Good morning and happy weekend! 

Can you feel the festive vibes? December is halfway gone, and Christmas is practically knocking at the door. But while most of us are gearing up for some well-deserved holiday cheer, our beloved Enyimba boys have one more continental showdown to handle. Spoiler alert: it’s not going to be a leisurely stroll through Maputo.

Tomorrow, our lads square off against Black Bulls FC, the top dogs of the Moçambola. Now, before you dismiss them as basement dwellers in our CAF Confederation Cup group, let’s get real. These Bulls aren’t pushovers. They’ve been firing on all cylinders in their domestic league, topping the table with a knack for finding the back of the net. Since October 2, they’ve scored in every game except their trip to Zamalek. That Egyptian outing also happens to be the only match they left pointless. Talk about resilience!

In their last nine matches, they’ve snagged six wins, two draws, and just one loss, tallying 16 goals while conceding only six. Impressive, right? Meanwhile, our form over the same period has been, well… a mixed bag. Thirteen matches, just three wins, two losses, and a staggering eight draws. We’ve netted 11 goals and conceded nine. Oh, and by the way, tomorrow’s clash will mark our fourth match in 13 days. Tired legs innit?

But hey, this is Enyimba, and the fans don’t care about excuses. They want wins, especially after enduring a string of uninspiring draws. Coach Yema has already declared tomorrow’s game as do-or-die, and he’s not wrong. A victory is just crucial for morale and aiding our progress beyond the group stage which will preserve Nigeria’s league ranking for CAF club competitions, which is under serious threat from Mali.

So, what’s at stake? Everything. It’s high time Enyimba reminded Africa why we’re called the People’s Elephant. A win away from home in the continent—that’s the kind of swagger we need to end the year on a high and a rarity under this current management. 

The game will be played under the sunny skies of Maputo, and we’re counting on our boys to trample these Bulls and climb the group standings. Let’s not forget the ideal scenario: Zamalek and Al Masry cancel each other out, giving us the perfect opening to make some serious gains.

Black Bulls might be hoping for a bullfight, but elephants don’t fight bulls—we trample them. Time to stomp our authority in Maputo!