There are nights in football when you walk away unsure how to feel. Proud of the fight, disappointed with the outcome, and convinced that it should have been more. Sunday evening in Lagos was one of those nights. Enyimba’s unbeaten run continued, yes, but it felt like two points slipped through our fingers.
From the very first whistle, it was clear Ikorodu City meant business. They came pressing high and hard, pinning us back in the early exchanges. But as this team has done so often this season, we settled into our rhythm and grew into the contest. And when Joel’s shot took a wicked deflection to give us the lead in the 13th minute, it felt like another step toward another win.
The joy, however, lasted barely four minutes. A rare lapse in concentration at the back gifted Ikorodu their equaliser. From that moment, the match turned into a gritty battle rather than a showcase of quality. There were flashes of brilliance, Abiodun’s long-range effort, Nweke’s clever shot that forced a corner but the real talking point came in the 36th minute when we were denied what looked like two clear penalty calls. One for a handball, the other for a foul on Bassey. The referee waved play on, and frustration boiled over, earning Bassey and an Ikorodu defender bookings for dissent.
The second half was a bruising affair. Injuries to Abiodun and Bright disrupted our flow, forcing Eguma into early changes. Chidera Michael, Mujeeb, and later Dimgba tried to breathe new life into the attack, but the match soon became a test of endurance. Kevin Ogunga, once again, was heroic; throwing himself in front of a one-on-one to deny Ikorodu a potential winner and keeping us in the game.
And then came that moment. The one we will all replay in our minds. With six minutes to go, Mujeeb had the chance to steal all three points. The ball broke kindly for him inside the box, the goalkeeper was beaten, and the net was waiting but his shot sailed over. It was the golden opportunity that went begging and summed up the story of the night.
To make matters worse, the atmosphere turned hostile as home fans began throwing objects onto the pitch. Tempers flared on and off the field, and the referee was forced to pause the game briefly. Even then, we pushed, hoping for one final chance. It never came. Five minutes of added time ticked away, and the whistle blew with the score locked at 1–1.
It was not the result we hoped for, but context matters. We were away from home, we lost key players to injury, and we played in difficult conditions yet we refused to be beaten. The unbeaten run remains intact, and that matters. Nights like this will sting, but they are also the ones that forge the mentality of champions. The signs are still there: this team has character, grit, and an unwavering belief in itself. The finishing will improve, the composure will come. For now, the journey continues.
Back tomorrow.
‘EnyimbaEnyi
