Top 10 NPFL teams with the most goals in a season

Compared to many leagues, there is a shortage of goals in the NPFL, but who are the teams with the most goals in a 38-game season?

The NPFL is a peculiar league as what applies is unusual in other climes. The league has had numerous challenges and has contributed to the results churned out.

Every season in the NPFL, teams struggle to garner points and scor

e goals in the league. Why is there a shortage of goals, and who are the top 10 teams with the most goals in the NPFL?

In this piece, we will give you the top ten teams with the most goals in the NPFL in the last 15 years.

Teams with the most goals in the NPFL – Top 10

First, no team in the NPFL has cracked the 70-goal-a-season mark. It has been a struggle for NPFL clubs to score plenty of goals due to the cautious nature of teams, especially when on the road.

Only one team has managed to break the 60-goal mark, and that team will surprise you.

Without much ado, here are the top ten teams with the most goals in an NPFL season.

10 – Sunshine Stars (51 goals) – 2014

In the 2014 NPFL season, Sunshine Stars were enterprising, but their efforts on the pitch did not translate into the type of results they wanted.

In a season where they were four points away from relegation, only one team outscored them – the league winners, Kano Pillars.

Sunshine Stars scored 51 goals and conceded 47 to finish in 11th place – four points ahead of the relegated sides.

9 – Abia Warriors (51 goals) – 2014

Abia Warriors are ahead of Sunshine Stars on the list due to their better goal difference and where they finished on the table.

The Ochendo Babes had a better defensive record than the Sunshine Stars.

While the Owena Babes struggled to keep opposing strikers out, Abia Warriors conceded 40 goals to record a +11 goal difference. It was enough to see them finish seventh.

The records might flatter Abia Warriors, but they lost 14 matches against Sunshine Stars 12.

8 – Enugu Rangers (53 goals) – 2016

It would have been strange to draw a list of top NPFL teams with the most goals in a season, and Enugu Rangers failed to make it.

The Flying Antelopes have a history of playing adventurous and attacking football. Their brand of football has paid dividends over the years.

In 2016, Enugu Rangers finished top of most indices in the league as they won the league title with 63 points – three points ahead of Rivers United.

They scored 53 goals to rank eighth on the list. Ironically, they were the only team to hit the 50-goal mark and lose single-digit games (9).

7 – Akwa United (53 goals) – 2020/21

Akwa United is the second team in the history of the NPFL to score 53 league goals in a season.

The Promise Keepers won the league in style, boasting the best attack and defence.

Akwa United lost five games and won 19 with 14 draws. It is a record that will take some beating.

Akwa United striker Charles Atshimene was the NPFL joint top scorer with 19 goals.

6 – Nasarawa United (55 goals) – 2020/21

Nasarawa United is the only team to outscore Akwa United in the 2020/21 season.

Nasarawa United won the most games of the season (20) and almost secured a place in the top four, but their 13 losses that season ensured they finished fifth on the log with 65 points.

Only five teams have a better scoring record than Nasarawa United in a 38-game NPFL season. They rank sixth in the top 10 NPFL teams with the most goals in a season.

5 – Sunshine Stars (55 goals) – 2010/11

When Gbenga Ogunbote took over the reins at Sunshine Stars on August 18, 2010, few expected him to take the club as far as he did.

The team finished in second place, two points behind league winners Dolphins FC.

They were so enterprising that they scored 55 NPFL goals. No other team hit the 50-goal mark that season. They also had a +20 goal difference. Their goal difference was superior to Nasarawa United’s +17 in the 2020/21 season.

4 – Kano Pillars (57 goals) – 2014

Most of the teams with the most goals in a season have most often been champions that season. Kano Pillars were no exception.

It was a close fight between Sai Masu Gida and the People’s Elephant, as a point separated both teams at the end of the season.

While the attack of Kano Pillars was in vibrant form that season (scoring 57 goals), their defence almost became their albatross (conceded 40 goals).

3 – Sunshine Stars (58 goals) – 2015

Sunshine Stars have, over the years, shown that attacking football is in their DNA. The problem for the Akure-based side is keeping the goals out.

In 2015, under Kennedy Boboye, they produced a barn-storming performance but fell short of the standards to win the league.

The Owena Waves finished sixth on the log and scored 58 goals. They finished nine points behind the league winners, Enyimba.

Tunde Adeniji was their top scorer with 15 goals. He also finished join-top scorer in the NPFL with Warri Wolves striker Gbolahan Salami.

2 – Rivers United (58 goals) – 2021/22

When Rivers United won the 2021/22 NPFL season, they stayed atop the NPFL table for 25 weeks consecutively and 29 in total. Minus the tenth position they started the season at, they never dropped below fourth.

They produced the second-highest-goal-scoring season by any team in the NPFL. Their 58 goals leave them second in the top ten NPFL teams with the most goals in a season.

Credit for their goals goes to Chijioke Akuneto and Ishaq Rafiu, who scored 33 goals combined. Akuneto was also the NPFL top scorer with 19 goals.

1 – Warri Wolves (62 goals) – 2015

The top spot for the teams with the most goals in a season goes to Warri Wolves.

Though they did not win the league in the 2015 NPFL season, they gave the eventual winners, Enyimba, a run for their money.

Warri Wolves are the only team to score more than 60 goals in a single season, with their striker Gbolahan Salami winning the Golden Boot that season.

Warri Wolves lost four more matches than Enyimba to finish four points behind the People’s Elephant.

This article was most recently revised and updated 9 months ago