PORT HARCOURT DERBY RETURN, AS SHARKS, DOLPHINS CLASH

Football fans in Port Harcourt were divided over who wins the Port Harcourt derby between Sharks and Dolphins. In the last one week, discussions at the stadiums, bars, bus stops have hardly been about the political situation in Nigeria or the Super Eagles but the game between Sharks and Dolphins and this is no doubt because of the implications the result will have, especially on Sharks.

Another factor that will make this derby very interesting is that it will be the first at the Sharks stadium since 2003 when the encounter between both sides ended 1-1. Sharks would later be relegated that season.

Sharks expect a ten thousand strong fans support at their newly rebuild Sharks FC stadium while Dolphins will simply hold on to the strong will of their players to see them through.

A win for Dolphins could shoot them into top five while that will surely spell relegation for Sharks as they had already lost four times at home this season.

A tension within the ranks of fans of both sides increases as the day approaches.

On Wednesday at the Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium, the home ground of Dolphins, a fight between fans of both clubs was averted when an argument broke out on who will win the match.

That is what the Port Harcourt derby is all about; a derby that has divided the city into two, Sharks taking the red side while Dolphins has the blue/ green.

In recent derby games between both sides, it ended 1-1 at the Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium early this season with Captain Ejindu scoring first for Dolphins and Okiemute Odah equalising for Sharks through a penalty.

In 2005, Dolphins beat Sharks 2-1 home and away in the league, at the

Liberation Stadium and 1-0 at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja where

Sharks were banished to play then.
Dolphins stand in ninth position on the league table with 33 points, while Sharks are bottom of the table having amassed just 25 points.

The derby is indeed back.