Good morning, folks!
It’s our first matchday in February, and we’ve landed in Bauchi for a must-win clash against Lobi Stars. Why is this match so crucial? Well, we’re currently sitting 11th on the table with two games in hand. Sounds decent, right? But when you realize that Shooting Stars are sitting pretty in second with just one game more than us, you start to understand why every single match in this second stanza is do-or-die for Enyimba.
Historically, we’ve held our own against Lobi Stars, though our last outing against them in Lafia ended in defeat. Remember that game? The one where they locked their own fans out of the stadium with some hilarious excuse? Well, this time, they’ve packed their bags even farther away from Benue, choosing Bauchi as their new home. Curious decision, but hey, that’s their business.
Ahead of today’s 3 PM showdown, our most in-form player, Joseph Atule—who, by the way, used to play for Lobi before pledging allegiance to the People’s Elephant—had this to say about his recent resurgence:
“I am very, very happy that I am back to my normal self and my scoring form. You know when you have issues disturbing you, it makes you lose a lot of concentration and the ability to do the right thing, but I am happy now. I am okay, and I am fit, and I believe that I am going to do more with time.”
Atule, who also doubles as our top scorer for January, understands that our team and new gaffer, Stanley Eguma, whose rescue mission currently needs a rescue mission of its own, seem not to be shying away from the challenge:
“I won’t say it’s going to be a difficult one for us because we are fully prepared for it, and we have discussed among ourselves that we are not going to lose. And even if we don’t get the three points, we will get at least a point. I know that the fans are expecting much from us, but what I have to tell them is that they should have faith in us and keep believing in us. When we come back, we are going to shock everybody. The fans of Enyimba should rest assured that we are going to do better in the second stanza of the league.”
Who else is ready for this shock? I know I am! I want to scream BLIMEY when we kickstart a 10-game winning run that throws us back into contention. And maybe—just maybe—that run begins today in Bauchi against Lobi Stars.
The mood in camp is great; now it’s time to translate that energy into results.
Back tomorrow—hopefully, with some good news!
Enyimba Enyi!
