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Match Preview: Lobi hosts Abia Warriors in Lafia, aims to return to winning ways

Lobi Stars Football Club will play host to Abia Warriors Football Club on match day four of the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League season at the Lafia Township Stadium in Nasarawa State on Saturday, 21 October, 2023.

The NPFL returns to Lafia this weekend with one of the division’s most free-scoring teams taking on one of the more rigid defences. Lobi Stars have scored five league goals this season – the second-highest in the division ahead of this round. The Pride of Benue only failed to score on their trip to Muhammed Dikko Stadium where they were shut out by Katsina United.

Recent Head-to-Head history between these two suggests Abia Warriors have a slight edge over the Makurdi-based team with the Ochendo Babes picking up three wins in their last five meetings (3W, 2L). Nevertheless, with Lobi Stars completing the double over Erasmus Onu led team last season and capping their performance with clean sheets in both fixtures, the pressure is on the Umuahia based side to avert a repeat of that disastrous outing previous season.

The visitors start this game week sitting third on the NPFL table and one point ahead of Lobi Stars after picking up six points from a possible nine so far this season.

Having been able to score just twice in their last three matches, it suggests that the Erasmus Onu tutored side are currently struggling in attack. However, in their own end of the game of play, Abia Warriors are doing a great job this season having conceded once and kept two clean sheets in a span of three games – a positive going into this game in their quest to turn the tide around this season against Lobi Stars.

Players to Watch

Lobi’s Samuel Tiza is looking to score in two consecutive home games. Although kept quiet in Katsina, the winger scored a brace last time out in front of the home fans. 

For Abia Warriors, goalkeeper Johnson Nmecha has two clean sheets on his sleeve and will look to add more to his tally this weekend.

Hot Stat

Abia Warriors have won just two NPFL away games against Lobi Stars since August 2017

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