Npfl match preview: Rivers United versus Lobi Stars

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Competition: Nigeria Npfl
Competition: Sun 01.August
Match begins: 15:00 (UTC)
Venue: Yakubu Gowon Stadium (25000 seats)

Rivers United perform at a high level so far being 5th in the table. Lobi Stars can look both up and down from their 8th position.

Insights:
  • Rivers United have not yet lost a game at home.
  • Lobi Stars have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.

It's no vacation for neither Rivers nor Lobi Stars as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.

Lobi Stars play their home games on artifical turf, while this game is played on grass. Recent stats for Lobi Stars when playing on grass are 4 wins, 10 draws and 18 defeats from 32 matches. They have scored 15 goals and conceded 37 times in these games.

For Stars most of the excitement is over as they will neither be promoted or relegated this season.

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Rivers United form and stats

Rivers United have been very solid at home in the Npfl so far, with 48 points collected from 18 matches (15-3-0). This has contributed greatly to their 5th position in the table.

The home team returns to Yakubu Gowon Stadium after being equal after 90 minutes with MFM (placed 11th) on their last time out; the Npfl game ended 2-2. A disappointing finish for Rivers in their match versus MFM as their 2-0 lead was destroyed and replaced with a 2-2 full time score.

Previous to that game, a home match hosting Ifeanyi Uba in a game that was won 2-0.

Rivers have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Yakubu Gowon Stadium with 30 goals in 18 league matches. Rivers United have showed great defending skills in these home games, allowing the opposition to score only 5 goals.

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Lobi Stars form and stats

Lobi Stars have only collected 7 points from their away games in the Npfl, after 1-4-13 (18 played). Two points from the last two away games for Stars, which the math geniuses among you will translate to two draws.

Stars's last game ended in a draw, the home match versus Enyimba that finished 1-1.

Ahead of that match was the away draw versus Plateau United that ended 0-0.

Lobi Stars are seemingly not capable of scoring regularly on their travels in the league. They have only managed 7 goals from 18 away games. Stars have conceded 25 goals in these away matches.

Head 2 Head

This is the result when the teams met earlier this season; Lobi Stars - Rivers 4-1. Numbers for the last ten meetings between these two teams are: three wins for Rivers United, one draw and six wins for Lobi Stars. Over 2,5 goals: four times; under 2,5 goals: six games.

Rivers United missing players

Lobi Stars missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Rivers United Lobi Stars
Total Home vs mid Statistics Stat vs top Away Total
36 18 6 Played P 5 18 36
17 15 6 Won W 0 1 16
9 3 0 Drew D 0 4 7
10 0 0 Lost L 5 13 13
45 30 12 Scored S 2 7 40
34 5 2 Conceded C 11 25 35
94% 94% 100% Over 0.5 O 0.5 100% 89% 89%
67% 67% 67% Over 1.5 O 1.5 80% 50% 58%
33% 22% 33% Over 2.5 O 2.5 80% 33% 42%
17% 11% 33% Over 3.5 O 3.5 0% 6% 11%
6% 0% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 0% 0% 8%
42% 28% 33% BTTS BTTS 40% 28% 36%
44% 72% 67% Clean Sheets C S 0% 17% 36%
19% 6% 0% Failed to Score F T 60% 67% 39%
 
4.7 5.9 4.5 Corners for (avg) C F 1.5 3 4.6
3.9 2.2 3.2 Corners against (avg) C A 4 5 3.9
1.7 1.5 1.7 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 3.5 2.7 1.9
3 1 1 Red cards R C 1 2 2
 
11.3 12.9 11.8 Shots (avg) S ( 6 5.9 7.5
4 4.6 3.8 Shots on Target (avg) S O 2.5 2.6 3.1
33% 37% 52% Goal Efficiency G E 20% 18% 38%
Key stats in Npfl this season:
  • Lobi Stars have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.
  • Lobi Stars have won significantly less corners away then at home.
  • Rivers United have not yet lost a game at home.
  • Rivers United have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
  • Rivers United have scored at least twice as many goals at home as Lobi Stars have scored away.
  • Rivers United have won at least twice as many corners as they have conceded at home.
  • Rivers United have won significantly more corners at home than away.

