Tag: Aigbogun

Enyimba head coach Paul Aigbogun has charged his players to remain focused and put behind them their loss to Wikki Tourists ahead of their NPFL Match Day 19 tie with Nasarawa United in Makurdi.

Aigbogun disclosed that he still found it hard to understand what led to their 1-3 loss in Bauchi but that with lots of matches still to be played, they should not lose their sights of them because of the defeat to Wikki.

He reminded his players that focus and steadfast should be their watchword as they tackle the Solid Miners with their sights on not losing another game in Makurdi on Sunday.

Enyimba are third on the log with 30 points from 17 matches and are still with a game at hand against Abia Warriors.

Enyimba’s Paul Aigbogun has affirmed that the People’s Elephant were just more than delighted to scoop the available three points based on what they experienced prior to the NPFL Week 8 tie played at the Umuahia Stadium on Thursday  against Plateau United which they won 1-0.

Joseph Osadaiye’s 30th minute strike was what the Aba giants needed to dislodge hard fighting Plateau United on Thursday and Aigbogun whose wards returned from Burundi for a CAF Champions League first round tie against Vital’O two days before the cracker said he knew the match would be tough.

Enyimba returned from Bujumbura on Tuesday night and had their preparations for the league tie in the Burundi’s capital where they trained on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning before embarking on the flight to Nigeria later that night and arriving in the late hours of Tuesday.

They didn’t have time to train at the Umuahia Township Stadium at all on Wednesday because the rightful owners of the pitch-Abia Warriors played against Wikki Tourists that same day but Enyimba’s players were businesslike from the beginning of the match till the very end and defended the one goal lead netted in the first half till the end of the match.

Aigbogun who crossed over to Enyimba from Warri Wolves at the start of the current campaign told Goal that the club would play better over the weekend in Enugu when they play as guests of Enugu Rangers in a NPFL Week 9.

Aigbogun told Goal:  “We were just fine with the three points. We knew it won’t be easy but we never expected that Plateau United would push us this hard. We will work on errors noticed when we face Rangers in Enugu on Sunday.”

The 1-0 home win-Enyimba’s second of the season after four games lifted the league reigning champions to 17th on the log with six points.

Enyimba FC Coach, Paul Aigbogun has downplayed the importance of the NFF Charity Shield after his side lost out on penalties 4-3 to Akwa United.

Enyimba enjoyed the numerical advantage for 25 minutes as the clock wound down to a shoot out. Regulation time did not produce a winner and the score had to be settled from the spot.

However though, downplaying what has been a poor start to in his second spell at the club, Aigbogun said of import to the League champions is securing a passage to the next round of the CAF champions league after the 1-0 first leg defeat at the hands of Vipers SC.

The Coach however admitted his team is short in the attacking department, after a poor return of goals from the new recruits at the club in pre-season.

Head coach of Enyimba Paul Aigbogun says the team will give a hundred percent when they play Ugandan champions Vipers today in a CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg fixture.

In an exclusive chat with EnyimbaFC.net, Aigbogun said he and his boys had prepared adequately and will give a good fight come match day.

“One thing I’d say is that we are going to give 100 per cent,” he said. “It’s a CAF Champions League game and it’s big, but I believe by God’s grace we would come out with a result that will make everyone happy.”

He said he wasn’t under pressure going into his first competitive game with the two-time African champions. “I’m not bothered, I am not under pressure. Given the time scale, we prepared as best as we could for the game. We are focused and we will go out on Friday and give everything we’ve got.

“It may be my first competitive game with the team but it’s not an issue. This is a club very experienced on the continent and a lot of the players here have been in big games, so there’s no issue.”

Reacting to suggestions in the Ugandan press that Vipers were plotting a major upset for their more fancied opponents, Aigbogun said: “It’s more important what we do than what the other team is saying. I’m not reading about what’s coming from the camp of the opponents. It’s what we do here that matters. My focus in on our team and a good result, nothing more.”

Glo Premier League champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba surrendered a first half lead to draw 1-1 with Nasarawa United in a fixture that exposed their match fitness and tactical frailties which Coach Paul Aigbogun said is one of the benefits of participating in the Glo Premier League Super4 tournament.

Responding to media questions after the team picked a one all draw with Premier League second runners-up, Nasarawa United FC at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, Coach Aigbogun said he was naturally disappointment that they failed to win but said it was their first top flight pre-season friendly match.

Joseph Osadiaye scored the opener for the People’s Elephant midway through the first half from a well drilled free kick, before Phillips Azango equalised following a goalmouth scramble after one of the many free kicks conceded by Enyimba in the dying minutes of the game.

“We are not fully prepared at this point for the continental outing but we still have three weeks to go so we will be ready. I’m not satisfied with the performance of my team, we started the game very well, but we gave the game away in the second half.

“Having played just four or five matches against smaller teams, this was our first top flight friendly and I believe we will improve. I’m ok with some aspects of our play and equally not happy but our starting was good. We are here to compete to the best of our abilities and see what we can do. We should come up well,” the coach said.

Speaking on the game, Enyimba International captain, Chinedu Udoji expressed disappointment that couldn’t defend their lead, thus losing the opportunity of starting the tournament on a winning note.

“I feel disappointed that we conceded a late goal to draw the game. We will go back to correct the mistakes. Our focus is on the continental competition for which we are under pressure to do well this season to go as far as the group stage which we have failed to achieve in the last three seasons. We don’t want to be seen as failures but we will take the competition step by step, play the first game and prepare for the next one,” Udoji wrapped up his post-match chat.