PREVIEW OF NIGERIAN PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIRST ROUND MATCHES

The Nigeria Premier League board have released fixtures for the 53rd consecutive season of the country's elite football division which sees a return of the usual twenty teams in a regular season as against last season's abridged format:

Matchweek one will feature a heavyweight clash between defending Champions Enyimba at the Enyimba International stadium up against reigning FA Cup Champions Bendel Insurance of Edo.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR - STEPHEN CHUKWUDE

The two Nigerian football giants boast of continental engagements in the time with Bendel Insurance Progressing to the next round of the CAF Confederations Cup preliminaries following a shootout win over Algerian outfit ASO Chlef in Algeria and Enyimba who despite falling out of the CAF Champions League to Libyan side Al Ahly Benghazi after a 4-3 aggregate loss which came as a result of a goaless draw in the return leg in Aba will now look forward to the inaugural African Football League formerly known as the CAF Super League which is built to kick off in October 2023 featuring seven other African club football juggernauts from all zones.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR - CHIGOZIE CHILEKWU

However, outside their external assignments this season the two traditional clubs can boast of history being made in last season's abridged — Enyimba extending their record to being nine time champions of Nigeria, the most ever by a single club in existence today and Bendel Insurance breaking Akwa United's 18 game Nigerian Premier Football League unbeaten run from 2021 and going undefeated in 22 league games whilst further pushing the record to 26 games in all competition going unbeaten as well in their FA Cup campaign which they won beating Rangers International of Enugu.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR: CHIJIOKE MBAOMA

Nonetheless, there will more interesting games featured aside the pick of the bunch on opening day such as former Champions and CAF Confederation Cup bound Rivers United's home test against a disappointed Remo Stars who lost in their second consecutive attempt to go past the first round of preliminaries into CAF inter club football last week, this time in their CAF Champions League debut when they lost on penalties to Ghanaian club Medeama SC.

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Other games such as Sunshine Stars vs Kano Pillars at the Akure Township Stadium will see the return of Northern giants Kano Pillars who got relegated for the first time in Nigerian football history to the Nigerian National League following points deduction from crowd trouble in their last top flight campaign. Still in the north, another returning giant Kastina United will face Kwara United in a game which will be marked by the transfer strategy and applaudable recruitment processes at the Mohammadu Diko Stadium.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR: MOSES EFFIONG (KATSINA UNITED)

Elsewhere in the west, Lagos will have a top flight team once in again as newly promoted Sporting Lagos who pulled shockwaves by winning the Naija Super 8 Preseason tournament and gaining promotion in under two years of existence will entertain Gombe United who are entering their 33rd season in existence and still hold the record for longest tenure of any northern team in the first division before relegation in 2014 even longer than Kano Pillars.

PLAYER TO WATCHOUT FOR: ADEWALE ADEYINK (KWARA UNITED)

Heartland's return to the Nigerian Premier Football League as well should be interesting, they welcome 2018 champions Lobi Stars to the land where the sun rises while The flying antelopes Rangers with a new era of management will welcome the Savannah Tigers of Doma United.

Gbenga Ogunbote and 2023 ValueJet Preseason tournament winners Shooting Stars who are undoubtedly kings of western Nigerian football will welcome Plateau United all the way from the hills of Jos to a duel at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan with action in the South East concluding in God's own state when Abia Warriors take on Niger Tornadoes at home.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR - DAVID ONOVO

The last game which should get attention will crescendo in the South in a game dubbed the Oil Classico that sees Bayelsa United host 2021 league Champions Akwa United. Bayelsa being the first state in Nigeria where oil was discovered and Akwa Ibom which is today the largest oil producing state in the nation as of today.

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR - UCHE COLLINS

PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR - WISDOM NDON

More fixtures will be released and updated as time goes on via the official league website but these are the analysis from the first week of fixtures in a season that promises to be more different than the rest and record breaking.

FIXTURES IN FULL BELOW:

Sporting Lagos vs Gombe United

Bayelsa United vs Akwa United

Shooting Stars vs Plateau United

Abia Warriors vs Niger Tornadoes

Enyimba Int'l vs Bendel Insurance

Rivers United vs Remo Stars

Katsina United vs Kwara United

Sunshine Stars vs Kano Pillars

Heartland FC vs Lobi Stars

Enugu Rangers vs Doma United.

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