Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the 36th round of the Nigerian Championship will take place on Wednesday, 7 May. El-Kanemi Warriors will host Remo Stars at their home ground. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:00 Central European Time. Here’s my betting preview for this clash.
El-Kanemi Warriors
After 35 rounds, El-Kanemi Warriors sit 16th in the league table with 43 points. The team is locked in a fierce relegation battle, sitting just two points clear of the drop zone.
The Warriors’ recent form is cause for serious concern—they haven’t managed a win in their last nine matches across all competitions. During this stretch, they’ve drawn three times and lost six. In the most recent league round, El-Kanemi fell 1-2 away to Bayelsa United. Before that, they recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws against Ikorodu City and direct relegation rival Akwa.
At home, El-Kanemi Warriors have been much more consistent: this season, they’ve picked up 9 wins, 7 draws, and suffered just one defeat. However, even here their momentum has stalled—a winless run at home now stretches to four matches.
Remo Stars
Remo Stars have already clinched the title and come into this match as the reigning champions. They secured the trophy with several rounds to spare, pulling 10 points clear of their nearest rivals, Rivers United.
Remo Stars have shown confident and stable form in recent matches. They are unbeaten in their last four league fixtures, keeping clean sheets in three of those games. In the previous round, Remo Stars edged Niger Tornadoes 1-0. Before that, they defeated Shooting Stars away by the same narrow margin.
In head-to-head meetings with El-Kanemi Warriors, Remo Stars have a clear advantage: they’ve won four of the last five encounters, keeping clean sheets in three. Earlier this season, Remo Stars also came out on top, winning 2-0.
Probable lineups
- El-Kanemi: Kolawole, Magairi, Abbas, Konti, Bilal, Bello, Mukhtar, Musa, Mohammed, Olarewaju, Barnabas.
- Remo Stars: Obassa, Junior, Nwori, Akinyele, Sodiq, Tochukwu, Haruna, Adedayo, Mawuena, Sikiru, Ibrahim.
Key facts and head-to-head stats
- El-Kanemi have failed to win 12 of their last 13 matches.
- Under 2.5 goals were scored in 3 of El-Kanemi’s last 4 matches.
- Remo Stars are unbeaten in 6 of their last 7 games.
- Under 2.5 goals were scored in 6 of Remo Stars’ last 7 matches.
- Remo Stars have won 4 of the last 5 head-to-head meetings.
- 4 of the last 5 head-to-head games featured under 2.5 goals.
El-Kanemi Warriors vs Remo Stars prediction
Given the current form of both teams, we can expect a cautious and low-scoring affair. The hosts desperately need a win, and despite their lengthy winless streak, El-Kanemi Warriors have consistently performed well at home. On the other hand, with the title already secured, Remo Stars may play with less urgency, especially in attack. All things considered, a match with few goals seems likely. My pick for this game is under 2.5 goals at odds of 1.51.
