Yema demands response against Sporting after Bayelsa United ‘setback’

Head Coach Yemi Daniel has charged his players to put behind them the disappointing 1-1 stalemate against Bayelsa United on Wednesday, and respond with an away win against relegation-threatened Sporting Lagos in their penultimate game of the season on Sunday.

The players were utterly devastated mentally and psychologically after being held by their struggling visitors, a result that all but put paid to their chances of successfully defending their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) crown, with two game days left.

Prior to the Bayelsa United encounter, Coach Yema, as he is fondly called, added that the mood of his players was dampened after they heard of the NPFL Board’s decision to award 3 points and 3 goals to leaders Rangers International following their inconclusive match in Enugu.

The result means Enyimba, who dropped a place down to 3rd on the log, must now win their remaining two matches of the season to, at least, guarantee a third-place finish, and secure a CAF Confederation Cup spot.

“Honestly, it’s a big setback for us as a team,” Coach Yema said of the draw against Bayelsa United in Aba. “We just need to find that strength. And like I told them in the dressing room, the only response we have now is to go to Lagos and get the three maximum points (against Sporting Lagos). That’s when everybody will be healed, especially the players.

“What happened in Enugu actually brought them down drastically. They were down mentally, and in their body language, they felt like things were not really going on well for us.

“And I keep telling them that your reward is in what you do, not what people actually say. So, we have to keep fighting.

As per which team wins the league this season, the former Golden Eaglets assistant gaffer admitted that Enyimba have lost the ‘favourites’ tag.

“We are no longer among the favourites for the title at the moment, but we have to fight to the end and make sure that we end the season where everybody will be proud of all our effort,” he stated.

 

NPFL Table (Top 5)

1st Rangers – 64pts

2nd Remo Stars – 62pts

3rd ENYIMBA – 60pts

4th Shooting Stars – 59pts

5th Plateau United – 57pts