Enyimba Technical Adviser, Stanley Eguma, says the team has put behind them the woes of the first stanza of the 2024/2025 NPFL season and now focused on a stronger second-round campaign, Completesports.com reports.
Eguma spoke moments after the nine-time champions secured their first away win of the second stanza. Ifeanyi Ihemekwele struck eight minutes past the half-hour mark, and the two-time African champions held on tenaciously for a famous victory against Lobi Stars in Monday’s rescheduled NPFL matchday 22 fixture at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.
The goal was Ihemekwele’s eighth of the season across all competitions—four each in the NPFL and CAF Confederation Cup.
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For Eguma, the win against Daniel Amokachi’s side is his second in six matches, following a 2-1 victory over Nasarawa United. He has also recorded two draws—0-0 against Bendel Insurance and 1-1 against Heartland—while suffering defeats to Kano Pillars and Kwara United.
Since his arrival, Eguma has led Enyimba to one CAF Confederation Cup group-stage victory, a 4-1 thrashing of Black Bulls of Mozambique, alongside a 1-1 draw against Al Masry of Egypt and a 3-1 defeat to Zamalek.
Despite overcoming their first-round struggles, Eguma admitted concern over the team’s current position in the NPFL standings.
“It’s a good performance and a good result. We drew at home, and now we’ve won away,” Eguma stated.
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“I joined this team recently, and the players are gradually understanding my philosophy, just as I am getting to know them better. This growing understanding is the reason we got this result.
“We’re gradually putting our first-round struggles behind us, but we’re still worried about our position in the league table. Our focus is to improve our standing.
“It’s still a work in progress, and it’s not yet time for celebration because we have a lot to do to climb the table. I congratulate the players for their efforts and encourage them to do more so we can achieve better results in the coming matches,” Eguma concluded.
Enyimba are currently 8th in the NPFL table with 31 points after 22 matches. They will face Akwa United in Sunday’s matchday 23 fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
By Sab Osuji
