The race for the golden boot in the Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL is already heating up and getting to the climax as boys are gradually separated from men.
It was another round of matches in the midweek. Goals were coming in even though it was almost a total home win this round but many thanks to the two matches that ended in draws. The game between Akwa United and MFM ended in a barren draw while Shooting Stars and Remo ended with one goal apiece. It’s week 31. This only indicates that it’s 7 matches to go and the goal-scoring chat, though competitive but not too impressive as the highest number of goals by an individual is just 14.
The NPLF rewards the highest goal scorer annually through the Eunisell Boot Event. This annual event, which was established in 2018 by Eunisell Limited, West Africa’s largest specialty Chemical, and Oil and Gas production solutions firm, is seeking to raise the standard of the professional football league in Nigeria through awareness and cash rewards for the highest goal scorer.
Three players majorly will hold their heads up high when the business of goal scoring is being so far this season. Gombe United’s Abdulazeez Yusuf has scored his 14th goal of this season’s Nigerian Professional Football League as his side narrowly defeated Heartland of Owerri 3-2 on match day 31. He opened the scoring in the 3rd minute of injury time in the first half of an encounter that almost resulted in having a barren first half. This brought his tally for the season to 14. Yusuf has now leveled with Rivers United’s duo of Ishaq Kayode Rafiu and Chijioke Akuneto in the battle of the golden boot. Akuneto scored twice on Wednesday to galvanize Rivers United’s top spot in the league as he joins the league’s leading scorers. Akuneto scored in the 45th and 46th minutes of the game, though in two different halves.
Rafiu on the other hand made his tally 14 in the final minutes of the game against Mountain of Fire where they won emphatically by 5 goals to nil.
Others keenly contesting for the race are Victor Mbaoma of Enyimba with 12 goals. Ossy Martins of Enugu Rangers, Andy Okpe of Remo Stars, and Odoh Valentine of Abia Warriors are all in the 10-goal bracket.
