Goal takes a look at the encounters to be played in the NPFL on Wednesday
The home side have made an encouraging start to the season with 13 points from seven matches leaving them in second position in the table, and have lost two of their games this season.
Pillars, meanwhile, have also made a bright start to the 2016 campaign with 11 points leaving them in third position. Though they have one match in hand.
The two teams have never met in the top flight in their history.
Pillars' boss Baba Ganaru could revert to the same side that drew with Lobi Stars at the Aper Aku Stadium last week with Gambo Mohammed and Prince Aggrey continuing their partnership in attack.
MFM FC boss Fidelis Ilechukwu will have the luxury of fielding Chukwuka Onuwa, Irumekhai Atu, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Julius Emiloju and Newman Musa. Isah Akor is expected to start on the bench.
The match will get underway by 7pm at the Agege Township Stadium.
FC Ifeanyi Ubah Vs Heartland
Heartland FC will play as guests of FC Ifeanyi Ubah on Wednesday, 23rd March, 2016 at the Rojenny International Stadium in the match day eight of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League.
It's an Orientatal War and bragging rights would be the attraction to fans of both sides.
The Naze Millionaires edged MFM FC 1-0 on Sunday.
FC Ifeanyi Ubah on the other hand fell 2-1 at the hands of Elkanemi Warriors, and they will be looking to react in their home game against Heartland.
The two sides are not strangers at all having met two times in the last 12 months. They both shared one win each.
Nasarawa United Vs Ikorodu United
Nasarawa United will welcome Ikorodu United to the Aper Aku Stadium on Thursday in their second home game of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League season looking to pick their first maximum points.
The Solid Miners have a wretched run of three games without a point.
This is the best time to sing victory songs as they face a poor Ikorodu United side, who are winless in their last five matches (four defeats and one loss).
Ikorodu United should start winning matches or else they might have to be shipped back to the Nigeria National League at the end of the season.
Kabiru Dogo knows that his job isn't safe after his team crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup, having lost 4-2 on aggregate to Algeria's Constantine in the second round of the competition. Anything short of victory might see the coach facing the wrath of the executioner's axe.
The
coach will be banking on Shammah Tanze, Abdulrahman Bashir, Yaro
Bature, Esosa Igbinoba, Philip Azango and Thomas Zenke for goals.
The
Oga Boys will go into this tie with a clean bill of health and will
count on striking duo Ijegwu Ojukwu and Harrison Egbune to provide them
with the goals as they hope for an upset in Makurdi.
Nasarawa United will be huge favourites to pick the points in this tie in order to enliven their faltering season.
The two sides haven't met in the history of the NPFL.
Lobi Stars Vs Enugu Rangers
Stakes
are high, form is strong and momentum is with Lobi Stars as they
prepare to stop league leaders Enugu Rangers at the Aper Aku Stadium
looking to rely on their usually excellent home record to continue their
pursuit of their 4th home win this season.Having narrowly lost 2-1 to Plateau United at Rwang Pam Stadium on Sunday, the Pride of Benue have the chance to join the chasing park in Makurdi with a victory against the Flying Antelopes.
Rangers have already confirmed their tag as one of the teams capable of challenging for honours in the 2016 season. They are on top of the 20-team table with 14 points from seven games (four wins, two draws and one loss).
Last season both sides met thrice. Lobi Stars won 2-0 in a league match and edged Rangers 1-0 in the semi finals of the Federation Cup. The Flying Antelopes defeated the Pride of Benue 3-1 in Enugu.
To
notch up their fourth win of the season, Lobi Stars will need to
overcome an in-form Rangers side who hold an impressive record this
season, winning four games, playing two draws and losing once.
Giwa FC Vs El-Kanemi Warriors
Giwa
FC's strength will be put to test in Wednesday's Nigeria Professional
Football League week eight fixture at the Rwang Pam Stadium.
The Jos Elephants are starting to show their true potentials having won their last two league matches.
Warriors
won't be pushovers after fighting like wounded lions to defeat FC
Ifeanyi Ubah 2-1 on Sunday for their second league win of the season.Giwa and El-Kanemi are meeting for the third time in ten months. The Jos Elephants won 3-1 and 2-1 respectively in those games last season.
"Playing Giwa FC will be extremely difficult but we are going into the game with one aim because all the odds are against us but trust Elkanemi Warriors to come out as winners," Kazeem Yekeen told Goal ahead of Wednesday's clash.
