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Warri
Wolves have not lost a game since the start of the season, but Dolphins
have set their sights on bringing to an end the unbeaten run of the
league leaders when both sides meet in the star game of this weekend’s
round of matches of the Nigerian Premier League.

Paul Aigbogun’s
side have won three and drawn two of their opening five games of the
2010/2011 Premier League season, and are on top of the league’s log
with 11 points, one point ahead of Gombe United, and a further point
ahead of the quintet of Rangers, Dolphins, Sunshine Stars, Sharks and
defending champions Enyimba. So a win on Saturday for Stanley Eguma’s
Dolphins will see them overtake Wolves on the Premier League table and
shoot them to the top of the standings, at least until the conclusion
of Sunday’s big game in Ijebu Ode between Gombe United and Sunshine
Stars. But it won’t be an easy task for the Port Harcourt side as Warri
Wolves are the league’s in-form side and are one of the few sides to
have notched up an away win in the five-week old season. However,
Dolphins, still smarting from last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Niger
Tornadoes in Minna, believe they can use Saturday’s game to get back to
the top of the table; a position they had previously occupied prior to
the loss in Minna.

Can these Wolves be drowned?

“Warri are a strong
side and they are difficult opponents anytime they play,” said Eguma,
whose side played out a draw with Warri Wolves last time out in Port
Harcourt. “But we are also difficult opponents and we are playing at
home so we want to win. The loss in Minna was very unfortunate but we
will not let that bother us now since that is gone and we must look
ahead so it’s too bad for Warri that they will face our wrath on
Saturday.”

Former Dolphins
star, Sunday Mba, will likely be in the Warri Wolves line-up come
Saturday but Dolphins’ goalkeeper, Sunday Rotimi, who has been one of
the major reasons behind the Port Harcourt side’s stingy defence line
this season (they have conceded just two goals) insists they won’t be
paying too much attention on the skilful attacking midfielder. “Mbah
was our player last season and he did very well with us but it does not
mean that we will now have to focus on him rather than the team,” said
Rotimi. “It is not in the character of Dolphins to do that. We are
playing against Warri Wolves, a strong side who are one of the
favourites to win the League and games against them are very difficult
so we must be focussed on the task at hand rather than looking at
individual players.”

In other matches billed for Saturday, JUTH, who have drawn four of
their opening five games of the season, will welcome Kwara United to
the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos; while the other team from Jos, Plateau
United, will be away to Shooting Stars in Ibadan. The last game of the
day will come up at Minna’s Bako Kontagora Stadium where Bukola Babes
will play hosts to Enugu Rangers who have scored more goals than any
other side this season – 13 goals. The game will be the first to be
played at the Minna stadium by Bukola Babes after the NPL ordered them
to move out of the Offa Township Stadium.