Former CAF Cup champions Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan were on Friday drawn in a “group of death” as draws were made ahead of the commencement of the Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The Oluyole Warriors have now been drawn against neighbours Osun United and former Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) campaigners Bayelsa United in Group B1 in the draws conducted in Abuja on Friday evening.
Joining the trio in the group are Abia Comets of Umuahia and little known Giant Brillas FC. The league season will commence on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
Shooting Stars were relegated from the elite division at the end of the 2017 season and failed to gain an instant promotion back after falling short at the Super Eight tournament in Aba last January.
3SC will open their campaign with a home tie against Abia Comets in Ibadan while Bayelsa United will host Osun United in Yenagoa on the league’s opening day – next Wednesday.
There were eight groups consisting of five or six teams each in the abridged format of the NNL with the top teams in each group fighting it out in a post-season promotion playoffs to determine the four teams that will gain promotion to the NPFL.
FULL DRAWS
Group A1
Kaduna United
NAF FC
Malumfashi FC
EFCC FC
Kada City
Group A2
FC Taraba
Kogi United
Yarmalight FC
FC Zamfara
Jigawa Golden Stars
Group A3
Real Stars FC
Green Beret FC
Bimo FC
Rarara FC
Road Safety FC
Group A4
Giodano FC
Mighty Jets FC
Adamawa United FC
Sokoto United
Aklosendi FC
Group B1
Shooting Stars
Abia Comets
Bayelsa United
Osun United
Giant Brillas FC
Group B2
Akwa Starlets
Jossy FC
Julius Atete FC
36 Lion FC
Stationery Stores
De Sapele FC
Group B3
Nnewi United
UNICEM Rovers
Dynamite FC
Gateway United
Ekiti United
Group B4
Crown FC
Warri Wolves
Ibom Youth FC
Word of Life FC
Lamray United
