Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Nigeria Professional Football league champions new coach, Paul Aigbogun, has insisted that his boys are still a work in progress ahead of the CAF champions league next month.
The seven-time NPFL champions, Enyimba, were held to a 1-1 draw by Nasarawa United at the ongoing Super four tournament, which heralds the arrival of a new league season.
Aigbogun said he was naturally disappointed that they failed to win but said it was their first top flight pre-season friendly match.
Joseph Osadiaye scored the opener for the Peoples Elephant in the first half from a well drilled free kick, before Philip Azango equalised following a goalmouth scramble off one of the many free kicks conceded by Enyimba in the dying minutes of the game.
"We are not fully prepared at this point for the continental outing but we still have three weeks to go so we will be ready. I'm not satisfied with the performance of my team, we started the game very well, but we gave the game away in the second half.
"Having played just four or five matches against smaller teams, this was our first top flight friendly and I believe we will improve. I'm okay with some aspects of our play and equally not happy but our starting was good. We are here to compete to the best of our abilities and see what we can do. We should come up well," the coach said.
Speaking on the game, Enyimba captain, Chinedu Udoji expressed disappointment that they could not defend their lead, thus losing the opportunity of starting the tournament on a winning note.
"I feel disappointed that we conceded a late goal to draw the game. We will go back to correct the mistakes. Our focus is on the continental competition for which we are under pressure to do well this season to go as far as the group stage which we have failed to achieve in the last three seasons. We don't want to be seen as failures but we will take the competition step by step, play the first game and prepare for the next one," Udoji wrapped up his post match chat.
Enyimba will play Akwa United in the first game of Match Day 2 at 5pm on Friday. LMC
The seven-time NPFL champions, Enyimba, were held to a 1-1 draw by Nasarawa United at the ongoing Super four tournament, which heralds the arrival of a new league season.
Aigbogun said he was naturally disappointed that they failed to win but said it was their first top flight pre-season friendly match.
Joseph Osadiaye scored the opener for the Peoples Elephant in the first half from a well drilled free kick, before Philip Azango equalised following a goalmouth scramble off one of the many free kicks conceded by Enyimba in the dying minutes of the game.
"We are not fully prepared at this point for the continental outing but we still have three weeks to go so we will be ready. I'm not satisfied with the performance of my team, we started the game very well, but we gave the game away in the second half.
"Having played just four or five matches against smaller teams, this was our first top flight friendly and I believe we will improve. I'm okay with some aspects of our play and equally not happy but our starting was good. We are here to compete to the best of our abilities and see what we can do. We should come up well," the coach said.
Speaking on the game, Enyimba captain, Chinedu Udoji expressed disappointment that they could not defend their lead, thus losing the opportunity of starting the tournament on a winning note.
"I feel disappointed that we conceded a late goal to draw the game. We will go back to correct the mistakes. Our focus is on the continental competition for which we are under pressure to do well this season to go as far as the group stage which we have failed to achieve in the last three seasons. We don't want to be seen as failures but we will take the competition step by step, play the first game and prepare for the next one," Udoji wrapped up his post match chat.
Enyimba will play Akwa United in the first game of Match Day 2 at 5pm on Friday. LMC