NPFL 25: Enyimba Struggled In First Half to El-Kanemi Warriors Due To Fatigue - Olanrewaju

NPFL 25: Enyimba Struggled In First Half to El-Kanemi Warriors Due To Fatigue - Olanrewaju

Precious Oham

A first-half stoppage time goal from El-Kanemi Warriors' Abbas Usman condemned Enyimba FC to its second league loss of the 2024/2025 NPFL season, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The petit striker, after evading his marker inside the box following an exchange of passes with his teammate, allowed Abbas one-on-one with Ani Ozoemena in goal before slotting to the left-hand corner of the post in added time.

In his reaction, Yemi Olanrewaju of Enyimba FC described El-Kanemi Warriors as a decent side but insisted that it was a game of two halves.

He said although the home side dominated the first half, but his side created the first goal opportunity, adding that his boys suffered from fatigue in the first half but picked up the momentum in the second half.

"Yeah, it was a good game; they are a decent side, we knew they were a good side, and they gave us a good game.

"First half we struggled a bit due to fatigue. I think they had the first half while we had the second half.

"We controlled the game, we created the first chance even though we didn't score in the first half but it was a good game and a good advert for NPFL."

Olanrewaju, who has always restrained from talking about referees, however, expressed his worry about the poor recovery of lost time, especially during Enyimba games.

 "I don't like talking about officiating. That's something that is out of my control, I don't have powers over it. But I don't think this officiating was bad. The only thing I can talk about is the added time; they made five changes, and we made five, then you added only three minutes with all the time they were wasting; that's the only thing I can complain it's not good."

Enyimba will journey back to Aba to prepare for their next league encounter against another newly promoted side, Ikorodu City FC of Lagos on Sunday at the Enyimba Int'l Stadium.