The best stats from the 2020/21 NPFL season
The 2020/21 season of the Nigerian Professional Football League commenced in December 2020 after the 2019/20 season was truncated in March.
With the season heading towards Matchday 12, more than a quarter of the season has been played, and we take a look at some of the best statistics from the season thus far.
From a managerial aspect, there has been only one major casualty so far in the league, as MFM FC parted ways with coach Tony Bolus after Matchday 9 and confirmed the interim appointment of Olalekan Gabriel as their coach.
The league’s hottest forwards are Sadeeq Yusuf of Sunshine Stars who has netted 8 times in 11 outings, and Akwa United striker, Ndifreke Effiong is closely behind him on 7 goals. Seun Olulayo of Sunshine Stars has made four assists this season and leads the assist charts, as MFM’s Akanni Elijah and Evans Obonda of FC Ifeanyi Ubah are tied on 3 assists each. Olulayo and Sadeeq have combined directly for 3 goals, the most from any two players this season in the league.
Wikki Tourists goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali has kept the most clean sheets in the division, with seven shutouts in 10 appearances this season. Closely behind him is Kano Pillars goalkeeper, Idrissu Ibrahim who has kept 6 clean sheets. Chinedu Anozie of Plateau United and Dele Aiyenugba of Kwara United have kept 5 clean sheets apiece.
Rivers United have the tightest defence as they have conceded just 5 goals in 9 matches this season. Heartland FC have the league’s leakiest defence, having conceded 17 goals in their 11 matches this season. Heartland have also scored the most goals this season with 15 goals scored, as Adamawa United are the league’s goal-shy side, having netted only thrice this season.
Heartland have dropped 10 points from winning positions this season, the most of any team in the league. Kwara United have had the longest unbeaten run this season, going 8 matches unbeaten before finally losing to Rangers International. Adamawa United are the only winless side in the league this season.
Remarkably, four different sides have reached the summit of the league this season, including Rivers United twice, Nasarawa United, Enyimba and Kwara United who are currently on top of the table with 21 points, ‎having played two matches more than second-placed Enyimba who also have amassed 21 points.
Abia Warriors have had the biggest turnaround so far, having started the season with four consecutive defeats and then three consecutive draws are currently the most in-form side in the league having won 3 and lost one of their last four fixtures in the league. They’ve scored 10 and conceded just 4 in that period.
There has been a total of 106 matches across different venues this season, with 200 goals scored in the league so far. There have also been 14 away wins this season so far. Sadeeq Yusuf was named as the league’s player of the month for January, with Rivers United gaffer Stanley Eguma picking up the award for Coach of the Month.
Enyimba are the league’s sole representatives in continental football, after the trio of Rivers United, Plateau United and Kano Pillars were knocked out of the continent at different times.