However, Adebogun Omotayo confidently told Goal: "It will be a tough game, but we have the best materials to gun Elkanemi Warriors down."
The kick off time for the game between Giwa FC and Elkanemi Warriors is at 4pm at the Rwang Pam Stadium.
Akwa United Vs Warri Wolves
Akwa
United will welcome Warri Wolves to the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on
match day eight of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League on
Wednesday,
The Promise Keepers will be eyeing their fourth win of
the league campaign against Wolves, who crashed out of the CAF Champions
League last weekend.A win for Maurice Cooreman's side could see them zoom to third.
Warri Wolves have so far recorded two wins, two draws and one defeat in the ongoing league campaign and their last visit to Uyo, they drew 1-1.
Olufemi Kayode says he is optimistic of his side's win.
"We will beat them for the three points but it won't come easy," Kayode told Goal.
"I'm urging the fans to fill the stands because their support are very essential in Wednesday's game," he said.
Though the bookmakers have tipped the Promise Keepers to win the tie, Wolves midfielder Michael Okoyoh believes that anything can happen in football.
"Football is full of uncertainties, though Akwa United are favourites to win the game but we can stun them at their home ground.'
"We know they will get a lot of support because they are playing at home but we have what it takes to pick a point or win the game," Okoyoh exclusively told Goal.
The match is scheduled to get underway at 4pm.
Enyimba FC Vs Plateau United
Having sealed their place in the next round of the CAF Champions League, Enyimba will be desperate to fix their poor domestic league form when they host Plateau United at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Thursday.
Enyimba have won just once in three games, a poor return for a club of their calibre.
Their
only victory against Ikorodu United was a scrappy one as they needed a
late goal from Ugochukwu Leonard to narrowly edge the Oga Boys 1-0'in
Umuahia.Plateau United who are yet to win an away game on their return to the top flight have heavily relied on their good home form of three wins and a draw.
It promises to be an entertaining fixture in the capital city of Abia State.
Players to watch are Mfon Udoh, Stephen Chukwudi, Dare Ojo, Ugochukwu Leonard, Christian Pyagbara, Chinedu Udoji, Julius Nuhu, Victor Namo, Innocent Ndem, Isah Lankart and Charles Okafor.
Bookies have tipped Enyimba to bag the three points at stake.
Rivers United Vs Sunshine Stars
Rivers United host Sunshine Stars on Wednesday afternoon looking for their fourth Premier League win of the season against the Owena Waves.
Sunshine Stars are yet to win any game in the seven-week old league campaign and have earned just two points so far.
Ofem Inah will miss the games involving against Sunshine Stars, Ikorodu United (in Lagos on March 27) and El Kanemi Warriors (in Port Harcourt on April 6) due to the red card he earned against Shooting Stars.
He is the second Rivers United player to receive a three-match ban this season after defender, Ayobami Asekunowo got the marching orders in the club’s 2-3 reverse to Niger Tornadoes in Lokoja on March 13.
Rivers United have players like Fred Obomate, Olalekan Gabriel, Ovoke Bernard, Chukwunonso Okonkwo and Guy Kuemian Venance to perform the magic for them.
Caretaker coach of Sunshine Stars, Kayode Olujohungbe is confident of turning around the fortunes of his team in the game scheduled to take place at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium.
In all fairness, luck has deserted the Akure-based team especially in their away games.
They will be counting on Samad Kadiri, Okiki Afolabi, Razaq Adegbite and Kunle Odunlami to perform the magic in Port Harcourt.
Niger Tornadoes Vs Shooting Stars
Niger Tornadoes host Shooting Stars hoping to condemn the Oluyole Warriors to their third defeat of the season.
Kadiri Ikhana's were at an average level in their 1-0 victory against Rivers United while Niger Tornadoes were unlucky to have lost 2-1 to Wikki Tourists.
Abdullahi Biffo will retain the bulk of players that prosecuted the week seven match in Bauchi.
His opposite number is expected to use the majority of the team that edged Rivers United last weekend.
Abia Warriors Vs Wikki Tourists
Abia Warriors welcome Wikki Tourists to the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday.
It is a fixture that shouldn't lack the needed attacking flavour, considering the talents at the disposal of the two sides.
Both sides are tied on ten points, but the visitors have a better goal difference.
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