As the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) enters Matchday 25 this midweek, it is gradually shaping up to be a tough race for the league crown for the umpteenth time.
No team has been able to win back-to-back NPFL titles since Kano Pillars won it three seasons in a row between 2012 and 2014.
Thereafter, Enyimba has won it three times but none at a stretch as the NPFL has continued to prove how tough it is.
This season isn’t the same as what was expected to be a three-horse race has turned out to be a five-horse race.
Newly-promoted Doma United ruffled a few feathers at the start of the season but have since fallen off the top pack.
The Gombe side have had issues with injuries in their ranks and a team who were in the top three consistently have now dropped to 11th.
Enyimba, who had to deal with league football and continental football seem to have found their form and are now second while there is a curious case of 2021 champions Akwa United who have been in and out of the relegation zone since week one.
Here is a rundown of how the top three is shaping up after 24 weeks of exciting football in the NPFL:
NPFL Top 3
1. Lobi Stars 2. Enyimba 3. Plateau United
After 24 weeks, Lobi Stars lead the pack with 43 points, one ahead of second-placed Enyimba who have seen a resurgence after initial setbacks and Plateau United who are with 41 points.
Not a lot saw Lobi being top at this time of the season because just before the start of their campaign, they parted ways with Bala Abubakar who saw them through pre-season.
Eugene Agagbe took over the reins and has worked magic with his team despite playing at their adopted home ground of Lafia – 85 kilometers away from their base Makurdi.
Centre-back Chinedu Sunday attributes their success to being a formidable side with great team spirit as they work for each other on the pitch.
“We do not star players, what we have is a star team where everyone plays for the other according to how the coaches want us to play,” he told afrik-foot.com in Lafia as the team prepared to face Rivers United on Wednesday.
“Am I surprised where we are? Of course not. Hard work pays and we have been working hard to achieve our goals. Hopefully, we get the full rewards at the end of the season.
Enyimba have done well despite a slow start to the season as they have now picked up momentum.
It could be argued that playing in the inaugural Africa Football League affected their league form but they have put that aside to fight their way to the top three.
In-form striker Chijioke Mbaoma has been at the forefront of this charge as he scored the winner in their last game against Doma to take his tally in the league to 12 goals.
When Plateau United appointed Mbwas Mangut to head their team at the start of the season, it was a homecoming for the Jos-born coach but a lot of people didn’t think he would lead Plateau to this level, at least not in his first season.
Mbwas masterstroke
Mbwas, who had previously worked at Heartland and Rangers quietly went about his business and results are now showing.
One of the best decisions he took was restoring Albert Hilary as a starter after Mustapha Ibrahim left the club to team up with Kano Pillars.
Hilary has repaid that faith with 11 league goals and great energy in attack where he is ably supported by Nenrot Silas who was only registered on Matchday nine after a botched move to Egypt.
Together, they have terrorized defenders in Jos and away stadiums, scoring 34 goals in total, the best goal haul by any of the teams in the top three.
With the games coming thick and fast, it will be interesting to see how the NPFL top 3 fend off the likes of Rangers, Remo Stars and Pillars who are lurking in the shadows and waiting to pounce.
