Enyimba Technical Adviser Stanley Eguma has blamed fatigue for the team’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Heartland in the NPFL clash on Wednesday, Sportivationng.com reports.
The former Rivers United coach expressed his concerns after the nine-time NPFL champions came from behind to force the Naze Millionaires to a 1-1 draw on Thursday in Aba, in an NPFL matchday 21 fixture.
Enyimba have won only two of their last 12 matches, leaving the two-time CAF Champions League winners in 9th position with 28 points and a game in hand, while Heartland sit in 13th place with 26 points.
“Like I said before, we’re experiencing some fatigue in the team, considering our tight schedule from the beginning of this month (January),” Eguma began when he addressed the media after the match against Heartland.
“We’ve been playing two matches every week since January. We just returned from Ilorin two days ago, only to play today (30 January 2025), and tomorrow we’ll be travelling to Bauchi to face Lobi Stars.
“These players have been constantly on the road. The wear and tear are significant. So, I think we’ll continue to work hard until we overcome the stress and fatigue in the team.”
Enyimba will hit the road yet again this weekend as they take on Lobi Stars at their newly adopted home ground, Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, on Sunday.
Looking ahead to the crucial fixture, Eguma stated that his team will travel to Bauchi with the mindset of securing maximum points.
“Every match is different. No two games are the same. So, I believe we’re going there to fight for the three points.
“But whatever the eventual result may be, I don’t know. However, we are prepared for the game and hoping to get all three points.”
Reflecting on the Oriental Derby, where his side had to rally back to salvage a point against Emmanuel Amuneke’s resilient Heartland, Eguma admitted that the draw was a fair result.
“We aimed for a win but eventually settled for a draw. This was a derby, and we knew it would be tough, especially since we beat them in the first-round fixture in Owerri.
“So, I knew they would come here fired up, throwing everything into the game and giving their all.
“But I thank God that it ended in a draw, and we shared the points. Ultimately, we had planned for victory, but it never came. You could see the game was highly intense.
“And considering that this team has been playing two matches a week for the past three weeks, fatigue may have affected the players. However, I must commend them for their effort today.
“As for the goal we conceded, while I respect the referee’s decision, we gave our all, and our best could only earn us a draw.
“We’ll put this result behind us, move forward, and hope for better outcomes in the matches ahead.”
Up next for Enyimba is a trip to Makurdi to take on Lobi Stars on Sunday.
