2011/12 Nigeria Premier League (rescheduled fixtures): Heartland v Warri Wolves, Akwa United v Sunshine Stars (all 4pm).
CAF Champions League survivors Sunshine Stars, who are fifth in the log with two outstanding games, have a huge task at Akwa United in a league that hardly records away wins. The Akure side need victory to push Enyimba further down and move in their stead to No 4.
Heartland welcome fellow CAF Confederation Cup campaigners Warri Wolves and have to pick all three points to begin their way out of the lower rung of the table.
FIFA U20 Female World Cup (Africa qualifiers, second round, second leg): Zimbabwe v Nigeria (first leg Nigeria 3-0), Tunisia v Kenya (first leg Tunisia 2-1).
DR Congo v Mali (first leg DR Congo 3-1), postponed till the weekend of April 20-22.
Yesterday: Ghana 3-0 South Africa (Ghana 5-0 aggregate).
Finalists in the last edition of the World Cup, Nigeria’s Falconets go for their opponents’s scalps to finish the job they started at home and play the final qualifying round against either DR Congo or Mali. Nigeria have always represented the continent in the championship since the inaugural edition in 2002. Africa’s other flagbearers will emerge from the Ghana South v Tunisia/Kenya pairing. The finals hold in Japan from August 18 to September 8.
English Premier League: Manchester United v Aston Villa (4pm).
Manchester United have the pressure back to them to restore their five point lead over their city and title rivals, Man City.
Spanish Primera Division: Espanyol v Valencia (11am), Real Zaragoza v Granada, Real Betis v Osasuna, Malaga v Real Sociedad, Villarreal v Racing Santander (all 3pm), Athletic Bilbao v Mallorca (5pm), Rayo Vallecano v Atletico Madrid (8:30pm).
Malaga trail Valencia by only two points in the contest for third place – the final automatic spot for European Champion League proper. With only six games remaining (including today’s fixtures), a slip at this stage can be costly.
German Bundesliga: Borussia Monchengladbach v FC Cologne (2:30pm), SC Freiburg v Hoffenheim (4:30pm).
Borussia Monchengladbach chase Schalke 04, who are in third place with four points ahead and one game more, for the remaining Champions League ticket, while FC Cologne desperately need the points to avoid going down to the lower division.
Championnat de France: Lille v AC Ajaccio, FC Lorient v Montpellier, Nancy v Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne v Stade Brestois, FC Sochaux v Dijon FCO, Valenciennes FC v Evian Thonon Gaillard (all 4pm), Auxerre v PSG (8pm).
In seeking to extend their three-point lead over PSG at the top, John Utaka and his team-mates in Montpellier must watch it against relegation-threatened Lorient. Meanwhile, Lille at No 3 can further consolidate their Champions League spot with a win while awaiting the fixtures of chasing Lyon and Toulouse.
English FA Cup (semi-final): Tottenham v Chelsea (6pm).
This is yet another derby – this time involving London sides – who have experienced a topsy-turvy season in the domestic league. Chelsea’s qualification for next season’s Champions League is increasingly in doubt although they are the only remaining English side in this season’s edition of the top flight championship. They have seen their manager fired and appear to be on some form of resurgence ever since. On their part, Spurs lost the momentum of chasing for the domestic league title and are not now even sure of finishing in the elite top four. The English FA Cup may be the consolation for either side’s uneventful season afterall. Liverpool await the winners in the final.