Enyimba FC suffered a 3–2 defeat to Katsina United on Matchday 14 in Ilorin, and while the scoreline suggests a close contest, the performance told a very different story. This was a loss built on avoidable mistakes, lapses in concentration, and a worrying lack of structure that Katsina punished without mercy.
The match began quietly, with both sides feeling their way into the game, but it did not take long for the cracks in Enyimba’s setup to show. Needless fouls were conceded in dangerous areas, and Solomon, visibly unsettled, gave away one free kick too many. Katsina capitalized in the 30th minute, scoring from one of those careless giveaways. It was a goal that summed up Enyimba’s entire first half: disjointed, reactive, and soft in areas where champions should be firm.
The midfield, which should be the heartbeat of this team, drifted in and out of the contest, losing control for long, worrying spells. Katsina grew in confidence as Enyimba struggled to hold their shape. If not for Kelvin Ogunga standing tall between the posts and producing a brave double save earlier in the half, the score could have been far uglier.
The second half offered no immediate response. Instead, it delivered another self-inflicted wound. A sloppy midfield mix-up in the 51st minute opened the door for Katsina’s second goal, punishing Enyimba’s hesitation and poor transition play. The People’s Elephant created chances, yes, but wastefulness in front of goal told its own painful story. Ifeanyi Okechukwu missed two clear sights at goal. Edidiong, twice put through inside the box, failed to apply the finishing touch. The opportunities were there. The composure was not.
It took substitutions to wake the attack. Dimgba came on and announced himself instantly with a goal that dragged Enyimba back into the contest at 2 to 1. Nweke later added another, keeping hope alive. But by then Katsina had already scored their third, and Enyimba spent the closing minutes desperately chasing a game that slipped away long before the final whistle.
The match ended 3 to 2, a result that exposes deeper issues than one afternoon’s performance. Defensive lapses, an unstable midfield, and poor finishing combined to undo the moments of fight shown late on. For a club with Enyimba’s name, history, and ambition, this is a wake up call. The errors that shaped this result cannot continue. Not if the team wants to stay relevant, let alone competitive, in the push for the top places.
Another painful evening. Another reminder that Enyimba must fix the fundamentals before talking about ambitions.
