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‘Away Form Would Decide 2016 NPFL’

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For any team to win the
Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) these days, it has to have an impressive away form.
With improved officiating, teams are now more likely to pick points away from home as home invincibility no longer exists in the league.
Gone are the days a team would bank on 100 percent record at home and one or two draws away from home to win the league.
It is virtually impossible for a team to be crowned Nigeria champions in this dispensation without winning on away soil.
In fact, the more away matches a team wins, the better their chances of winning the title. There are stats to buttress this.
It will be noted that 31 away victories were recorded last season, the highest in the Premier League in the past 10 years.
Last season, Enyimba set a new league record of five away wins to win the title.
To pick the third continental ticket, Nasarawa had to fall back on a good run of away form that saw ‘The Solid Miners’ win four away games in the second round.
This term has not been different. All the top 10 teams on the table have one thing in common – they have all won an away game. The only team outside the top 10 to have won away from home are Warri Wolves.
Save for Giwa’s expulsion which meant Rangers’ 1-0 defeat of Giwa in Jos didn’t stand, the top three teams would have had two away victories each.
Wikki (2), Rangers (1) and Rivers United (2) are leading the pack. Rangers’ bouncing back to prominence was boosted by the 2-1 defeat of Heartland recently. If the Giwa game had counted, they would have been top now. But knowing how crucial points on the road are in the race, they did the needful in Owerri.
Wikki won away to El Kanemi on the opening day and beat Ikorodu in Lagos when the second stanza resumed a couple of weeks ago.
In the same vein, Rivers United’s unlikely charge at the title is down to two road victories against Ikorodu in Week 9 and Wolves in Week 15. The romance with the top particularly started after that Week 15 success.
Pillars (1 away victory), Lobi (1), MFM (1), Enyimba (2), Sunshine (1), Abia Warriors (2) and Akwa United (1) complete the top 10 teams on the table.
The top 10 teams have amassed 68 of the 84 away points garnered by away teams this season. So, the teams in the lower rung have pulled in just 16.
On the contrary, the fortunes of the relegation-threatened teams have been hampered by poor home form.
Four of the bottom six teams, namely Ikorodu, Shooting Stars, Heartland and El Kanemi, have lost twice at home.
Nasarawa has lost once, same as 13th-placed Wolves. Only 17th-placed Plateau are yet to lose at home.
A team like Heartland has drawn the most matches away (5) which could translate to one away win and two draws but have been largely undone by the two home losses.
It could therefore be deduced that while the teams who win more away matches will fight for the trophy, the ones who lose more home matches will battle for survival.
Only nine teams are yet to lose at home this term. They are Wikki, Rivers, Enyimba, MFM, Lobi, Rangers, Ifeanyi Uba (since the opening day home loss to Giwa no longer counts), Plateau and Tornadoes.
If the away victories involving Giwa had counted (they won one away game and lost two at home), the current season would have recorded 18 away victories so far, but at 15 away wins, last year’s 31 away wins could still be surpassed.
The good news however is that teams can now aspire to win anywhere.
Nwankpa Jnr writes for African football.com

 

Clement Nwankpa Jr

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Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues  

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Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.

Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.

However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.

Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.

Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.

 

 

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City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road 

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Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.

The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.

City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.

But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.

Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.

Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)

Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.

Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).

In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.

West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.

The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.

And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.

 Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.

Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.

But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.

Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.

Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.

Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.

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PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1 

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Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.

The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.

PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.

Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.

Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.

Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.

 

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