Matchday 15 of the Nigeria Premier Soccer League (NPFL) as soon as once more delivered the league’s acquainted cocktail of tight scorelines, shifting momentum, and pressure-soaked penalties. And in Aba, the Oriental Derby lived as much as its billing.
Enyimba’s assertion victory in a season of wonderful margins
Enyimba, nine-time NPFL champions and a crew nonetheless making an attempt to rediscover its conventional dominance, secured one of many standout wins of the weekend with a gritty 2–1 conquer rivals Rangers Worldwide.
The Folks’s Elephants, enjoying beneath new Technical Adviser Lawrence Ukaegbu, wanted this efficiency. With solely 4 wins earlier than this matchday and a league desk packed tightly from mid-table to the cusp of the highest six, each level carried weight.
They took management by way of Chidera Michael’s Forty second-minute strike, earlier than Stanley Dimgba confirmed composure and expertise to make it 2–0 within the 81st minute. Rangers’ Kenechukwu Agu struck in stoppage time, sparking late nerves, however Enyimba held on.
For Ukaegbu, solely two video games into his tenure, this end result felt larger than three factors.
“I really feel so good with this victory. It’s one other victory. I really feel so good about it.” The Supervisor advised journalists in Aba.
The Ukaegbu blueprint: Unity, overhaul, and tactical self-discipline
Coming into the derby, skepticism shadowed Enyimba. Rangers had proven clear developmental strides beneath Fidelis Ilechukwu this season, and type advised the guests would pose actual issues in Aba.
Ukaegbu insisted the victory was constructed on inside recalibration.
“A variety of onerous work. A variety of onerous work. We tried to unite extra, to come back collectively extra. And we overhauled to win at this time’s match, and that’s the end result.”
The coach additionally broke down his tactical construction, easy on paper, disciplined on the pitch.
“Yeah, I got here house with a 4-4-2 after I’m attacking. Once I’m defending, I’m going for a 4-5-1. That’s the technique I used to win the match.”
Requested how the job felt simply two video games in, he stored it temporary:
“I really feel nice. It’s not a disappointment. It’s a greater end result. I feel so.”
Rangers’ View: Missed possibilities and no panic
With head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu unavailable, Rangers assistant coach addressed the media, describing the competition as one among wonderful margins slightly than tactical failures.
“It was a really stunning recreation. It’s very fantastic and a really good recreation. Typically I say that is soccer.”
Rangers created a number of early openings however lacked the composure to punish Enyimba.
“We received lots of possibilities proper within the first half, even within the second half. However it was very tough for us to transform these possibilities. So I take it as one of many good factors of the sport.”
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He rejected the concept Enyimba dominated early on.
“I didn’t see Enyimba being on the higher facet within the first half. We had been on the higher facet… we had been unable to transform the alternatives and possibilities that got here out.”
Regardless of being caught within the backside half almost midway into the season, he dismissed the notion of stress.
“There isn’t any stress. That is simply pure soccer. That is an away match. Yesterday, we should always have been within the sixth place. At present, as a result of we misplaced, we received ourselves there. So we’re going to bounce again and the league continues to be open.”
On younger prospect Igwilo, one among Rangers’ vivid sparks on the day:
“He’s a younger, coming-up star, he nonetheless wants perhaps one or two teachings for him to have the ability to deal with the system of the sport.”
And on the membership’s course transferring ahead:
“After we get our subsequent recreation, we’ll get to face it. There’s nothing totally different from what we had been doing earlier than.”
The Desk: Tight battles in every single place
The win lifts Enyimba to twenty factors, ninth on the log, proper within the coronary heart of the NPFL’s fiercest zone, the mid-table jungle the place seven golf equipment are separated by simply three factors. One win can launch a crew towards competition; one misstep can drag them again into survival arithmetic.
For Ukaegbu, this was greater than a derby victory. It was a message: Enyimba need again within the race.
