The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enyimba

  • CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Enyimba players charged to remain focused

    CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Enyimba players charged to remain focused

    Enyimba players have been told not to be carried away by the emphatic win against Vita’ O of Burundi in the CAF Champions League first round, first leg tie played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port-Harcourt on Sunday ahead of the return leg tie billed for Bujumbura this weekend.

    The People’s Elephant were vicious against their foes from East Africa and were three goals up at the end of the first half before adding two more goals in the second half to make it a 5-1 victory.

    Mfon Udoh and Chukwude Stephen both scored two goals each before Ugo Leonard added the fifth after he came on from the bench before the visitors reduced the tally through Hussein Shabani.

    Speaking with SportingLife after the encounter, the chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu cautioned his players against over-celebration while adding that the next objective would be to record another impressive result in Bujumbura during the return leg on Saturday.

    He said he is delighted that both the new and old players are showing proper coordination and blending with the way they played against the Burundians and that shortly the club’s form on the continent would reflect in the premier league.

    “We are happy with the win but we won’t get carried away knowing that the objective to qualify for the next round has not been achieved. We need to go to Burundi and still show them that we can win at anywhere,” Anyansi Agwu told SportingLife.

  • Continental campaign Heartland go spiritual for Enyimba, others

    Continental campaign Heartland go spiritual for Enyimba, others

    In what could pass for a rare show of sportsmanship and spirit of being their brother’s keeper, Premier league contenders heartland of Owerri Saturday intensified prayer for oriental brothers Enyimba, Warri Wolves and Nasarawa United ahead of CAF Champions league and CAF Confederation Cup ties today.

    Heartland who would have squared up against Enyimba in an oriental derby of the Nigerian premier league this weekend had to observe rest instead, following Enyimba’s Champions league clash against Vital O’ of Burundi.

    Warri Wolves equally flying the nation’s flag in the Champions league host Al-Merreikh  of Sudan just as Nasarawa who are the surviving flag bearers in the Confederation Cup following the exit of Akwa United battle CS Constantine of Algeria. Heartland apparently looking at the bigger picture and the benefits that will come not only to the country but teeming soccer fans in the country should the three flag bearers record Super Sunday wins, took to the social media to pray for the three clubs appealing to mother luck to grant them this day on one hand, and charging the teams to ensure they conquer the first round of the competitions on the other.

    “Goodluck to the teams representing Nigeria,  #CAFCL (@EnyimbaFC & @Warri_Wolves_FC) and #CAFCC (@Nasarawaunited). Go conquer the 1st round!”The Owerri landlords dished out.

    Heartland who are hoping to have a good run in the premier league this season with a view to returning to Continental campaigns, have recorded just a win in five matches played so far. The Nazi Millionaires who replaced coach Bethel Orji with Alphonsus Dike following home defeat by Abia Warriors last month, subsequently recorded a 3-1 loss away to Akwa United but earned a lone goal victory over Lobi Stars, last Sunday.

  • Enyimba to name Enaholo in squad

    Enyimba to name Enaholo in squad

    21-year-old Joshua Enaholo could make his CAF Champions League debut for Enyimba FC when they host Vital’O of Burundi in a first round first leg match in Port Harcourt on Sunday. Reports have revealed that the former MFM FC shot stopper has fully recovered from a knee injury and he is now in line to start in goal against the Burundian champions.

    “He has recovered from a little knee injury and he should make his Champions League debut on Sunday,” disclosed a club official.

    Enaholo, was one of the top stars when Nigeria won a record seventh African Youth Championship last year in Senegal. He was named in the tournament XI.

    He was scouted by ‘The People’s Elephant’ when the Flying Eagles won last year’s expanded Super 4 in style. His nickname ‘A Plate’ came about when he helped his mother at her restaurant in Lagos.

    Former Kano Pillars goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai has been manning the goal posts for Enyimba with Femi Thomas also away in the Super Eagles training camp in Abuja.

