By Daily Sports on January 25, 2016

Nigerian champions Enyimba will start the defence of their title on the road against Port Harcourt club Dolphins on the weekend of February 20 and 21.

The People’s Elephant will have the psychological edge going into their opening game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season having not suffered a defeat to the Port Harcourt outfit in their last nine meetings.

Dolphins last defeated Enyimba in March 2011 when they won 2-1 at the Liberation Stadium with Emah Godwin and Captain Ejindu scoring for the Port Harcourt side while Chidozie Johnson netted for the People’s Elephant.

Enyimba have also avoided defeat in their last four trips to the Liberation including claiming a 2-1 win last term en route to winning their record seventh title.

The pick of the opening day fixtures will be at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri where Heartland will play hosts to last season’s runners-up, Warri Wolves.

There will be a clash of promoted sides when Plateau United and Niger Tornadoes go head to head. Tornadoes were relegated in the 2011/2012 season while Plateau United dropped to the second tier five seasons ago.

The other newly-promoted sides, Ikorodu United and MFM FC, are debutants in the Nigerian top-flight and are both based in the country's commercial city of Lagos.

MFM FC, owned by the church, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, will play their first top division game at Nasarawa United.

Lagos will be the venue of the Ikorodu United versus Abia Warriors game. It will be the first time in a decade that a top-flight match will be held in the commercial city of Nigeria.

Former champions Kano Pillars are hosts to Enugu Rangers while El-Kanemi Warriors and Wikki Tourists will go head to head in a northeast derby.

Opening day fixtures

Giwa FC v FC Ifeanyi Ubah

Nasarawa United v MFM FC

Dolphins v Enyimba

3SC v Lobi Stars

Sunshine Stars v Akwa United

Ikorodu United v Abia Warriors

El-Kanemi v Wikki Tourists

Heartland v Warri Wolves

Kano Pillars v Enugu Rangers

Plateau United v Niger Tornadoes

•Sourced from Supersport. Photo shows Enyimba players filing out from the pitch after a match.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 25, 2016

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