The echoes of Sunday’s five-goal thriller between Enyimba FC and Bendel Insurance still reverberate across Aba. Days later, fans of the People’s Elephant are still basking in the joy of a comeback victory that will be remembered for a long time.
The match, billed as an opportunity to consolidate our upward march after that impressive win in Bayelsa, didn’t begin as planned. We fell behind early, but credit to the boys — they dug deep, fought back, and eventually dispatched the Benin Gunners to claim all three points.
This comeback speaks volumes about the growing mental fortitude of this squad. Last season, we dropped a staggering 19 points at home from eight draws and a loss in Aba. A post-season review revealed a painful pattern: every time we conceded first at home, we never recovered to win.
We trailed four times at home last term. Three ended in draws; 1-1 against Niger Tornadoes, Heartland FC, and Shooting Stars — while the final day brought a 0–1 defeat to Plateau United.
Sunday was different. We went behind twice and responded twice before finishing the job with a winner. That kind of resilience is new, and it’s a crucial shift in mentality. It’s the sort of grit that shapes champions and it’s coming at the right time.
Heading into Matchday 5, Enyimba had scored just three goals in four matches, each from a different player — Abiodun Joseph, Chidera Michael, and Kalu Nweke. In Sunday’s dramatic 3–2 win, that same trio delivered again, each adding to their tally.
They’ve become the heartbeat of our attack while Coach Eguma’s trusted strikers continue to search for form in the final third. Abiodun is fast becoming a fan favourite after another goal in front of the passionate Aba crowd. Nweke has already matched his total from last season (2 goals) in just two matches. And Michael? He’s redefining the meaning of a “super sub” twice now, he’s come off the bench to score crucial goals.
Next up is a trip to Lagos to face Ikorodu City. Last season, this fixture produced a 2–2 draw after a dramatic late equalizer from the hosts. We took four points off them across both meetings, but they still finished four points ahead of us, narrowly missing out on continental football in their debut NPFL season.
This term, Ikorodu City have started better, certainly better than their sluggish opening last season when they collected just one point from their first five games before embarking on a strong run to finish fourth. They’ve taken four points from their two home games so far (a draw and a win). Perhaps Sunday’s clash will complete the set; a draw, a win, and, (hopefully from our visit), a loss.
It promises to be another exciting encounter. And if the momentum, mentality, and belief we saw on Sunday carry over into Lagos, there’s every reason to believe the People’s Elephant can wrap up September with another victory.
Back with another dose of My Thursday Turf next week.
