Heartland leading scorer Bright Ejike ended his long-drawn goals drought on Sunday when he helped Heartland beat Giwa 3-2 in a Week 36 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Heartland now have 53 points from 36 games, while Giwa have 60 points from same number of matches.
Ejike’s last goal before the Week 36 game was in the Week 26 1-0 win over Warri Wolves.
Bright Ejike broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when he tapped home from Emeka Ogbugh’s delivery.
Heartland striker Bright Ejike has been released by the Super Eagles and so will not return to the team’s training camp when it reopens in the new week.
Ejike, who has represented Nigeria at U-20 level, is the second leading scorer in the league with 11 goals this season.
Warri Wolves midfielder Lordson Ichull has also been dropped. Already, Heartland pair of Nelson Ogbonnaya and goalkeeper David Obiazo have been sent home on account of injury.
The Eagles have also released Kingsley Sokari and Oghenekaro Etebo to the country’s U-23 team, who are preparing for next month’s All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.
Heartland top marksman, Bright Ejike has said the race for the top scorer’s gong is not a do-or-affair.
The Nigerian junior international has scored 11 goals in the ongoing season one goal behind leader and Sunshine Stars hitman, Tunde Adeniji.
The Owerri outfit will welcome the Ibadan warlords, 3SC at the adopted abode, Rojenny Stadium in Oba for Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 22 clash.
Ejike said he is quite confident to rediscover his goal scoring prowess as well as return to the summit in matter of weeks.
“Overtaking at the goal scorer’s chart is allowed and expected in the course of the league season but as far as the season is ongoing nobody has the bragging right until the last whistle.
“However, I’m certain to bounce back to the goal leader’s chart but I won’t go about it as a do-die-affair,” said the former Sharks goal getter to supersport.com.
Ejike said his side will go into the match day 22 clash against 3SC with a lot of respect for the visitors.
“We know that no team are pushovers, 3SC have undergone several rebuilding and restructuring.
“Of late they have become stronger so we will accord them due respect on the field of play but I’m quite sure that we will carry the day. We need the whole points to cover some points we lost in our last two matches at Wikki Tourists and champions, Kano Pillars,” said Ejike.
Heartland are sixth on the 20-team Nigerian top flight log on 33 points six points behind league leaders, Sunshine Stars.
• Heartland striker
suffers thigh injury
• Out of El Kanemi tie
Heartland will be without their leading scorer, Bright Ejike ahead of their Glo Premier League Week 18 tie with El Kanemi Warriors at the Karkanda Stadium in Katsina today.
The league top scorer with 10 goals has a thigh injury on the right side of his leg and he has been told by club medics to rest it and take proper medication to be fit for the weekend fixture with Wikki Tourists.
The Media Officer of club, Cajetan Nkwopara told SportingLife that even though the Naze Millionaires would miss the services of the former Flying Eagles’ star, they have capable replacement for him against El Kanemi Warriors and subsequent matches.
However, Ejike has exuded confidence that the thigh injury he sustained won’t rule him out of the weekend blockbuster fixture with Wikki Tourists.
He told SportingLife that he hopes to resume training by today in time for the match slated for Sunday.
Heartland left for Katsina without the goal-poacher but the striker has revealed that he won’t be out completely.
Heartland striker Bright Ejike has remained the top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after 16 rounds of matches.
The former Flying Eagles star has now scored nine goals after he netted in his team’s 2-1 loss at Giwa on Sunday.
He is closely followed by Giwa FC striker Shuaibu Ibrahim, who grabbed his eighth goal of the season to help Giwa beat Heartland 2-1 in a Week 16 game.
Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors) and Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars) have scored seven goals each so far.
Ocheme Edoh (Giwa FC) and Ibrahim Mustapha (El-Kanemi) have scored six goals each in the league.
Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa United), Adamu Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves) and Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors) have found the back of the net five times each.
Mfon Udoh, Markson Ojobo and Christian Obiozor lead the group of players that have scored four goals in the league this season.
Others on four goals are: Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba), Ubong Ekpai (Kano Pillars), Yusuf Jaiyeola (Sharks), Junior Ajayi (3SC), Godwin Obaje (Wikki), Segun Alebiosu (Kwara United) and Mubarak Umar (Wikki).
Heartland forward Bright Ejike has shot to the top of the Nigerian league goals’ chart after he netted his eighth goal against former club Sharks in Port Harcourt yesterday.
The former Nigeria youth international is now ahead of Abia Warriors striker Chisom Chikatara, who remains on seven goals.
Sunshine Stars Tunde Adeniji, Giwa’s Shuaibu Ibrahim and his teammate Ocheme Edoh have scored six goals each.
Ibrahim Mustapha (El-Kanemi) and Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa United) have scored five goals each.
Nigerian league all-time top scorer Mfon Udoh, who is expected back in training with Enyimba this week, leads a clutch of players on four goals, namely Usman Mohammed (Taraba), Ubong Ekpai (Pillars), Yusuf Jaiyeoba (Sharks), Junior Ajayi (3SC), Godwin Obaje (Wikki), Segun Alebiosu
(Kwara), Gbolahan Salami (Wolves) and Adamu Mohammed (Pillars).
Heartland forward Bright Ejike is now the joint top leading scorer in the race for the Nigeria Professional Football League with four goals same as the all-time record goal scorer Mfon Udoh.
The former Nigeria youth international scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday when he scored the only goal as Heartland beat Kano Pillars 1-0 in a rescheduled Week 1 match.
They are been followed by six players who have scored three goals each, namely Victor Yakubu (Wikki Tourists), Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa United), Shuaibu Ibrahim (Giwa), Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors), Segun Alebiosu (Kwara United) and Ubong Ekpai (Kano Pillars).
Players who have scored two goals are as follows: Jackson Daniel (Sharks), Sikiru Adewale (Warri Wolves), Abraham Audu (El-Kanemi), Ibrahim Mustapha (El-Kanemi), Ebere Odiche (Heartland), Jimoh Oni (Heartland), Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars), Bode Daniel (Sharks), Yusuf Jaiyeola (Sharks), Uche Ihuerulam (Lobi), Chukwudi Stephens (Gabros FC), Gyang Amos Danladi (Giwa FC), Ifeanyi Onyeali (Abia Warriors), Onoriode Odah (Rangers), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba) and Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves).