NPFL Cancellation: Rivers United Substitute Enyimba In CAF Champions League

NPFL Cancellation: Rivers United Substitute Enyimba In CAF Champions League

By Editor

Following Wednesday’s meeting held by the relevant stakeholders to resolve the crisis that is trailing the controversial decision by the Club Owners Association to cancel the 2020 Nigeria Professional Football League season and award continental slots based on the Points Per Game, PPG, mechanism, to the top three clubs on the log.

Plateau United still retain the first position and Champions League slot but Enyimba have dropped to the the third position and now will represent Nigeria at the CAF second tier competition, the Confederations Cup.

At their virtual meeting held last Sunday, 17 of the 20 NPFL clubs voted to end the season as they used PPG formula to settle for Plateau United, Enyimba and Rivers United for continental competitions.

However, the decision of the club owners didn’t go down well with Lobi Stars and Akwa United which compelled the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to call for yesterday’s peace finding meeting.

Daily Trust gathered that the meeting which was presided over by the NFF, with officials of the League Management Company, LMC, Chairmen of the 20 clubs and other relevant stakeholders in attendance.

It was gathered that the highly contentious PPG was not discarded but the decision to hand the second Champions League slot to Enyimba was reversed because of their inferior goal difference.

A look at the new table showed that both Enyimba and Rivers United tied on points calculated based on PPG but the Port-Harcourt club boast of superior goal difference.

While Rivers United scored 28 goals in 25 matches and conceded 15 to have 1.87 goal difference based on PPG, Enyimba in 20 matches scored 30 goals but conceded 20 leaving them with 1.50 goal difference.

Consequently, Plateau United and Rivers United are the two clubs to play in the CAF Champions League next season and Enyimba and Aiteo Cup defending Champions Kano Pillars were handed the remaining CAF Confederation Cup ticket.

However, report that the decision at yesterday’s meeting is not final as the Nigeria Football Federation is expected to discuss the outcome of the meeting with the minister of sports.

Meanwhile, an aide of the sports minister told our reporter yesterday that the minister was waiting to be briefed by the NFF and LMC.

He said “The Honourable Minister does not want to dabble into what is happening but whatever is discussed and the decisions taken will be forwarded to him for his input.

“The minister is for fair play so let us wait till he is briefed by the NFF,” he said.