Seven NPFL matches were played on Sunday 8 November, and the visitors did not win one. The hosts took five and drew two.
| At a glance | After Week 12 |
|---|---|
| Leaders | Enugu Rangers, 24 points from 11 matches |
| Points per game | Rangers 2.18, Bendel Insurance 1.75 |
| League record | 66 home wins, 39 draws, 11 away wins |
| Goals | 271 in 116 matches, 2.34 a game |
| Rangers' postponed fixture | v Sporting Lagos, 25 November |
A leader with a game in hand
Enugu Rangers beat Kwara United 1-0 and stay top on 24 points. Bendel Insurance won 2-1 against Niger Tornadoes and Nasarawa United beat Plateau United 3-1, while Barau and Ranchers Bees won by a single goal. Abia Warriors 2-2 Doma United and Warri Wolves 1-1 Katsina United were the draws.
The standings in our table are recalculated at equal games, from the fixtures, so that Rangers' 2-1 win over Nasarawa United, suspended on 17 September and finished the next day, is counted. It leaves Rangers on 11 matches and 2.18 points a game, ahead of Bendel Insurance, second on 21 points from 12 and averaging 1.75, with Nasarawa on 1.67 and Rivers United, who have also played only 11, on 1.64.
A gap of 0.43 is wide. Between Bendel and Barau, on 1.58, it is 0.17. Tight.
Fidelis Ilechukwu, the Rangers coach, put the onus on his own players from the opening day. After the 1-1 draw with Katsina United at the end of August he told reporters: “Everything is in our hands.” Rangers play their home games this season at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta. Rangers have played 11 matches to Bendel's 12, which is where the game in hand comes from. Our guide to NPFL clubs and stadiums covers the league's grounds.
Home advantage, in points
Across 116 matches, home sides have collected 237 points and visitors 72, just over three-quarters of all the points won. Of 271 goals, 183 came at home. Visitors managed 88, roughly half as many as the hosts.
Bendel are the clearest case, a side who have taken 18 of their 21 points at home, with a single away win, at Kwara United, and three points from six trips.
Rangers travel better. They have 8 points from 5 away games and 2 of the league's 11 away wins, at Kun Khalifat and Warri Wolves.
Sporting Lagos are the mirror image. Ten of their 15 points, and three of their four wins, have come on the road, at Inter Lagos, Enyimba and Plateau United. At home, five points from four games.
Shooting Stars, Kwara United, Ranchers Bees and Enyimba have one away point each. One. Shooting Stars hold 14 of their 15 points from home games. That keeps them in mid-table.
| Club | P | Pts | Pts per game | Home pts | Away pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enugu Rangers | 11 | 24 | 2.18 | 16 | 8 |
| Bendel Insurance | 12 | 21 | 1.75 | 18 | 3 |
| Nasarawa United | 12 | 20 | 1.67 | 16 | 4 |
| Rivers United | 11 | 18 | 1.64 | 14 | 4 |
| Barau | 12 | 19 | 1.58 | 14 | 5 |
| Kano Pillars | 12 | 19 | 1.58 | 14 | 5 |
| Sporting Lagos | 10 | 15 | 1.50 | 5 | 10 |
| Shooting Stars | 12 | 15 | 1.25 | 14 | 1 |
| Kwara United | 12 | 12 | 1.00 | 11 | 1 |
| Ranchers Bees | 11 | 12 | 1.09 | 11 | 1 |
| Enyimba | 12 | 11 | 0.92 | 10 | 1 |
Selected clubs, recalculated at equal games. Source: GoalBall calculations from Sportmonks fixtures, 8 November 2026.
What the table can bear
Seven clubs have played fewer than 12 times. That matters.
Sporting Lagos have played 10, and still play Rivers United on 10 November and Rangers on 25 November. Six more are on 11.
An average built on 11 games moves fast with every result, so the points-per-game column deserves a second look after each round. Our Enugu Rangers club file has the squad and ground details.
Rangers have the best average and a game in hand on Bendel.
This article was most recently revised and updated 24 seconds ago
