Enyimba, Rangers in Oriental Derby Opening Clash

Enyimba, Rangers in Oriental Derby Opening Clash

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The draws of the 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) playoff has thrown up mouth-watering fixtures as two of the best teams from the South-eastern part of the country, Enyimba and Rangers International FC will kick off the championship on June 4 at the Agege Stadium in Lagos.

2015 champions Enyimba and 2016 winners Rangers were the first names out of the pot during a mini draw ceremony for the season-ending championship held at the Head Office of the League Management Company (LMC), Osun Crescent, Maitama in Abuja yesterday afternoon.

The Flying Antelopes were the top team of the Group A standing with 40 points from 22 matches to pick the first slot to the playoff to determine the champion of the season.

The People’s Elephant on the other hand finished third on 33 points behind Lobi Stars to also qualify. Kick off is 3pm.

According to the full fixtures released by the LMC, former champions, Kano Pillars and Akwa United will also do battle in the second game of the opening day at 5pm.

Champions Lobi Stars will also take on FC IfeanyiUbah on the opening day of the playoffs in the quest for a back-to-back feat.

All the six teams for the playoff namely; Enyimba, Rangers, Lobi, Kano Pillars, FC IfeanyiUbah and Akwa United are to play a round robin clashes with each other in the five match-days at the Soccer Temple. Sadly, MFM FC, who plays its home matches at that ground missed out of the playoffs on the final Match-day 22 of the abridged season away to Sunshine Stars in Akure.

The top two teams in the NPFL Super Six championship will represent the country in the CAF Champions League next year, with the third placed team going on to feature in the CAF Confederation Cup.

FULL FIXTURES

MATCH-DAY 1

(June 4, 2019)

Enyimba v Rangers – 3pm
K’Pillars v Akwa Utd – 5pm
IfeanyiUbah v Lobi – 7pm.

MATCH-DAY 2

(June 6, 2019)

Akwa Utd v IfeanyiUbah – 3pm
Rangers v Lobi Stars – 5pm
K’ Pillars v Enyimba – 7pm.

MATCH-DAY 3

(June 8, 2019)

K’Pillars v IfeanyiUbah – 3pm
Lobi Stars v Enyimba – 5pm
Akwa Utd v Rangers – 7pm.

MATCH-DAY 4

(June 10, 2019)

Rangers v K’ Pillars – 3pm
Akwa Utd v Lobi Stars – 5pm
Enyimba v IfeanyiUbah – 7pm

MATCH-DAY 5

(June 12, 2019)

IfeanyiUbah v Rangers – 3pm
Enyimba v Akwa Utd – 5pm
Lobi Stars v K’Pillars – 7pm.

Related Articles