    The winners of the first round match-up between Enyimba and Vital’O will face the winners between Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel and Olympique Khourrigba from Morocco for a place in the money-spinning group stage of the competition.

  • El-Kanemi beat Enyimba 2-0

    El-Kanemi beat Enyimba 2-0

    Defending  champions, Enyimba International were turned back 2-0 in Katsina by El-Kanemi Warriors in what is considered one of the big wins of the day.

    The Peoples’ Elephants thus continued their unimpressive start to the season which has recorded two defeats on the road and a nail biting 1-0 win against newly promoted side, Ikorodu United. Enyimba has two outstanding games.

    Chinedu Ohanachom made good his pre-match boasts of turning around the fortunes of the Borno Warriors as he opened scoring in the 13th minute hitting a left footed shot to the roof of the net.

    Ibrahim Mustapha completed the defending champions misery on 54th minute when he scrambled in the second goal.

  • Leonard’s late strike hands Enyimba first win of the season

    Late minute goal from Ugochukwu Leonard handed Enyimba FC a 1-0 home win over NPFL debutants, Ikorodu United at the Umuahia Township Stadium yesterday in a Week Four tie.

    The Lagos side came to the tie with nothing to lose and they almost held the People’s Elephant to a goalless draw before Leonard strike in the 89th minute gifted Enyimba the maximum points.

    It was Enyimba’s first win of the season after two games and this victory came barely four days after the 2-0 triumph over visiting Vipers SC of Uganda in the CAF CL preliminary round second leg fixture played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.

  • Contractor completes Enyimba Stadium’s sub base drainage

    • Waits on Abia govt’ for import base materials 

    The Enyimba International Stadium, Aba is getting closer to completion after the contractor handling the project, Ebi Ezekiel Egbe, who is the Managing Director of Monimichelle Sports Facility Construction Company, confirmed to SportingLife that the sub base drainage construction has been rounded off under 40 days.

    He said the 1,500m drainage was completed at record time and that he is only waiting on the import based materials to be shipped into the country.

    Egbe told SportingLife that installation of the pitch takes only seven days and that FIFA certified specialist 100 natural Geo Technology pitch installers are on standby to get the job completed as soon as the import based materials are brought into the country and that with the completion of the sub base drainage construction the work is over 80 per cent done.

    SportingLife checks ,however, revealed that with import based materials the only hindrance to the stadium’s completion, further let up may be the free fall of the foreign currencies’ exchange rates, especially Euros which the company is using to source the materials.

    When the work was awarded in December last year €1 (Euros)exchanged for N275  but currently it is exchanged for over N400 . Enyimba will host Vipers of Uganda in the second leg of the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League in Port Harcourt’s Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium next week.

  • Enyimba’s non-scoring form worries Afelokhai

    Enyimba’s non-scoring form worries Afelokhai

    Enyimba International FC of Aba goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai has poured out his frustration after his side lost 3-4 on penalties to Akwa United in the Charity Shield encounter decided last Wednesday at the Abuja National Stadium.

    The Nigerian champions had a better control of the match against 10-man Akwa United, who had Yusuf Adio sent off for two yellow cards in the second half, but some wayward finishing in addition to heroic goalkeeping from Akpan ensured the game ended goalless.

    Afelokhai who had his kick parried away by Akpan Bassey during the shoot out recounted his 6 years experience as penalty specialist.

    “I feel very sad to have missed one of the penalties which happens to be my first time in 6 years,”  disappointed Afelokhai told Freekicknaija.com.

    “We played so well through out the encounter but unfortunately we couldn’t score from the chances we created. It was a similar scenario that played out in the CAF Champions League in Uganda.

    “The lack of scoring form by my team is source of worry especially now that the league is about to start this weekend.

    “But I am optimistic that this particular lapse would be corrected before the season starts.”

