AYENI APPLAUDS ENYIMBA’S GRIT AS ELEPHANTS HOLD SOLID MINERS
Head coach Deji Ayeni has praised his side’s ‘doggedness and commitment’ as Enyimba forced hosts Nasarawa United to a 1-1 draw in a Matchday 23 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash in Lafia on Wednesday.
After a keenly-contested first half, youngster Jofrank Istifanus put the Solid Miners ahead in the 69th minute before midfield gem Kalu Nweke drew the People’s Elephants level four minutes later.
Efforts by both sides to get a winner proved abortive, as they settled for a share of the spoils.
“First and foremost, I want to give it to the boys for their doggedness and commitment; I give it to them,” the former Sunshine Stars gaffer said after the match.
“I want to thank them very much for going all out to give their best. You can see that it is not easy. No game is very easy both home and away. But we thank God that the resilience, the determination, the doggedness and the dexterity of the boys have really paid off today. So, I give it to the boys.”
The record 9-time NPFL champions will next return home for a date with Bayelsa United in Aba on Sunday.
Ahead of the encounter, Ayeni has called for patience, hoping to build on the result against Nasarawa United.
“I want to implore all our fans to be patient enough with this team,” he said. “Precept by precept, we’ll approach the matches as they come, and we will get our results.
“With this point (we got against Nasarawa United), we will build the morale and confidence of the team.”