NNL ends 2023 season in Kano as 12 teams drop to NLO
After four days of action in Kano, beginning from Monday, August 6, Eight teams fought for survival as only four were able to retain their NNL status after the conclusion of the Relegation playoffs on Thursday, 10 August 2023.
By Olusola Adebayo
After initial furor on the choice of Kano State as the venue for the relegation playoff, the Nigeria National League, NNL finally concluded the 2023 season with four teams retaining their status and 12 teams dropping to the third tier of Nigeria Football League, the Nationwide League One, NLO.
After four days of action in Kano, beginning from Monday, August 6, Eight teams fought for survival as only four were able to retain their NNL status after the conclusion of the Relegation playoffs on Thursday, 10 August 2023.
Sokoto United led all way as
Adamawa United claimed the second ticket from the Northern Conference after piping Sokoto United 1-0 to garner five points from a possible nine, on the final day as Sokoto United before the last games clinched the first ticket after two games with six points.
FWC Champions defeated ABS FC of Ilorin,2-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, to earn four points, leaving ABS to finish the Play with 1 point only as both teams dropped off to the NLO.
In the Southern Conference, Ikorodu City and Smart City, both of Lagos kept their NNL status intact.
Smart City FC humbled Henserd 2-1 to gain 6 points in a last game decided at the Mahaha Stadium while Ikorodu City drew 1-1 with Edel FC to finish on the tame 4 points but scaled through on a superior plus two goals difference.
Edel FC ended in 3rd place while the efforts from Henserd left them bottom of the log as both teams relegated to the NLO.
This makes a total of twelve (12) teams that dropped to the Nation-Wide League One (NLO)
These are Kogi United, Green Berets, Police Machine FHQ, Ibom Youths; FC Ebed , Joy Comeths, Go-Round FC, and Zamfara United.
Others are -ABS FC, Edel FC, FWC Champions, and Henserd FC.
