BEVERLY HILLS, December 29, (THEWILL) – In a turn of events that will delight the fans of the domestic league in the country, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season finally got underway on Sunday, December 27 after nine unbroken months of interruption due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
This long overdue restart came after the previous domestic football season was abruptly ended in March after Matchday 25, in the wake of enforced suspensions slammed on all football-related activities by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in conjunction with governmental authorities implementing recommended health and safety precautions.
The commencement of football hostilities on the 27th was given the greenlight after the NPFL and the League Management Committee (LMC) adhered to protocols based on an “absolute need to ensure appropriate compliance with the club’s licensing regulations among other regulatory requirements” amid very strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Enthusiastic followers of the NPFL had no shortage of excitement as there was plenty to cheer about at the restart. This was in spite of the fact that only six of the ten scheduled matches took place promptly on Sunday, with others spread across Monday and Tuesday.
The first goal of the new season went to Promise Damala who netted in the fifth minute for the away side Wikki Tourists against Nasarawa United at the Lafia Township Stadium. But his goal and record were quickly outshone by the performance of Reuben Nicodemus, who not only scored a quick equaliser two minutes later but registered the first brace of the season to give the home side the victory.
The other fixtures matched that game in intensity, with a narrow 1-0 home triumph for Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) over Warri Wolves at the Agege Township Stadium in Lagos.
With a similar scoreline, Jigawa Golden Stars, starring a 15-year-old Abubakar Mohammed Gidado, dimmed the glow of Sunshine Stars at their adopted home ground in Kaduna, while FC Ifeanyi Ubah equally recorded another lone goal win over Lobi Stars.
In the match where they were only two goals, Plateau United, declared winners of the previous abridged season, suffered a humiliating 2-0 home defeat to visiting Kwara United at the New Jos Stadium.
The clash between Kano Pillars and Adamawa United at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe saw veteran Pillars striker Rabiu Ali, in his 11th season featuring for his side, scoring the opener in the 1-1 away draw.
Then, on Monday, December 28, there was nothing to separate Akwa United and Dakkada FC as their Matchday one encounter ended in a goalless stalemate ensuring that both sides took a point each from the tie. In the other Monday game, there were fireworks that thrilled the fans of hosts Katsina United but left players and fans of Heartland Owerri ruing the result.
The thriller ended 3-2 in favour of the hosts, who twice came from behind through brace scorer Boubacar Massally to equalise after Bright Onyedikachi and Samuel Nnosiri twice put Heartland in front, before Samuel Kalu drove home the decider in stoppage-time to break the hearts of Heartland and sent them home empty-handed.
One fixture remains to complete the opening rounds of games in the new season of the NPFL. By 4pm on Tuesday, Enyimba will lock horns with Abia Warriors in a derby of city rivals at the Enyimba International Stadium Aba, Abia State.
As things presently stand, Kwara United, Katsina United and MFM lead the table with only Kwara having not conceded of the top three. It is only a taste of the excitements ahead for football fans in the country who follow the domestic game.
