What a way to kick off the week/season!
For eight long years, Heartland FC were the thorn in our side, always seeming to be more seasoned and ready for an Oriental Derby. They had a knack for grinding out results. But in the last three encounters—perhaps since Anyansi-Agwu’s departure—Heartland have found themselves consistently trampled by the mighty Elephants.
Remember Kennedy Boboye’s debut match? Enyimba handed him a loss. The late Christian Obi brought his embattled Heartland side to Aba for the reverse fixture, only to taste defeat. And yesterday, Emmanuel “The Messiah” Amunike’s much-anticipated redemption song? Postponed by the same Elephants!
Heartland and their fans had their moment, especially during the first hour. The noise from the Dan Anyiam Stadium was deafening in those final 10 minutes of that hour, some of the loudest I’ve ever heard in Owerri. But then came our substitutions—just three minutes past the hour mark—and the game flipped on its head in the following 12 minutes. Ifeanyi Ihemekwele and Clinton Jephtha were the chief architects of Heartland’s crash back to reality.
Starting our NPFL season with a 3-1 win away from home? Now that’s how you set the tone! This needs to be the blueprint for our entire campaign.
Listening to Coach Yemi Olarenwaju after the game had me smiling ear to ear, muttering a quiet prayer for his continued success. Enyimba isn’t Vandrezzer, MFM, or even Heartland, and it seems Yema has already figured that out. His exact words after the game? Pure gold:
_”It is important that we start on a good note. That’s why I told the boys [to] just raise the intensity, [and] the 3 points is getting to the team. 37 games more as this one is done and dusted.”_
He also mentioned that the focus is now on our next challenge in Mali this weekend (which, by the way, we fully expect to win).
Yesterday was our first glimpse of the boys in competitive action this season, and wow, what a sight it was! While other coaches “cook,” Yema seems to be prioritising squeezing—we hope he doesn’t get squeezed though!
It’s understandable why we’re all buzzing, but let’s not forget—the season’s a marathon, not a sprint. One win down, but we have a long road ahead.
That said, I’ll be celebrating with some legendary “Ofe Owere,” the signature soup of the hospitable city of Owerri, paired with three wraps of akpu. One thing I won’t expect in that soup? Elephant meat. Because as yesterday proved, you can’t hunt Elephants in Owerri. This was definitely a hunt gone wrong for Heartland!
Shoutout to all the true blues who made the journey—it was absolutely worth it.
EnyimbaEnyi!
Thatenyimbafan blog. I’d say welcome back to blogging about our dearest club Enyimba FC. I must say I missed your blogs through the years you were absent/away for studies. Welcome back. Please keep giving us updates and all we need to know about this club. Thanks.