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Akwa United 36 18 14 4 47 20 18 15 3 0 33 6 18 3 11 4 14 14 27 68
2 Nasarawa United 36 19 5 12 51 35 18 16 1 1 40 13 18 3 4 11 11 22 16 62
3 Enyimba 36 17 11 8 37 31 18 12 6 0 24 12 18 5 5 8 13 19 6 62
4 Kano Pillars 36 18 7 11 37 28 18 16 2 0 25 3 18 2 5 11 12 25 9 61
5 Rivers United 36 17 9 10 45 34 18 15 3 0 30 5 18 2 6 10 15 29 11 60
6 Kwara United 36 17 8 11 43 28 18 14 4 0 32 5 18 3 4 11 11 23 15 59
7 Enugu Rangers 36 17 8 11 41 28 18 15 2 1 30 6 18 2 6 10 11 22 13 59
8 Lobi Stars 36 16 7 13 40 35 18 15 3 0 33 10 18 1 4 13 7 25 5 55
9 Akwa Starlets 36 15 5 16 36 42 18 12 3 3 29 15 18 3 2 13 7 27 -6 50
10 Plateau United 36 13 9 14 43 33 18 12 5 1 33 8 18 1 4 13 10 25 10 48
11 MFM 36 12 12 12 31 30 18 10 6 2 21 11 18 2 6 10 10 19 1 48
12 Katsina United 36 13 7 16 34 39 18 12 5 1 30 10 18 1 2 15 4 29 -5 46
13 Heartland 36 12 9 15 42 49 18 10 6 2 27 14 18 2 3 13 15 35 -7 45
14 Abia Warriors 36 11 11 14 45 40 18 11 3 4 32 15 18 0 8 10 13 25 5 44
15 Wikki Tourist 36 11 9 16 38 46 18 11 4 3 29 17 18 0 5 13 9 29 -8 42
16 Sunshine Stars 36 10 11 15 26 38 18 8 8 2 17 10 18 2 3 13 9 28 -12 41
17 Jigawa Golden Stars 36 10 10 16 26 44 18 9 7 2 16 9 18 1 3 14 10 35 -18 40
18 Warri Wolves 36 10 8 18 29 44 18 10 4 4 19 10 18 0 4 14 10 34 -15 38
19 Ifeanyi Uba 36 8 12 16 32 48 18 8 7 3 20 13 18 0 5 13 12 35 -16 36
20 Adamawa United 36 5 10 21 20 51 18 5 9 4 17 14 18 0 1 17 3 37 -31 25

Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Akwa United 36 18 14 4 47 20 18 15 3 0 33 6 18 3 11 4 14 14 27 68
2 Nasarawa United 36 19 5 12 51 35 18 16 1 1 40 13 18 3 4 11 11 22 16 62
3 Enyimba 36 17 11 8 37 31 18 12 6 0 24 12 18 5 5 8 13 19 6 62
4 Kano Pillars 36 18 7 11 37 28 18 16 2 0 25 3 18 2 5 11 12 25 9 61
5 Rivers United 36 17 9 10 45 34 18 15 3 0 30 5 18 2 6 10 15 29 11 60
6 Kwara United 36 17 8 11 43 28 18 14 4 0 32 5 18 3 4 11 11 23 15 59
7 Enugu Rangers 36 17 8 11 41 28 18 15 2 1 30 6 18 2 6 10 11 22 13 59
8 Lobi Stars 36 16 7 13 40 35 18 15 3 0 33 10 18 1 4 13 7 25 5 55
9 Akwa Starlets 36 15 5 16 36 42 18 12 3 3 29 15 18 3 2 13 7 27 -6 50
10 Plateau United 36 13 9 14 43 33 18 12 5 1 33 8 18 1 4 13 10 25 10 48
11 MFM 36 12 12 12 31 30 18 10 6 2 21 11 18 2 6 10 10 19 1 48
12 Katsina United 36 13 7 16 34 39 18 12 5 1 30 10 18 1 2 15 4 29 -5 46
13 Heartland 36 12 9 15 42 49 18 10 6 2 27 14 18 2 3 13 15 35 -7 45
14 Abia Warriors 36 11 11 14 45 40 18 11 3 4 32 15 18 0 8 10 13 25 5 44
15 Wikki Tourist 36 11 9 16 38 46 18 11 4 3 29 17 18 0 5 13 9 29 -8 42
16 Sunshine Stars 36 10 11 15 26 38 18 8 8 2 17 10 18 2 3 13 9 28 -12 41
17 Jigawa Golden Stars 36 10 10 16 26 44 18 9 7 2 16 9 18 1 3 14 10 35 -18 40
18 Warri Wolves 36 10 8 18 29 44 18 10 4 4 19 10 18 0 4 14 10 34 -15 38
19 Ifeanyi Uba 36 8 12 16 32 48 18 8 7 3 20 13 18 0 5 13 12 35 -16 36
20 Adamawa United 36 5 10 21 20 51 18 5 9 4 17 14 18 0 1 17 3 37 -31 25

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The Nigerian Professional Fotball League (NPFL) is the highest level of football in Nigeria. It has earlier been known as the Nigerian Premier League, Nigerian Premiership, Nigerian Professional League and other names. It currently holds two divisions each with twelve teams. The top three teams in each division qualify for a championship playoff.