2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 8: Enyimba coach, Yema complains of tiredness in defeat against El-Kanemi Warriors

Posted : 21 October 2024

Nine-time league champion coach Yemi Olanrewaju has expressed frustration over the poor recovery time before his side narrowly lost to the homers, El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 8 fixtures.

Recall that a stoppage time goal from the Desert Warriors' Abbas Usman condemned Enyimba FC to its second league loss of the season.

The petite striker, after evading his marker inside the box following an exchange of passes with his teammate, allowed Abbas to go one-on-one with keeper Ani Ozoemena before slotting the ball into the left-hand corner of the post in added time.

The People's Elephant created the first real chance of the game in the early minutes, with Ifeanyi Ihemekwele flailing away a good opportunity after being released by Chukwudi Nwaodu off a swift counterattack.

From that point, the home side controlled most of the first half, drawing fantastic saves from Enyimba's reliable keeper, Ozoemena, who, after the encounter, had conceded just two goals in the league—one against Niger Tornadoes on Wednesday and the other against El-Kanemi Warriors on Sunday.

The Aba giants, after a halftime substitution with Nweke Kalu replacing Ani Chigozie, showed some urgency in their attack, creating opportunities, but poor marksmanship in front of goal continued to deny the nine-time league champions an equalizer.

The home side, however, remained very dangerous with counterattacks, but Ozoemena continuously produced man-of-the-match performances to keep the scoreline at 1-0.

Speaking after the entertaining encounter, Coach Munir Abdulazeez of El-Kanemi Warriors commended his opponents for pushing them to their limits, describing Enyimba as a top-rated side in Nigeria.

Coach Munir noted that El-Kanemi and Rivers remain the only unbeaten sides in the league this season, adding that they hope to maintain the momentum.

While thanking God for the victory, he praised the fans for their impressive turnout, saying it proves that peace has continued to return to Maiduguri.

In his reaction, Coach Daniel Yemi Olanrewaju of Enyimba described El-Kanemi Warriors as a decent side but insisted that it was a game of two halves.

He said that although the home side dominated the first half, his team created the first goal opportunity and that his players suffered from fatigue in the first half but picked up momentum in the second half.

"Yeah, it was a good game; they are a decent side. We knew they were good and they gave us a good match.

"In the first half, we struggled a bit due to fatigue. I think they had the first half while we had the second half.

"We controlled the game; we created the first chance even though we didn't score in the first half, but it was a good game and a good advertisement for the NPFL."

Coach Yema, who has always refrained from discussing the referees, expressed his concern about the poor recovery of lost time, especially during Enyimba games.

"I don't like talking about officiating; that's something that is out of my control. I don't have power over it.

"But I don't think this officiating was bad. The only thing I can talk about is the added time. They made five changes and we made five, yet they only added three minutes with all the time they were wasting. That's the only thing I can complain about; it's not good."

Enyimba will travel back home to Aba to prepare for their next league encounter against another newly promoted side, Ikorodu City FC of Lagos, on Sunday at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba.

2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 8: Enyimba coach, Yema complains of tiredness in defeat against El-Kanemi Warriors

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