Ibadan Agog with Return of Up ‘Sooting’, Up Rangers Clash
The Premier League returns this weekend from a midweek break that allowed teams participate in the Federations Cup fixtures with the most mouth-watering of the fixtures this Sunday being a clash between traditional rivals and old heavy weights, Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Rangers International of Enugu.
There is no rivalry that equates theirs in terms of longevity even with Shootings Stars occasionally dropping out of top flight league as they did two seasons ago before returning this season to renew the football feud.
Years ago, this fixture would have dominated conversations in the Nigerian football community as these are two teams that not only ruled the Country but were feared even outside our shores. The older generation would readily recall how the likes of Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Christian Chukwu, Okwuchukwu Anigbogu and the rest of that football class of the era mesmerized teams back in the day.
In 1975, Rangers parading the likes of Dominic Nwobodo, Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala and coached by Dan Anyiam claimed all domestic trophies beating Shooting Stars 1-0 in the finals. It was the first time any team would achieve that feat in that era. The next year, Shooting Stars then known as IICC Shooting Stars stripped Rangers of the league title but Rangers retained their Challenge Cup beating Ayufsalam Rocks of Ilorin 2-0 in the finals. Shooting then stepped up the rivalry the next year by winning the continental Africa Cup Winners cup, the first Nigerian side to achieve that success. Rangers will not be outdone as they retained the trophy for Nigeria the next year to claim equal bragging right Team P WD Heartland 5 4 0 Giwa FC 6 3 2 Enyimba 6 3 2 Gabros FC 6 3 1 Wikki Tourists 6 3 1 Sunshine 6 3 1 Abia Warriors 6 3 1 El-Kanemi 5 3 0 FC Taraba 5 2 1 Nasarawa Utd 5 2 1 Akwa Utd 6 2 1 Kano Pillars 4 2 0 Rangers 6 2 0 Sharks 6 1 3 Bayelsa Utd 6 1 3 Kwara Utd 5 1 2 Lobi Stars 5 0 4 3SC 5 1 1 Dolphins 5 1 1 Warri Wolves 3 1 0 on the continent with their rivals.
Head to head in the last five meetings of both sides in the league, Rangers have won three including a 1-0 win at Ibadan on the 12th of June in the 2011 season. Rangers also won 3-2 on April 1 in the 2012 season while Shooting won 1-0 in the corresponding fixture on 29th July of same year. Their most recent meeting before Shooting Stars dropped off the Premier league was in 2012/13 season and each side won on their home turf. Rangers won 2-0 in Enugu on June 19, 2013 while Shooting reciprocated 2-1 in Ibadan on September 22nd.
Both teams have lost one fixture at home in their last five matches this season with Rangers losing 1-0 to Giwa and Shooting losing 2-1 to Heartland. However, Rangers have won two out of their last five games while their host won just once, losing three and drawing one.
This is the form they take into this weekend’s fixture which shows a less than an Ideal start to their Premier League campaigns. The clubs thus square up against each other to secure the points first and foremost and for the players, to get their names in the League’s history books in what has been a most intriguing Glo Premier League season.
A season that has seen the big teams dally while the relatively unknown ones have stolen the headlines. On the Glo Premier League table, you will have to skim up to mid-table to locate where the likes of defending Champions Kano Pillars and Enyimba are haboured. Names such as Sunshine Stars, Giwa, Gabros are surprisingly leading the pack and even the most brilliant Glo Premier League pundits are hesitant in making the bold call as to where the title could be headed.
The fans themselves are loving every bit of it. Aside a massive rise in stadium attendances, last week on Social Networking site Twitter, the #GloNPFL and L 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 2 2 1 3 3 2 GF GA GD 11 5 6 7 4 3 6 4 2 6 3 3 8 7 1 7 6 1 6 6 0 6 6 0 4 4 0 6 7 -1 3 6 -3 4 3 1 7 7 0 6 7 -1 2 4 -2 4 7 -3 4 6 -2 3 5 -2 3 6 -3 3 3 0 Pts 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 9 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 3 #SupportTheNPFL hashtags were among the most ranking trends in the country. That’s not surprising at all, especially after you have just seen a youthful Gabros side take Enyimba to the cleaners at the Nnewi Stadium and Sunshine Stars beat Heartland at the Dan Anyiam.
The goalscoring returns have not disappointed either. At this stage last season, Namso Edo and Isah Aminu were leading the marksmen chat with four goals apiece, this season, Shaibu Ibrahim and Tunde Adeniji of Giwa FC and Sunshine Stars respectively share the top spot as most potent marksmen both of which are on five goals. The League in its characteristic manner of birthing top class strikers have quickly replaced the Emem Eduoks, Peter Ebimobowei’s and Ighodaro Osaguonas.
On Sunday, Gabros will seek to continue their formidability at home when they welcome Sharks to Nnewi. Pillars still searching for their first point on the road will travel to Abia State to face Umuahia based Warriors and will be hoping to replicate the display that got them an away point in this fixture last year. Sunshine Stars are away in Lafia to face Nasarawa United who were hungrily devoured by Nigeria’s only remaining flag-bearer in the continent, Warri Wolves.