Half Bread Is Better Than none/Puff Puff (whichever youre in the mood for today).
This is a Nigerian adage that best describes our excitement after picking up our most important point of the season so far. They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, and in the same way, the journey to a continental ticket can begin with a point or more.
We have waited so long for this point that we can almost treat it like a huge win. Here’s why: we had not kept a clean sheet in Kano against Kano Pillars since 1998, and we had travelled to Kano seven consecutive times and returned empty-handed. Our last point there came in February 2018.
So, yes, this point matters.
Naturally, after struggling to scrape points from our first four matches, coming up against a Kano Pillars side that was yet to taste defeat made us look like the underdogs. But sometimes, that disadvantage can work in your favour. The pressure to perform was largely on the unbeaten hosts, while we had very little to lose. That gave us the freedom to make mistakes, take risks when necessary and simply fight for whatever we could get.
After the last defeat, there were a few changes to the squad. Some players lost their places, while others were effectively given an ultimatum: improve or make way for someone else. Dede Dare was handed his first start of the season after Utum Godswill and Kelvin Ogunga had each started two matches, and he justified the faith placed in him.
As usual, Emmanuel Deutsch appeared to favour a more conservative approach. And really, there is some logic to it: if you don’t concede, you cannot lose. The objective was clearly to stay in the game, frustrate the hosts and give ourselves a chance of leaving Kano with something.
Even the strong winds that interrupted the match momentarily could not blow away the Elephant spirit. The boys held on, stayed disciplined and secured a valuable point.
It might look like a very small point on the league table, but it means much more to this team at this particular moment. After four straight defeats, we finally have something positive to build on. Maybe this rare point will give the boys the belief they need going into our next two home matches.
We are in unfamiliar waters, no doubt, but as long as we keep swimming towards the shore, we will not drown.
The next two matches are opportunities to turn this small spark into something bigger. We need to believe that impossible is nothing and pull as many chestnuts out of the fire as possible.
We wish the boys a safe journey back to Aba. Shooting Stars might even arrive before us because they are already in Ozoro, but na we go still dey home!
Congratulations, boys, on this valuable point.
Now, let’s shoot for the stars next!
Enyimba Enyi!
