2019 Nigeria Women Premier League

Last updated
Nigeria Women Premier League
Season2019
Champions Rivers Angels
Matches played48
Goals scored103 (2.15 per match)
← 2018
2020–21 →

The 2019 Nigeria Women Premier League began July 24, 2019. The league was earlier scheduled to start in February, but due to logistic reasons and commencement of other competitions, it was postponed to March, [1] May [2] then later July. [3] Prior to the start of the league, a congress was held in Abuja on June 27, with representatives from Nigeria Football Federation. [4] Due to failure of some teams to pay their indemnities, the agreed date at the congress was shifted from July 17 to July 24. [5] [6]

Contents

At the end of the 2018 Nigeria Women Premier League, Pelican Stars and Sure Babes were relegated to the lower division while Dream Stars Ladies and Invincible Angels gained promotion to the League. [7] Bayelsa Queens returns as defending champions, while Kaduna Queens bought the slot of Jokodolu Babes to compete in the elite division.

At the end of the regular season, Confluence Queens, Bayelsa Queens, Rivers Angels and Adamawa Queens topped their group, thereby qualifying for the super 4 competition to determine the overall winner of the league, while Osun Babes, Dream Stars Ladies, Kaduna Queens and Invincible Angels proceed to relegation playoffs. [8] [9]

Format

For the 2019 season, an abridged league format of four groups was adopted with four teams in each group. The top team in each of the four groups will play a super four mini-tournament at the end of the league to determine the overall winner of the league. The last placed team in each group will engage in a playoff to determine the two teams that will be relegated to the lower division. [10] [11]

Major transfers

The league saw the arrival of two Gambian internationals, Penda Bah and Isatou Jallow joining Rivers Angels and Dream Stars Ladies (with Jallow later joining Angels) respectively. [12] [13] Other major transfers included the arrival of 2018 second top scorer, Anjor Major to league winners, Bayelsa Queens. [14] [15] Rofiat Sule, who was the top scorer during the 2016 and 2017 season also moved from Rivers Angels to Bayelsa Queens in a deal that is considered as the biggest in the history of Nigerian women club football. [16] In August 2019, former captain of Ghana women's national under-20 football team, Grace Adams signed a year deal with Rivers Angels from a team in the United States. [17]

Non-Nigerian players during 2019 season

PlayerClubNationality
Grace Adams Rivers Angels Ghana
Zogo Mete Heartland QueensCameroon
Penda Bah Rivers Angels Gambia
Carine Yoh Sunshine QueensCameroon
Ajieh Vivian Delta QueensGhana
Ossol KevineAbia AngelsCameroon
Tantoh MelvisDelta QueensCameroon
Bakendji ReineAbia AngelsCameroon
Patience AdjeteyDelta QueensGhana
Isatou Jallow Rivers AngelsGambia
Bilong MaxiAbia AngelsCameroon

Finals table

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Rivers Angels (Q)641163+313Qualification to the Super 4
2 FC Robo 632185+311
3 Delta Queens 622254+18
4 Osun Babes (R)6015411−71Qualification to the Relegation play-offs
Source: The NWFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Adamawa Queens (Q)633041+312Qualification to the Super 4
2 Edo Queens 631275+210
3 Heartland Queens 621369−37
4 Dream Stars Ladies F.C. (R)611457−24Qualification to the Relegation play-offs
Source: The NWFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Bayelsa Queens (Q)632195+411Qualification to the Super 4
2 Sunshine Queens 632174+311
3 Nasarawa Amazons 6132108+26
4 Kaduna Queens [lower-alpha 1] (R)6114413−94Qualification to the Relegation play-offs
Source: The NWFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ↑ Kaduna Queens bought the slot of Jokodolu Babes

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Confluence Queens (Q)6321105+511Qualification to the Super 4
2 Abia Angels 631256−110
3 Ibom Angels 630375+29
4 Invincible Angels (R)6114511−64Qualification to the Relegation play-offs
Source: The NWFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Play-off stages

Relegation play-offs

Osun Babes 1–1 Kaduna Queens
Iloduba Soccerball shade.svg51' (pen.) Report Anita Soccerball shade.svg
Penalties
4–3
FIFA Goal Project Pitch (Package B), Abuja

Super 4

Semi-finals

Third place match

Adamawa Queens 0–4 Bayelsa Queens
Report


Final

 2019 Nigeria Women Premier League winners 
Rivers Angels
6th title

Nigeria Women Pro-league play-offs

Four teams qualified for the promotion playoffs; Olori Babes, Pelican Stars, Police Female Machine, Moje Queens. The four teams would play each other once in a round robin tournament, the two highest ranked teams shall be promoted to the 2020 Nigeria Women Premier League.

All matches were played at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Olori Babes FC (P)330051+49Promotion to the 2020 Nigeria Women Premier League
2 Pelican Stars (P)320183+56
3 Police Female Machine FC 310248−43
4 Moje Queens 300327−50
Source: The NWFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(P) Promoted

Round 1

Pelican Stars 4–1 Police Female Machine FC
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja
Olori Babes FC 1–0 Moje Queens
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja


Round 2

Olori Babes FC 2–1 Pelican Stars
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja
Police Female Machine FC 3–2 Moje Queens
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja


Round 3

Moje Queens 0–3 Pelican Stars
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja
Police Female Machine FC 0–2 Olori Babes FC
Confluence Stadium, Lokoja

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References

  1. ↑ Ahmadu, Samuel (2019-02-06). "Solomon Dalung solicits financial support for Nigeria Women Premier League commencement" . Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  2. ↑ "NWPL: AGM postponement hinders league resumption".
  3. ↑ "2019/2020 Nigeria Women Premier League kicks off Today".
  4. ↑ "Nigeria Women League to begin abridged 2018/2019 season July 17". Brila. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  5. ↑ "Nigeria Women's Premier League 2019 season kicks off on July 17". Goal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  6. ↑ "NWPL postpones 2019 season's kick-off by one week". Guardian. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  7. ↑ Oba, Adeniji. "Dream Stars Ladies Pick Promotion to NWPL". Sports 247. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  8. ↑ "Confluence Queens, Rivers Angels, Adamawa Queens and Bayelsa Queens book NWPL Super Four berth".
  9. ↑ "Nigeria: NWPL Down to the Wire As Top Teams Battle for Super 4".
  10. ↑ "2018/2019 NWPL Season set to Kick-Off". Brila.net. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  11. ↑ "Nigeria Women's Premier League 2019 season kicks off on July 17".
  12. ↑ "Female Scorpion's Isatou Jallow Joins Nigeria's Rivers Angels on Season Long Loan".
  13. ↑ "Gambia's Penda Bah joins Nigerian side Dream Stars from Interior FC".
  14. ↑ "5 promising players to look out for in the Nigeria Women Premier League".
  15. ↑ "Five Young Players Ready to Shine in the 2018/2019 NWPL Season".
  16. ↑ "Five new signings to watch out for in the 2018/2019 NWPL season". Sport Compass. Archived from the original on 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  17. ↑ "Nigerian champions Rivers Angels FC sign former Black Princesses captain Grace Adams". Football Ghana. August 16, 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
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