Unknown to many, an important piece of statistics in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) 2018/19 season was completed on Wednesday afternoon in Enugu after the country’s continental representatives Rangers and Lobi Stars battled out a 1-1 draw at The Cathedral.

A lot has been said about the existence or not of a win-at-all-cost syndrome for home teams in the league in recent years but with many evidences from the results obtained in this abridged season, such theories are gradually being reduced to mere fulsome nescience.

After Rangers surrendered their 100% record at home to a last gasp free kick by Lobi’s Solomon Kwambe, it became confirmed that no team in the 24-team league could boast of winning all their home games this season any longer as Rangers were the “last team standing”.

In the midst of away results by teams have come shock wins and so-called small teams holding the giants of the league at their supposed slaughter slab. Wednesday’s draw against group leaders Rangers was the second point in successive away games for Lobi Stars against Group A’s high-fliers after their draw at third-placed MFM FC on Sunday.

Lobi head coach Solomon Ogbeide believes this season’s trend in the league is a mark of improvement.

“It means the Nigerian league is improving,” began Ogbeide to npfl.ng.

“(There are) no minnows in the game as far as I’m concerned. No small team, no big team. The difference between the big teams and the small teams in the league is one match. If the small team beats the big team in one match, the small team becomes the big team,” added the oldest coach in the NPFL this season.

Fisayo Dairo