Enyimba vs Shooting Stars Prediction: A tight one to go in favor of the hosts

Enyimba International Stadium is set to host the round 20 NPFL match between Enyimba and Shooting Stars. Both teams have shown inconsistency in their performances leading up to this stage of the season, and they will be eager to improve. Let's delve into a preview of this match and make a prediction.

In their recent matches, Enyimba secured victories against Sporting Lagos and Shooting Stars with scorelines of 2-0 and 1-2, respectively. However, their performance in the last five games included losses to Plateau United, Katsina United, and Rivers United. During this period, Enyimba scored five goals but conceded six. Their average goal per match in the current league season stands at 1. Enyimba demonstrates proficiency in ball possession, maintaining an average possession rate of 54.00% this season. As of now, in the current season, Enyimba has accumulated 32 points from 19 league matches, placing them fifth in the standings.

Shooting Stars heads into this match with two victories in their last five games, securing wins against Bayelsa United and Rivers United. However, they faced defeats in matches against Enugu Rangers and Enyimba, while one fixture ended in a draw against Sporting Lagos. In these matches, Shooting Stars scored five goals but conceded six. In their away games, Shooting Stars averaged 1.16 goals scored per match and conceded 1.21. Ball possession has not been a strong suit for Shooting Stars, holding an overall average of 49.40% possession this season. In the current season, Shooting Stars have accumulated 26 points from 19 matches, placing them in the 11th position in the league standings.

The home team is strongly favored to win this match, and based on their recent performances, it appears that they won't have an easy task ahead. However, Shooting Stars, despite playing away, shouldn't be underestimated, and I believe they are capable of scoring. Therefore, in what is expected to be a closely contested match, I predict a 2-1 victory for Enyimba as the most likely outcome.