It’s Matchday!
That’s exactly what the weekend screams literally in these parts and at these times. Yet another eventful weekend of premium Nigerian football with all the drama, intrigues and excitement will be served across 9 venues (Katsina will have a double dose) across three days. Two fixtures stands out this matchweek. Enugu will host that traditional clash between Enugu Rangers and Shooting Stars but we all know that the biggest game will be in Umuahia where we take on our little brothers, Abia Warriors.
Historically, this isn’t a fixture that requires much. It is a derby we know how to win. Four wins on the road against Abia Warriors means we have beaten them more times than they’ve beaten us. We have even won more matches on the road than the number of times we shared the spoils. When you throw in the last six matches, a rare victory some three and half years ago, is the only time they’ve gone home with all the available points in the bag. This is our confidence.
Inasmuch as we will brag with these numbers, there is palpable fear of the unknown our hearts, not because of our pedigree but solely because of our recent run. Just one win in six matches is totally alien to us. We don’t understand what that means but that is our reality and I totally agree with a drastic measure to halt that slum. The ultimatum enters the last leg and a back-to-back victory will do more to lift spirits and repose confidence in a seemingly bleak season.
For Abia Warriors, there has been a steady rise in their ranks. They’ve gotten more ambitious. Played in the Federation Cup final two seasons ago and followed it up with a third place finish last season and today, they’re only one point and one place away from the top of the league table. They recruited some of our former players. Emeka Obioma, Somiari Alalibo, Kunle Adeleke, Innocent Gabriel, and Fatai Abdullahi now dress for them and they will be looking to try inflicting some damage to us, their former employers.
Our fortunes in these last three seasons have been the direct opposite of our opponents. They’ve tuned up the rivalry as we appears to have lost ground. A third place finish, followed by a sixth place finish isn’t what we’re known for and currently we sit eight which is six places below them. They’ve won all their matches at home and have that confidence while we approach the match with history and the urge to go for broke. The People’s Elephants must never fall to the Warriors and that should be the mission.
As we match to the Umuahia Township Stadium for the all-important Abia Derby, we go in search of a repeat of history as well as a consolidation!
Nzogbu Nzogbu
EnyimbaEnyi
