Action resumes today across the nation
By Ed Emeanua
Action resumes today at various venues billed to host matches of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) nationwide.
Four points separate table tappers Lobi Stars and third-placed Rangers International. The pair clashes on Sunday during the star match of the weekend features at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
In another exciting fixture, fourth on the table, Remo Stars are on the road to seventh-placed Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in a Western Derby game at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Second-placed Plateau United travels to the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium to hunt for spoils against the eighth-placed Katsina United in their Northern Derby confrontation.
Fixtures
Fixtures & Results
| March 17, 2024 |   Rivers United FC vs Heartland FC |
3:00 pm |
Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Gombe United FC vs Akwa United FC |
3:00 pm |
Pantami Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Bayelsa United FC vs Kano Pillars FC |
4:00 pm |
Samson Siasia Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Katsina United FC vs Plateau United FC |
4:00 pm |
Muhammadu Dikko Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Rangers International FC vs Lobi Stars FC |
4:00 pm |
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Abia Warriors FC vs Sunshine Stars FC |
4:00 pm |
Umuahia Township Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Bendel Insurance FC vs Doma United FC |
4:00 pm |
Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Sporting Lagos FC vs Kwara United FC |
4:00 pm |
Mobolaji Johnson Arena Onikan
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Enyimba FC vs Niger Tornadoes FC |
4:00 pm |
Enyimba Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
| March 17, 2024 |   Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) vs Remo Stars FC |
5:30 pm |
Lekan Salami Stadium
|
Matchday 26 |
Meanwhile, FC Heartland visits the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium to take on Rivers United in a Southern Derby and to continue their relegation survival mission.
While Bendel Insurance stakes its reputation against visiting Doma United at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Bayelsa United hosts Kano United at the Samson Siasia Stadium in two fixtures with a North-versus-South undertone.
In other challenges between polar regions scheduled for the weekend, northern side Gombe United will host southern visitors Akwa United at the Pantami Stadium just as Southern giants Enyimba clashes with their visitors from the North Niger Tornadoes at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba.
The league will supervise two Western Derbies at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan and Mobolaji Johnson Arena Onikan, Lagos, where Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) vs Remo Stars FC and Sporting Lagos FC vs Kwara United FC will take place, respectively.
Abia Warriors FC vs Sunshine Stars FC is another East versus West Derby scheduled for the Umuahia Township Stadium, where Abia Warriors play.
NPFL Table
NPFL 2023/2024
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Lobi Stars FC |
25 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 30 | 22 | 8 | 46 |
| 2 |  Plateau United FC |
25 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 38 | 23 | 15 | 44 |
| 3 |  Rangers International FC |
25 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 42 |
| 4 |  Remo Stars FC |
24 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 22 | 8 | 42 |
| 5 |  Enyimba FC |
25 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 42 |
| 6 |  Kano Pillars FC |
25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 32 | 27 | 5 | 38 |
| 7 |  Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) |
25 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 37 |
| 8 |  Katsina United FC |
25 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 35 |
| 9 |  Bendel Insurance FC |
25 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 34 |
| 10 |  Abia Warriors FC |
25 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 27 | 29 | -2 | 34 |
| 11 |  Sunshine Stars FC |
25 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 26 | 27 | -1 | 33 |
| 12 |  Doma United FC |
25 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 33 |
| 13 |  Sporting Lagos FC |
25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 31 |
| 14 |  Niger Tornadoes FC |
24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 30 |
| 15 |  Kwara United FC |
24 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 29 |
| 16 |  Rivers United FC |
22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 22 | 2 | 28 |
| 17 |  Akwa United FC |
25 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 28 | -5 | 27 |
| 18 |  Bayelsa United FC |
25 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 35 | -7 | 27 |
| 19 |  Heartland FC |
25 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 23 | 32 | -9 | 23 |
| 20 |  Gombe United FC |
25 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 43 | -27 | 22 |
