Fireworks as Nigerian Women Professional League kicks off

In Group A, the star match will be in Oleh, Delta State, where defending champions of the League Delta Queens of Asaba will take on Kogi Confluence Queens. The Lokoja based team who finished tops of their group last season with 37 points will surely give the Asaba based team a run for their money. […]

In Group A, the star match will be in Oleh, Delta State, where defending champions of the League Delta Queens of Asaba will take on Kogi Confluence Queens. The Lokoja based team who finished tops of their group last season with 37 points will surely give the Asaba based team a run for their money. Delta Queens will be relying on the experiences of their national team players to pocket the three points at stake.
At the Lafia Township stadium, Nasarawa Amazons will trade tackles with Osun Babes of Osogbo. The Amazons from Lafia, played in the Super six last season. They were also at the quarter finals of the Challenge cup. The Aregbe Babes from Osogbo were very modest last season where they finished with 25 points from the 18 matches played.
FC Robo of Lagos will have their hands full this weekend when they play the Standard Babes of Aba. When both teams met last season, they shared the six points at stake. It would not be surprise, if same repeat itself this weekend at the Agege Township stadium.
2012 Challenge cup finalist Inneh Queens of Benin may have an easy rise over new comers Taraba Babes of Jalingo. The Taraba team which would be having their first test in League, would need extra strength to withstand the fireworks of the Inneh girls. The Jalingo team bought over the space of Oguche Babes of Lokoja.
Another debutants in the League, Shettima Babes of Abuja would also have their baptism of fire in Yola when they confront the Adamawa Queens in their first professional league match this weekend. The Abuja team owned and financed by former Minister of Defence, Shettima Musa qualified for the elite league by sheer providence. Their Coach Albert Effuguri will have to bring out his years of experience to ensure that they return from Yola with at least a point.
The Star match of Group B will be the match between Rivers Angels and Sunshine Queens of Akure. The match which will be played at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt, will no doubt live to its billings. The Rivers Angels who were runners up in the Super six last season, however finished the regular season as leaders of their group with 45 points, they compensated for their lost In the Super Six by winning Challenge cup when they triumph over Inneh Queens through penalties. Against Sunshine Queens in the first match of the season, they would want to prove to their fans that their performance last season was not a fluke by pocketing the three points.
Another cracker in the group will be the match between Bayelsa Queens and Ibom Angels. The visitors have not been able to stamp their authority in the League, since their entrance few years ago. They would have a lot to chew in the hands of the Bayelsa girls who are boasting of experience legs likes Cecilia Nku, Precious Dede, Joy Igboke, Edeji Chidinma, Orji Eberechi among others.
In Abuja, FCT Queens will want throw aside the financial crisis that bedevilled their participation last season to pick the maximum points against Police Machine. Both teams had an average performance last season, and would want to improve on it this season. In Ibadan, Tewo Queens will be hosting another great female team in the country, Pelican Stars. The Calabar based team are not push overs, as they had made remarkable impact in women football in country. The Chief Tewogbade sponsored team in Ibadan, will need to make little mistakes if they would maximize their home advantage in this weekend match. Tokas Queens of Lagos escaped relegation last season by whiskers, and that is the experience they would want to avoid this season, moreover, as they are meeting another debutants in the League C.I. Angels of Asaba in their first match. The Tokas Babes would want to pick the three maximum points, but they would first have to contend with the vast experience of Coach Dan Evumena who is the Technical Director of the visitors.