Somiari Alalibo’s 89th minute header sealed a hard-fought win for Enyimba in a thrilling NPFL game in Aba. The People’s Elephants had lost back-to-back away games and needed redemption in front of their fans.
Enyimba began the game in search of an early opener and came close in the first minute of the game but Lucky Abdullahi saved Chijioke Mbaoma’s low shot.
Both sides steadily made the game come alive and in the 15th minute, Lobi Stars would have profited from Ani mishandling the ball in his box after Waheed Adebayo floated in a cross but nobody was on hand for a simple tap in.
Akanni Elijah’s shot narrowly missed the net in the 17th minute after he latched on to a lose ball outside the box and hit a stunning shot, to the delight of the fans. Mbaoma had his moments in the 18th and 22nd minute. While Lucky saved his 18th minute low cross effort, he nodded wide from inside the box after Uwana Asuquo’s cross as the NPFL champions dominated the game.
Somiari Alalibo almost recreated his heroic long range free-kick against Akwa United but Lucky was well positioned to save his long range free-kick after Odinaka Francis fouled Mbaoma outside the box. Enyimba threw all they had at Lobi but met stiff resistance from the “Pride of Benue.”
Youngster, Chidiebere Nnachi made his brightest move of the first half in the 42nd minute when he brilliantly turned in midfield and released a sublime pass to Atule who raced into the Lobi box but was blocked by the experienced Kalu Orji, who had made Atule’s stay on the left side of attack a difficult one on the afternoon.
Enyimba returned from the break with vigour and became more adventurous in attack, coming close again in the 52nd minute when the dazzling Izuogu Chibueze received a pass from Mbaoma and curled in a shot but it went narrowly off.
Enyimba’s biggest chance arrived in the 75th minute when the diligent Eze Ekwutoziam flicked a free-kick to meet Mbaoma’s head, only for the striker to miss the ball by inches, with only Lucky Abdullahi in goal to beat, a miss which saw Enyimba’s coach, Yemi Daniel dramatically fall to the ground in disbelief.
Enyimba’s winner finally came in the 89th minute when captain, Somiari Alalibo nodded home Uwana Asuquo’s long throw to send the fans to rapture.
Enyimba held on to victory. Next for the People’s Elephants is a rescheduled home game against Bendel Insurance on Wednesday.