NPFL: Top three all on the road as Matchday 13 tests the leaders

Leaders Enugu Rangers, second-placed Bendel Insurance and third-placed Nasarawa United all play away from home in Matchday 13 of the Euromatch NPFL, in a season when the road has been the hardest place to win.

Rangers stayed top on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Kwara United, Victor Chimezie scoring five minutes before half-time, and they have 24 points from 11 matches. Bendel Insurance climbed to second with a stoppage-time winner against Niger Tornadoes, while Nasarawa United are third on 20 points after a 3-1 win over Plateau United.

Behind them, Barau FC and Kano Pillars sit on 19 points each, so a bad weekend for the top three could tighten the race quickly.

The fixtures that matter at the top

The round opens on Friday, when Shooting Stars host Bendel Insurance at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan at 18:00 WAT. Bendel arrive on the back of that late win, and also with their protest over the defeat at Rangers still awaiting a decision.

On Sunday, Rangers travel to Niger Tornadoes at the Bako Kontagora Stadium, and Nasarawa United visit Katsina United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium. Barau go to Doma United on Saturday, and Kano Pillars host Ranchers Bees at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Sunday.

Further down the table

Enyimba, with 11 points from 12 games, host Ikorodu City in Aba, and Abia Warriors, also on 11 points after six league games without a win, visit Inter Lagos at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

Ranchers Bees go to Kano buoyed by their 1-0 win over Enyimba, the game in which Tijani Kabiru reached 100 NPFL appearances. Elsewhere, Kwara United host Rivers United and Warri Wolves host Sporting Lagos. Every Sunday game kicks off at 16:00 WAT, according to the NPFL fixture list.

Analysis: Why one point away could feel like a win this weekend

Home advantage has shaped this season more than anything else, and away wins are still rare after 12 rounds. With all three leaders on the road at once, the most likely outcome is that the top of the table stays tight rather than one club pulling clear.

Rangers have the most room for error. Their game in hand is a cushion their rivals do not have, which means even a draw in Kontagora would not be a disaster.

The bigger test may be Bendel's. They play first, on a Friday night in Ibadan, and a win there would put the pressure on Rangers before Sunday. A defeat, with the petition still unresolved, would leave them chasing on two fronts.

For Barau and Kano Pillars, this is the weekend to strike. If the top three drop points on the road, two wins would put both clubs right in the race going into Matchday 14.