Good morning, Enyimba Family!
It’s the Monday after a game that was, well, a rollercoaster. The first day of the week—a fresh start, a time to shake off the dust and put our best foot forward, while tucking away yesterday’s frustrations after learning what we can.
Yesterday’s match was one for the books. We went from heart-pounding tension in the first 10-15 minutes to a glimmer of hope by halftime, only to return to a nail-biter finish. Oh, if only Eze Ekwutoziem’s overhead kick had beaten Kayode Bankole, or if Clinton Jephtha’s curler had dipped just a few inches lower! It’s a game of inches and almosts.
But hey, let’s keep perspective. Disappointing? Sure. But bad? Not entirely. That first half was a masterclass in tactical dominance—from Remo Stars, that is. They had us in knots, pressing us hard and making life tough for Fatai Abdullahi, while Eze Ekwutoziem was nearly invisible, and Ifeanyi Ihemekwele might as well have been a spectator. Imo Obot was dragged out of position again and again. Yet our boys held the line, keeping it close and limiting Remo’s chances.
Then came the second half, and Yema reminded us all why he’s the guy in the dugout. Critics may call him inexperienced, but the man knows his tactics. Suddenly, it was Remo Stars scrambling to keep us contained. They played it safe, opting to hold us at bay rather than pushing forward. In the end, their goal was to walk out without losing ground—and they managed just that.
Points shared especially at home is never ideal. Add to the fact that we have not beaten that lot in 6 attempts. For alot of us, yesterday was that day but it wasn’t to be. Remo Stars are a decent team. Probably one of the best in the country right now. And the second best outcome was not to lose to them if we were not going to get all 3 points. Again we have struggled in attack and we have to make for better recruitment when the window opens.
Now, on the referees: it’s high time the NRA assigns seasoned refs for high-stakes games like this. It was clear the center ref was struggling to hold his grip on the match at times. Sure, he did alright, but big games need officials with big-game poise. Enough said.
Shoutout to the fans, by the way! What an atmosphere. The side stands were packed, and Columbia was buzzing too. The energy was alive, the noise building up as the minutes ticked down. Sure, the result stings, but the spirit was top-notch, and hey, we avoided a home defeat.
And a special mention for the e-ticketing rollout! Loved to see it. I’d encourage management to build on this—let fans buy their tickets ahead of time, and maybe even assign seat numbers. It’s a step toward making matchdays more seamless and getting us closer to filling those stands.
The season is relatively young, and as long as we stay relentless, there’s plenty of time to turn every “almost” into a solid win.
Back at it tomorrow!
