The 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season comes to a halt on Sunday with mouthwatering clashes on offer and the big prize to play for on the final day of the campaign.
This has been one of the unpredictable seasons in recent years as the title race is now down to just two teams not many believed will throw their hats in the ring and even displace the bookmakers' favourites at the start of this season.
Whoever between Rangers and Rivers United clinch the title on Sunday, it will go down as great achievement for the two clubs after surviving the drop last season to remain in the league, and then turning things around to become title contenders, and may be champions when the final day comes to an end.
At the same time, not many of the bookmakers and pundits saw it coming for the 'big two,' Enyimba and Kano Pillars, as they were referred before the start of this season considering the fact that the last four titles have been between them.
We look at expected moments to savour at the end of the final matchday.
New champions emerge after four seasons
For the first time since 2012, the stronghold of the 'big two' is broken. Kano Pillars claimed the title in 2012, 2013 ad 2014 before Enyimba nixed their dominance to claim a seventh record title.
Now that has changed as Rangers with their brand of free-flowing attacking football are now regarded title favourites going into the final day while Rivers United remain in the mathematical equation but the do not have their fate in their hands going into the last day of the season.
Rangers need just a point when they host El-Kanemi Warriors at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu now nicknamed 'The Cathedral' by their supporters. On the other hand, Rivers United will have to win by at least a four-goal margin at Akwa United and then hope that El-Kanemi do them a favour by gate-crashing the party in the Coal City.
Whatever happens on Sunday, NPFL faithful are guaranteed to have new champions different from Enyimba or Kano Pillars.
Enyimba's seventh record title equalled?
Last season, the Peoples Elephant put their noses in front ahead of the more traditional sides like Rangers, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and Heartland by winning a seventh record title. Well that proud record will only last just about a year as Rangers are already being branded champions-elect by pundits and bookies.
But the Coal City side know that nothing is cast in stone yet as they have 90 minutes to make it real and end their long wait of more than three decades. Their coach, Imama Amapakabo, told npfl.ng: "We are keeping everyone on their toes in the club and especially the players as we have made them realise that the title has not been won yet."
32-year wait comes to an end?
This is the big question on everyone's lips. The truth is there will be jangling nerves. Twitching fingers. Hearts in mouths. That will be mood inside Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, or The Cathedral, as faithful of Flying Antelopes prefer to call their ground these days. So the wait continues until 6pm on Sunday when the final day of the NPFL would have concluded.
Tussle for continental spots goes down to the wire
The talk has almost been on Rangers closing in on a first title in 32 years. Ahead of the final matchday, only Rangers are guaranteed a place on the continent - and in the CAF Champions League too.
So it will be a tussle to finish in the top-three among Rivers United, FC Ifeanyiubah, Wikki Tourists and Sunshine Stars, who still have some kind of mathematical calculation that could prop them up provided they win on the final day. Sunshine Stars face Wikki in Bauchi.
Two more teams drop to the second tier
If everyone is talking about the race for the continental spaces going to the wire, the battle for survival at the deep end of the table should take front-burner as well. Four clubs, Abia Warriors, Heartland, MFM FC and Warri Wolves, still have to wait till Sunday evening to know their fate.
Heartland have never been relegated from the top division face Plateau United in Jos and can only secure their status with an outright win though a loss and then failure by MFM FC and Wolves to avoid defeats against FC Ifeanyiubah will see them survive the drop.
MFM after putting up some eye-catching performance in the season, find themselves in trouble. They have to beat FC Ifeanyiubah and hope any of Abia Warriors and Heartland slip up. It is same for Wolves though they will need to win by a margin of at least six goals.
Abia Warriors, according to pundits, look like the team with the best chance of survival going into the final day. They are three points better than fourth from bottom side, MFM and host Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) at home. The battle to beat the drop is certainly on.
Race for top scorer settled?
The final day surely will be full of battles - for title, for continental spots and for survival. However, there will be one individual prize at stake to claim among the league's sharpshooters. Wikki forward, Godwin Obaje, on paper and according to pundits, look home and dry with 18 goals, four more than FC Ifeanyiubah's Ismaila Gata.
On 13 goals is Abdulrahman Bashir of Nasarawa United while the duo of Chisom Egbuchulam and Anthony Okpotu are on 12 goals apiece. That certainly sums it up this for the race of top scorer.
