It’s matchday!
Friday matchdays are a rarity in the Nigeria Premier Football League. Truth be told, we love our football served at 4pm on Sundays, and any other day or time feels a little strange. But that tradition may soon be a thing of the past, with plans being mooted to spread fixtures across different days and times over the weekend.
Today won’t be the first Friday evening kickoff this season, but it could be the first in Katsina, perhaps the first in the wider North, and the first at 5pm. A searing atmosphere awaits at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium! Thankfully, the boys got a feel of the turf yesterday, though the conditions were anything but friendly. We can only hope they have acclimatised enough to handle whatever the weather throws at them this evening.
Katsina has never been a happy hunting ground for us, especially against Katsina United. We have never won there, and our only point came from a 1-1 draw almost seven years ago. But Enyimba are beginning to find their feet. We are unbeaten in three, with back-to-back wins, albeit both at home. This could be the perfect opportunity to turn a promising run into something more substantial with our first away win of the season. Can we make it three wins on the bounce?
In his pre-match comments, Emmanuel Deutsch warned the team about distractions. Perhaps he meant the danger of getting carried away by our young unbeaten run and mistaking a few good results for having arrived. Or perhaps there are other distractions in the camp, which we sincerely hope are nothing serious. Whatever the case, the message is clear: eyes on the ball, minds on the job.
Our recent results should inspire us, not distract us. One glance at the table, where we still sit uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, should be motivation enough to avoid defeat. We have made progress, but there is plenty of ground still to cover. Another positive result today would strengthen the belief that the worst is behind us and that we can start climbing back to where we belong.
There’s also ample recovery time before our next assignment, so the boys can throw everything into this one, fight for every ball and leave nothing on the pitch. If we must sweat it out in Katsina, let it be for three points!
Hopefully, when the final whistle blows, we’ll have reason to celebrate and another result to build on.
Kickoff is at 5pm, and the match will be streamed live on YouTube. Wherever you’re watching from, get behind the boys.
Can we finally conquer Katsina? Let’s find out!
Enyimba Enyi!
