Abia Warriors captain and midfielder, Augustine Njoku, delivered a commanding performance that propelled his team to a 3-1 comeback victory against Plateau United in Sunday’s NPFL matchday-8 encounter in Umuahia, and he gives teammates credit for that feat, Completesports.com reports.
Njoku’s inspiring display saw him provide two assists, earning him the Man of the Match (MoTM) award at the end of the game.
A visibly delighted Njoku expressed gratitude to his teammates for the honour, describing it as a ‘privilege’ rather than a ‘right’.
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“I feel great. It’s been a while since I last received such an award, and I must say it’s a privilege, not a right,” said the Warriors’ attacking-midfielder.
“I’m very grateful, and I give all thanks to God Almighty and also to our technical crew, who are equally very good and have put a lot of work into the team to ensure we play with understanding, not ‘guesswork’ football. I give them the credit.”
After Plateau United took the lead, as expected, the home side appeared downcast. However, Njoku rallied his teammates, urging them to stay positive and confident in their ability to turn the game around.
When asked about the source of his ‘never-say-die’ spirit, Njoku, who was a member of the Flying Eagles squad for the 2023 U-20 AFCON in Egypt, where the Nigerian team won the bronze medal, said the coach’s pep talk vitalised him and his teammates.
“Before the match, our coach, Imama Amapakabo, spoke to us about character and mentality. So, I believed that needed to be put into practice, and it showed as we came from a goal down to win 3-1.
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“I must applaud my teammates for the character and attitude they showed in the game. It was impressive, and I commend all of them. Kudos to everyone.
“Winning the Man of the Match award is not just about me; it’s a recognition of the entire team’s efforts.”
Abia Warriors will visit Bendel Insurance in Benin for a Match Day 9 fixture on Sunday, and Njoku is optimistic about securing a positive result.
“We’re going to face Bendel Insurance in Benin in our next match, and I assure our fans that we won’t return without a good result,” he said.
“As the saying goes, ‘victory begets victory’, and with the character and mentality we showed today, I believe we will come away from Benin with a positive result.”
By Sab Osuji
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