Sunshine Stars vs Lobi Stars Prediction: A tough one for the Akure boys at home

On Wednesday, at the Akure Township Stadium, the local team Sunshine Stars will clash with Lobi as part of the 22nd round of the Nigerian Premier League. A detailed match preview along with betting opportunities will be presented below.

Gbangi Ogunbote's team is currently fighting for survival in the Premier League, but recent results suggest that maintaining their position in the top tier will be challenging. In their latest league encounter, Sunshine Stars suffered a substantial defeat against Kano, ending with a scoreline of 1-5. This loss marks their third consecutive defeat in the last five matches, with their only points earned at home, drawing twice against Kwara and Niger Tornadoes. Presently, the team from Akure holds the 18th position in the league table, having accumulated 23 points. They are just one point away from the safety zone.

The Suswan Boys currently lead the Nigerian championship, yet Evans Ogenyi's team has struggled to maintain consistent results. In the recent round, Lobi Stars secured a narrow home victory against Heartland, with the lone goal coming in the middle of the second half. This win marks their third in the last five matches, but they also faced an away defeat to Plateau with a score of 1-2 and dropped points at home against Kano, a fellow contender in the upper part of the league table. Consequently, after 21 matches, Lobi has amassed 39 points, while three of their closest competitors, namely Remo Stars, Kano, and Enyimba, each have 36 points.

Given the current form of both teams, the visitors are expected to dominate this encounter. However, despite Sunshine Stars' efforts to avoid relegation, it's challenging to dismiss them entirely. Therefore, in what could be a closely contested match, I anticipate both teams prioritizing defensive play, with a draw serving as a satisfactory outcome for both sides at the conclusion of the match.