The victory lifts Enyimba to the fourth position on the League Table and dims Kwara United’s continental hopes
Striker Victor Mbaoma netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Enyimba an emphatic 3-0 win over Kwara United in a MatchDay 33 encounter decided on Sunday morning at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba.
The game, earlier scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon was moved by sixteen hours at the behest of Kwara United, but it didn’t save them from facing the wrath of the Enyimba side that have won all of their home games in the second stanza of the league this season.
The People’s Elephant went in front as early as the third minute when Mbaoma finished off a counter-attack spearheaded by his attacking partner Christian Ekong. It was Ekong’s first start for the club and Mbaoma’s first appearance since returning from international duty with Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
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Mbaoma got his second in the 15th minute through a brilliant finish to Farouk Mohammed’s pass before completing his hat-trick in the 54th minute after good work by winger Sadiq Abubakar. The third goal took Mbaoma’s tally for the season to fifteen goals, one ahead of the trio of Ishaq Rafiu, Chijioke Akuneto (both Rivers United) and Yusuf Abdulazeez (Gombe United) at the summit of the scorers chart.
The win seems to shatter Kwara United’s continental hopes while it takes Enyimba to 4th on the log, same points with Rangers who occupy the final continental position. Both Rangers and Remo Stars (who were in 3rd and 4th before Sunday) face tricky away games later on Sunday evening.
Enyimba are still without their head coach Finidi George who is in Morocco with Nigeria’s senior team but his first assistant, Deniran Ortega who took charge of Sunday’s game told www.npfl.ng after the game that his team simply capitalised on their opponents’ weakness.
“We knew how the game would play. We were able to use their weakness because we know they’re stressed,” said Ortega.
“They came with a game plan to go back so we can play the game on a neutral ground so bringing them back on the way is a mental stress so we capitalised on it.
“Our players followed the instructions from the coaches. We played against a good side nonetheless but we are able to capitalize on their mental stress,” added the former Warri Wolves coach.
Ortega also spoke on the immediate inclusion of hat-trick hero Mbaoma who missed their last three matches due to international engagement.
“It was very easy to bring back Victor Mbaoma into the team because we were monitoring his performances there. He was playing with the big boys so, now he knows he needs to remain at the big boys’ level. I spoke to him and he responded well,” said Ortega.
Kwara United Chief coach Lukman Ijaiya attributed his team’s loss to the uncertainties that surrounded this fixture since yesterday.
“We passed through so many stress yesterday and we can see the match ended in the first half. All these stress affected our players a lot so there’s nothing we can do about it,” the former Shooting Stars and Kwara United forward told reporters.
“The fatigue, the mindset affected us. I am naturally disappointed with the loss because the goal margin was too much for me but we will go back home to get more points and help our chase,” he added.
Kwara United will host Sunshine Stars on MatchDay 34 in Ilorin while Enyimba will travel to relegation hunted MFM FC.
Match Details
Enyimba
21. Sabirou Bassa-Djeri 32. Bilal Yakubu (Chigozie Obasi 79′) 18. Paschal Eze 5. Oluwatosin Adegbite 2. Emmanuel Ampiah (Imo Obot 65′) 27. Farouk Mohammed (Daniel Ijeh 65′) 24. Fatai Abdullahi 26. Austin Oladapo 13. Sadiq Abubakar (Godwin Emmanuel 79′) 25. Victor Mbaoma 7. Christian Ekong (Cyril Olisema 63′)
SUBS
1. John Noble 8. Samuel Stone Onukwube 14. Samuel Kalu 15. Daniel Ijeh 17. Chigozie Obasi 29. Imo Obot 20. Cyril Olisema 23. Adekunle Adeleke 38. Godwin Emmanuel
BOOKED: Farouk Mohammed, Austin Oladapo
GOALS: Victor Mbaoma 3, 15, 54′
Kwara United
1. Dele Aiyenugba 22. Musa Abdulafeez 24. Muritala Lawal 4. Afeez Nosiru 23. Isaiah Ejeh 3. Ayodeji Bamidele 15. Kabir Balogun (Samuel Tiza 75′) 13. Issa Magaji 33. Chinedu Udeagha (Ayobami Junior 65′) 27. Alao Danbani (Junior Lokosa 61′) 30. Samad Kadiri
SUBS
34. Abdulateef Ishola 29. Jide Williams 5. Basiru Monsuru 19. Junior Lokosa 28. Jide Fatokun 11. Samuel Tiza 8. Ayobami Junior
