3 reasons why Akwa Starlets can win the title | NPFL 2019-20
The latest edition of the Nigerian Professional Football League is in full gear, with clubs setting about achieving their various goals.
The bigger clubs like Enyimba and Kano Pillars expectedly have lofty ambitions of winning the title, while others would be content with even mid-table finishes.
With 11 matchdays gone in the season, we are slowly getting an indication of how the season could shape out to be, while some unknown players are already making a mark on the league.
The Nigerian league is one of the toughest and most competitive in the world and winning the title is no mean feat.
One club which could defy expectations and go all the way to lift the trophy is Akwa Starlets (renamed Dakkada FC) and the Akwa Ibom-based team are punching above their weight to occupy 5th spot in the standings.
While it might seem improbable, it is not impossible for Dakkada FC to win the league and here, we shall be highlighting three reasons why they may be crowned league champions come the end of the 2019-20 NPFL season.
#3 They have the element of surprise
Dakkada FC are relative upstarts in the Nigerian football scene, having been formed only 16 years ago in 2004.
As recently as last year, they were plying their trade in the Nigerian second-tier and gained promotion by virtue of them finishing as champions in the Nigerian National League.
This saw them participate in the top-flight for the first time in their history and in the long-run, while this lack of experience could harm their chances, it could also play to their advantage in terms of giving them an edge over their opponents.
Unlike the more established sides like Enyimba, Heartland, and Kano Pillars, not much is known about Dakkada and like MFM (who finished 2nd on the table just a year after participating in the NPFL for the first time), this relative obscurity could also play to the advantage of Dakkada FC.