From www.thatenyimbafan.com an @EnyimbaFC Fan

Good day guys,

Apologies for no show yesterday and the very very late post today. Went out of town on official duty and here network is medieval. Tomorrow will be lot better.

We are in Port Harcourt to face a side that have not beaten us in five years (since 2011 according to the ever dependable Fisco stats). However from their recent performances, they are in the best mood to beat us because we on the other hand have been woeful lately.

The team did not play a game in the Federations Cup in midweek as our opponents did not even show up. So we travelled back to Aba on Thursday and made the move to Port Harcourt.

Our strikers have been under some stick recently and that's because of how poor they have been in front of goal. The trainings of the couple of days have focused majorly on that and while I'm not sure what magic Kadiri Ikhana Might conjure up, we can only hope the trick he hadn't activated since the start of the season comes to play here.

Selections for this game might not far away from what we had last week against Giwa except perhaps in goal. I think we might see

Ocheje. Ojobo, Aloma, Udoji, Uche, Aliyu, Anaezemba, Etor, Peter, Okonkwo and Ezekiel Bassey.

It's an eleven that can not just get a draw but get us a win in Port Harcourt. But you see, these players have barely been at their best in recent times and it won't be a surprise If they struggle.

Peter Onyekachi is due a goal, isn't he? He last scored during that Champions League game against Buffles half a century ago. He is a striker and its about time he starts scoring.

There will not be any signs of Mfon Udoh today as he is not even with the team. Ebenezar Odeyemi ought to get his chance today because he travelled with the team but if we don't even see him, don't be surprised.

I hope the coaching crew get their acts right because if we don't take such chances to win such games we should not dare dream winning the title at the end of the season.

Something tells me we could get something out of this game, I hope it's not the voice that told me as a little boy to go take meat from my mum's soup pot.

Im unsure if we will have a live blog for the game but if we don't, you can rely on the indefatigable LMC Twitter and Facebook handles to solve that problem for you.

'EnyimbaEnyi

Match Preview: Enyimba vs Dolphins

It is impossible to discuss this fixture without reference to last season’s title run-in.

Enyimba went into the final two games just three points off leaders Kano Pillars. In the favour of the two-time African champions was the fact one of the last two was a home tie against their direct rivals in Aba. This meant that two wins from two would see Enyimba crowned champions by virtue of a vastly superior goal difference.

First of all, they had to navigate an away trip to Dolphins, who were themselves faintly in the hunt for a continental ticket. League goal-king Mfon Udoh was on target, but it was not enough for the three points; Enyimba came away with just one. Pillars smashed already-relegated Nembe City 4-0 to secure the league title.

The Peoples’ Elephant would get a measure of reprieve via victory in the FA Cup final, but it is unlikely anyone in the club hierarchy considered it an apt consolation.

This will be at the top of the players’ minds on Sunday when they return to Port Harcourt, the graveyard of title ambitions past. Neither club is enjoying a particularly good season up to this point, though Enyimba are distinctly better off, six places above Dolphins on the league table.

It is of course early days in the league, but six goals all season from Enyimba suggests there are serious problems upfront for the Peoples’ Elephant. When you consider three of those came in one game: against Sharks (which in the context of the season was a freak result), this means the Aba side has scored three times in seven games, and none in the last two matches.

It is a problem coach Kadiri Ikhana acknowledged following the disappointing draw at home to Giwa FC last week. “My boys tried their best but we lost the chances that came our way,” he lamented to Goal. He however retained optimism for this encounter, saying, “I have spoken to my players and they have promised an improved outing against Dolphins in Port Harcourt”

In walking over Nassarawa Feeders in the Federation Cup in midweek, the team perhaps missed a chance to get much-needed confidence flowing with a few goals. However, this does ensure they will be fresher than their hosts, and primed to take home all three points.


It is a (small) consolation that the defence has maintained its standard of excellence this season, and it is telling that the list of national team call-ups includes both captain Chinedu Udoji and Idris Aloma. Of course, the defence retaining its standard of excellence remains only half the job; Enyimba must address their attacking hoodoo.