Heartland’s Chief coach, Charles Uzor, has hinted that the Naze Millionaires would approach today’s Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 26 tie with El Kanemi Warriors in Owerri with all seriousness.
The Naze Millionaires got a draw in Maiduguri in the first stanza and Uzor in his preview of the game noted that they would accord the Borno Army all the respect but that they are eager to claim the three points.
“The El Kanemi Warriors team are a good side and we have so much respect for them. We are going into the game like every other game. It is like a cup final. We will approach it with all seriousness and nothing short of victory would be ours,” Uzor told NationSport.
The former Heartland Comets’ coach pointed also thumbed up the doggedness and resilience of his players who emerged from a wasteful first half to defeat OISA FC 2-0 to lift the 2025 Imo FA Cup.
Two second half goals off the boot of impressive Surajudeen Lawal in the 67th and 74th minutes handed Heartland FC their first piece of silverware in three years after the Naze Millionaires triumphed 2-0 over hard fighting Onwubiko International Soccer Academy (OISA FC) in the 2025 Imo FA Cup final played at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri on Sunday.
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“I am so grateful to God because a day like this is a memorable day. I am thanking God for adding a year to the life he has given to me and also giving us the day-the trophy,” Uzor told NationSport.
“The players came in with complacency in the first half believing that the team is no team to be reckoned with but after we emerged from the halftime talk, where we reminded them that it is a Cup final and that they must go for the trophy.
“They came out in the second half and played the game we expected from them from the first half.
“What is happening in Heartland is a total transformation. The man at the helm of affairs whom I am well pleased to work under today has turned things around in Heartland. I must tell the fans and Imolites to keep their hopes alive because it is the dawn of a new day for the club.”
Heartland received 1 Million Naira for winning the Imo FA Cup while OISA FC got N500,000 for ending as runner’s up.
Earlier, Heartland Queens were awarded the women’s Imo FA Cup title after they won the competition back to back without facing any opposition. They are the sole representatives of Imo at the national finals.