NIGERIA WOMEN PREMIER LEAGUE 2013/2014 REVIEW

By Queen John

The Nigerian Women Premier League 2013/2014 season has been an exciting one with lots of catchy results among the 12 teams that took part in the just concluded league season.

The number of participating teams was however later reduced to eleven (11) after the NWPL granted Yola based Adamawa Queens a waiver following the insurgency claims given by other clubs as a reason for not honouring their games in the Adamawa state capital.

The league started on Saturday, March 1st 2014, with games across the five centers and ended Wednesday 26 November, 2014 with Rivers Angels emerging as the League champions winning their second trophy in four days after winning the Federation Cup against two time FA Cup finalist, Sunshine Queens at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Lagos.

Below is an overview of important facts and figures from the 2013/2014 season:

1. A total number of 252 goals were scored during the just concluded season in 110 matches, a representation of 2.29 goals average per match.

2. Of the 252 goals, a total number of 193 goals were scored by home teams while away teams accounted for 59.

3. Seven (7) matches ended in barren draws with Bayelsa Queens and Taraba Queens involved in four (4) goalless draws apiece. The matches which ultimately failed to produce goals were:

- Bayelsa Queens Vs Confluence Queens

- Taraba Vs Delta Queens

- Nasarawa Amazons Vs Bayelsa Queens

- Bayelsa Queens Vs Taraba Queens

- Taraba Queens Vs Pelican Stars

- Delta Queens Vs Taraba Queens and

- Delta Queens Vs Bayelsa Queens.

4. Seven-time champions, Pelican Stars had the most number of clean sheets during the course of the season, shutting out their opponents an unprecedented 9 times in total while Edo Queens recorded the lowest number of clean sheets, being 4.

5. Defenders and goalkeepers were kept on their toes on Matchday 15 with a total number of 18 goals scored which stood as the Matchday with highest number of goals.

6. On the contrary to 5 above, On Matchday 17, strikers were kept at bay with only 7 goals scored, the least during the season.

7. In total, 8 away wins were recorded in the just concluded NWPL season.

- In Week 3, it was  Edo Queens 1-2 Ibom Angels and Bayelsa Queens 1-2 Pelican Stars

- Week 5: Confluence Queens 1-2 Rivers Angels

- Week 7: Bayelsa Queens 0-3 Osun Babes (game originally ended 2-1 in Bayelsa's favour but were docked 3 goals, 3 points by the league body for parading an ineligible player),,

- Week 18: Edo Queens 1-2 Sunshine Queens,

- Week 19: Pelican Stars 0-1 Confluence Queens,

- Week 20: Ibom Angels 0-1 Pelican Stars and

- Week 22: Edo Queens 1- 3 Rivers Angels.

- A lot of credit would go to League winners, Rivers Angels and first runners-up, Pelican Stars who recorded the highest number of away wins (2) and also picked the highest number of points on the road (9) 2 wins and 3 draws.

- Champions, Rivers Angels were the only team to score up to 3 goals away from home.

- Additionally, Double champions, Rivers Angels and Sunshine Queens of Akure were the only teams that had 100% home record as they won all their home games, picking a total of 30 points from their respective home matches.

OTHER STATS AT A GLANCE

* Biggest Margin - Rivers Angels (Rivers Angels 5-1 Osun Babes)

* Biggest Losers - Osun Babes (Rivers Angels 5-1 Osun Babes)

* Biggest away winners - Rivers Angels( Edo Queens 1-3 Rivers Angels)

* Longest unbeaten sequence - Rivers Angels (11 matches, Week 1- 17, during that period, 5 games were shifted)

* Highest scoring side- Rivers Angels (32 goals)

* Lowest scoring side- Bayelsa Queens (16 goals)

* Worst defence - Edo Queens ( 31 goals conceded)

* Highest number of wins - Rivers Angels (12)

* Lowest number of wins – Delta Queens and Bayelsa Queens (5)

* Most prolific team at home – Confluence Queens (25 goals)

* Most prolific team away – Rivers Angels (10 goals)