The 2021–22 NWFL Premiership was the 32nd season of the NWFL Premiership, Nigeria's top-flight women's association football league and the second season since its rebranding. The season commenced on 8 December 2021 and ended May 2022.[1]
| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 8 December 2021 – May 2022 |
| Champions | Bayelsa Queens (5th title) |
| Promoted | |
| Matches played | 99 |
| Goals scored | 218 (2.2 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Bayelsa Queens 5–0 Abia Angels (30 March 2022) |
| Biggest away win | Royal Queens 0–4 Rivers Angels (22 December 2021) |
| Highest scoring | Naija Ratels 5–2 Adamawa Queens (23 December 2022) |
← 2020–21 2022–23 →
All statistics correct as of 22 May 2022. | |
This season saw a return to the abridged format whereby the fourteen clubs are divided into two groups of seven teams each whereafter a "Super Six" tournament will decide the league champions.[2] Defending champions Rivers Angels finished third at the Championship play-offs.
Bayelsa Queens won their 5th NWFL Premiership title after emerging champions of the Super Six tournament.[3]
Clubs
editNaija Ratels and Adamawa Queens were promoted to the top-flight after winning the NWFL Championship play-offs; the latter having failed to compete the previous season due to late licensing and registration. They replaced DreamStar Ladies and Ibom Angels who were relegated after finishing bottom of the group at the previous season's relegation playoffs.
| Team | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|
| Adamawa Queens | Pantami Stadium[a] | Yola |
| Abia Angels | Umuahia Township Stadium | Umuahia |
| Bayelsa Queens | Nembe City Stadium | Yenagoa |
| Confluence Queens | Confluence Stadium Ilorin Township Stadium |
Lokoja |
| Delta Queens | Stephen Keshi Stadium | Asaba |
| Edo Queens | University of Benin Sports Complex Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium |
Benin City |
| Naija Ratels | Area 10 Sports Complex[b] | Makurdi |
| Nasarawa Amazons F.C. | Lafia Township Stadium | Lafia |
| Osun Babes | Lanre Leke Stadium[c] | Osogbo |
| Pelican Stars | U. J. Esuene Stadium | Calabar |
| Rivers Angels | UNIPORT Sports Complex | Port Harcourt |
| Robo | Legacy Pitch | Lagos |
| Royal Queens | Warri Township Stadium | Warri |
| Sunshine Queens | Akure Township Stadium | Akure |
- ^ Adamawa Queens will play their home matches at Pantami Stadium in Gombe since no stadiums in Yola meets the stadium requirements.
- ^ Naija Ratels are to play home matches at the Area 10 Sports Complex in Abuja until completion of their stadium.
- ^ Osun Babes will play their home matches at Lanre Leke Stadium, Ileogbo as their home stadium, Osogbo Stadium, Osogbo was declared unfit to host matches by the league body.[4]
Regular season
editGroup A
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nasarawa Amazons | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 6 | +18 | 27 | Championship play-offs |
| 2 | Edo Queens | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 8 | +14 | 26 | |
| 3 | Naija Ratels | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 18 | |
| 4 | Osun Babes | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 17 | |
| 5 | Confluence Queens | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 16 | |
| 6 | Adamawa Queens | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 20 | −11 | 12 | |
| 7 | Pelican Stars | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 25 | −23 | 4 | Relegated |
Results
editGroup B
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayelsa Queens | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 5 | +16 | 24 | Championship play-offs |
| 2 | Rivers Angels | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 7 | +10 | 23 | |
| 3 | Delta Queens | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 7 | +10 | 23 | |
| 4 | Robo Queens | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 19 | |
| 5 | Abia Angels | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 | −14 | 11 | |
| 6 | Royal Queens | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 20 | −10 | 10 | |
| 7 | Sunshine Queens | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 22 | −16 | 7 | Relegated |
Results
editPlay-offs
editThe top six teams at the end of the regular season engaged each other in a round-robin playoff also known as the Super Six between 16 and 22 May in order to decide the league champion and representative at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. All matches are played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and UNIBEN Sports Complex in Benin City.[5]
Source: TheNWFL
|
Statistical leaders
editTop scorers
editAs of 23 April 2021
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gift Monday
|
Robo | 10 |
| 2 | Reuben Charity
|
Bayelsa Queens | 8 |
| 3 | Elizabeth Zirike
|
Edo Queens | 6 |
Top assists
edit| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joy Jerry |
Bayelsa Queens F.C. | 6 |
Hat-tricks
edit| Player | For | Against | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Omokwu
|
Confluence Queens | Pelican Stars | 4–0[6] | 8 December 2021 |
| Motunrayo Ezekiel
|
Naija Ratels | 3–0[7] | 23 February 2022 | |
| Gift Monday
|
Bayelsa Queens | Naija Ratels | 4–0 | 17 May 2022 |
Season's awards
edit| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Season | Gift Monday
|
Bayelsa Queens |
| League Topscorer | ||
| Goalkeeper of the Season |  Bawou Gabrielle
|
References
edit- ^ "2021–22 NWFL season gets December 8th kickoff date". owosports.com. 23 September 2021.
- ^ "NWFL Premiership reverts to abridged format". Africa top sports. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Gift Monday gifts Bayelsa Queens NWFL Super Six title". Punch.ngThe. 22 May 2022.
- ^ "NWFL bans Osogbo Stadium from hosting matches over deplorable condition". Dailypost.ng. 7 December 2021.
- ^ "NWFL:Edo set to host 2022 Super Six tournament". premiumtimesng. 14 May 2022.
- ^ "Nigerian Women Football League MD one round up". ojbsport.com. 9 December 2022.
- ^ "NWFL Premiership Matchday 8 review". kick442.com. 24 February 2022.