  • Enyimba, Akwa United battle for Charity Shield in Abuja

    Enyimba, Akwa United battle for Charity Shield in Abuja

    Nigerian champions Enyimba FC are in battle again, few days after they drew the short end against Ugandan champions Vipers FC in a first round, first leg CAF Champions League encounter in Kampala.This time, the People’s Elephant are up against Federation Cup winners Akwa United of Uyo in the annual Charity Cup match, in what is billed to be a titanic session at the National Stadium, Abuja on Wednesday. The Charity Cup traditionally opens the football season.

    Akwa United are brimming with immense confidence following a run of marvelous results, including beating better –fancied Lobi Stars to win the Federation Cup and conquering fellow continental campaigners  (Enyimba FC, Warri Wolves and Nasarawa in two rounds of the Super Four organised by the League Management Company (LMC).

    On Saturday, the boys from the Land of Promise boldly promised more, by beating more experienced Vita Club Mokanda of Congo 1-0 in Pointe Noir in a CAF Confederation Cup first round, first leg match.

    In Abuja on Wednesday, Ubong Moses Ekpai, whose goal in Pointe Noir has made the return leg against Vita Club Mokanda an easier session, will seek more goals, with goalkeeper Olufemi Kayode, former junior international Samuel Okon, Namso Edo, Ubong Friday, Kufre Ebong and U-23 star Godspower Igudia also set to impress.

    Enyimba FC have returned from Uganda feeling a sting, and it is the right time to let off steam and regain confidence ahead of the return leg against Vipers FC.

    Enyimba boast three of the best goalkeepers in the land, namely Olufemi Thomas, Moses Ocheje and Theophilus Afelokhai. Afelokhai was in action in Kampala, but any of the three can do a great job any day. They also have on their books Super Eagles’ aces Bartholomew Ibenegbu, Ezekiel Bassey, as well as others like Chinedu Udoji, Ugwu Uwadiegwu, Christian Pyagbara, Daniel Etor, Mfon Udoh, Andrew Abalogu, Oladapo Olufemi and Nzube Anaezemba.

    The match is also the perfect tune –up for both teams as the new Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) kicks off this weekend.

  • Enyimba to prepare for Vipers with Super Cup, Dolphins’ ties

    Enyimba to prepare for Vipers with Super Cup, Dolphins’ ties

    •Aba side confident of overturning first leg deficit in Port Harcourt

    Enyimba have disclosed that they are taking their next two matches against Akwa United in the NFF Super Cup on Wednesday and their weekend league opener against Dolphins in Port Harcourt seriously as they countdown to their CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg tie against Vipers on February 28.

    The People’s Elephants created lots of chances in Kampala during the first leg weekend but they were unable to connect any and had to pay for their wastefulness when the Vipers struck for the only goal of the match.

    The Chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu told SportingLife that

    Enyimba have two important matches against Akwa United in Abuja for the Super Four and then another tie against Dolphins on Sunday in the first game of the league season to put themselves in shape for Vipers.

    He said they have put the loss in Kampala behind them and are hoping to overturn the goal deficit when the second leg comes up at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.

  • Aigbogun unhappy with Enyimba defeat

    Aigbogun unhappy with Enyimba defeat

    Enyimba head coach, Paul Aigbogun is still seething over his side’s defeat to two-time Ugandan champions, Vipers SC in a first leg, preliminary round Caf Champions League game on Friday.

    Erisa Sekisambu struck on 63 minutes as the Wakiso club tore the form book to shreds with an unlikely win at the Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala.

    Aigbogun reckons his side will however turn the tables in the return fixture when some of the big hitters who missed Friday’s game will be available for selection.

    “We should not have lost this game. We had enough chances to win. I believe we will advance to the next around.

    “In the next game we would have our full squad and play very differently from how we did. It’s not over for us.

    “Vipers have shown what they are capable of, scoring with a rare chance at goal. We too will show what we can do at home,” Aigbogun told the club’s official website, www.Enyimbafc.net.

    The return leg of the tie will be played at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium on February 28.