster. These additions include Bassey Ezekiel, who is a former Barcelona player, Ranger’s Godspower Anefiok, Isaac George ad Siyanda Austin of Dakkada, and Dennis Nya from Plateau United. Although the additions ought to have made the team stronger, they still have more work to do to get nearer to the top. As of now, the defending champions rank 5^th on the standings and with some teams like Rivers Utd, Enyimba, and Plateau Utd, they have quite a journey to make it to the top.

Enyimba United, 8-time winner, ranks 3 positions below of the defending champs in the current standings and also have a long way to go if they hope to win another title. As such, some of the teams without NPFL titles seem to have better chances of winning this season. 

Top 5 Teams NPFL 2021-2022

While football is full of surprises, we can use the current standings to predict the team that could this season’s champion. If you are a gambler, you want to be sure about a team’s chances of winning before you can wager on it. So, here are the top five teams in the NPFL.

1. Rivers United: Rivers United is serving football  fans an impressive show this season and with Ishaq Rafiu in their rooster who is also the top goalscorer of the season so far, we can expect them to make it to the end and win the title.
2. Plateau United: Formerly known as the JIB Strikers Football Club, the Plateau United are more determined this season than ever to be the champions. Their rooster this season is also pretty impressive with additions such as Austine Opara and Peter Eneji. The one-time NPFL winner seems very determined to make yet another title and since they closely follow behind Rivers Utd in the standings, their chances of winning are high.
3. Enugu Rangers: The seven-time winner is back this season and is determined to win its eighth title. The team signed up 13 new players before the season began and we can only hope that the drill works for them. Some of the players that joined the team include Olulayo Oluwaseun, Chizoba Okoh, Samuel Pam, Ikechukwu Eboko, Martins Ossy, and Chimezie David.
4. Remo Stars: The team has been playing impressive football since the season began and seems very determined to become NPFL debutants this season. They managed to secure the third place during the midseason and came back to conclude the season with an even better team after signing up Almsmen Adegbite and Alim Sikiru. According to the team’s head coach, the team now has better chances of winning now that he has more choices for his forward.
5. Akwa United: Defending a title is no joke and Akwa has to be prepared to face off some great teams. The team has new additions for the season but so do their competitors. Will they defend their title after their unexpected win last season? It’s possible if they can defeat some teams like Enugu Rangers and Enyimba. Infact, they have to face Enyimba’s rivalry after dethroning them last season.

With football you can expect anything. The uncertainty is thrilling and that’s what we all love about football.