The rain came down in Aba on Sunday, and with it came ninety minutes of tension, effort, and ultimately frustration. Enyimba threw everything they had at Rivers United, dominated the ball, created the clearer chances, and yet walked off the pitch with only one point. It was the kind of game where the scoreboard does not tell the full story, where one team controlled the tempo but could not find the finishing touch that would have crowned their performance.
From the opening whistle, the Peoples Elephant looked determined to make a statement. Chinedu Ufere and Mohammed Hussaini ran the show in midfield, dictating the rhythm and pinning Rivers United deep into their own half. Stanley Dimgba and Peter Afolayan found joy down the flanks, stretching the visitors and creating dangerous moments.
Rivers, true to their reputation, were disciplined and compact. They absorbed pressure and sought openings on the counter, but Enyimba’s back line, marshalled by Kalu Nweke and Solomon, stood firm. The first real chance came in the 17th minute when Dimgba’s cross forced a save, although the flag was already up.
As the half wore on, Enyimba dominated possession but struggled to carve out clear openings. The turning point arrived just before the break when Dimgba thought he had given the hosts the lead, only for the assistant referee to rule it out for offside. It was a tight call that left the home fans fuming and ensured the first half ended goalless.
Coach Stanley Eguma introduced Chidera Michael after the restart to inject pace and creativity, and the change immediately lifted Enyimba’s attacking tempo. The pressure mounted. Corners piled up. Rivers United’s defence dropped deeper and deeper.
A reminder of the visitors’ threat came in the 56th minute when Ogunga tipped a surprise long-range strike onto the bar. That scare reignited Enyimba’s urgency, and wave after wave of blue pressure followed. The midfield trio of Ufere, Hussaini, and Salman Abubakar recycled possession brilliantly, while Rivers turned to physical fouls and time-wasting to slow the game down.
Eguma rolled the dice with more changes, sending on Azuka and Joseph Abiodun, and they almost delivered the breakthrough. The game’s biggest chance came in the 83rd minute when Chidera Michael found space inside the box, but his low drive was denied by a brilliant save from the Rivers goalkeeper’s outstretched leg.
Despite a series of late corners and half chances, the breakthrough never came. The final whistle brought relief for Rivers United and disappointment for Enyimba, who had been the better side by every measurable standard except the one that matters most.
This was a performance that deserved more. Enyimba controlled 65 percent of the ball, created the better chances, and limited Rivers to one shot on target. The defence was composed, the midfield was dominant, and the substitutions added spark. But without a clinical edge in front of goal, dominance could not be turned into victory.
Still, there are positives to take. The team remains unbeaten. The performance level continues to rise. And the fight, character, and determination on display in the rain will serve as a foundation for the battles to come.
It ended without goals, but it was full of stories — of grit, discipline, missed chances, and stubborn resistance. Enyimba may have been frustrated, but they walked off knowing they are still a team to fear.
No goals, but plenty of lessons, and plenty of belief that the next time dominance like this comes, it will end with three points.
