Abia Warriors Head Coach, Imama Amapakabo, has expressed confidence that his side can still secure a top-three finish in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, Completesports.com reports.
Amapakabo, a former junior international goalkeeper and the 2015/2016 NPFL title-winning coach with Rangers, made this assertion after his team’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bendel Insurance in Sunday’s NPFL matchday 29 fixture in Umuahia.
Abia Warriors
“At this point, we still have nine games to go, which is 27 points to play for,” Amapakabo said.
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“We’re fifth now on the table. We just need to ensure that we get some good results on the road and also ensure that we kept winning our home games.
“I think everything is possible. Yeah, it’s possible.”
Super Eagles B team player Sunday Megwo netted the decisive goal for Abia Warriors three minutes before half-time. Incidentally, Megwo also scored the winner when Amapakabo’s side defeated Bendel Insurance 1-0 in the first-round fixture in Benin. And the win has helped Abia Warriors to fifth position with 44 points from 29 matches in the NPFL table.
Megwo is Abia Warriors’ leading scorer this season, with nine goals.
Reflecting on the game, Amapakabo acknowledged that his team faced a tough opponent in Bendel Insurance, who had been in impressive form leading up to the match.
“As a coach, I want my team to always do better in each game. But I think, today, we played against a team that has been on high,” Amapakabo stated.
“If you look at their last seven games or thereabout, you find out that they have been on a ‘roller-coaster’, kind of. They came, they showed that fighting spirit and a lot of character.
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“But most importantly, for us, we needed a win under our belt, and we’re happy to get it.”
Bendel Insurance piled pressure on their hosts in the second half, pushing for an equaliser. However, Amapakabo explained why his team struggled after the break.
“The second half was a bit difficult for us because, in the midfield, we’re losing most of the second balls, which wasn’t good for us. Also, we’re sitting in too deep. There was this demarcation that we created which we were trying to bridge, and the turnover in the second half was a bit off for us today,” Amapakabo added.
“But the most important thing is that we’re able to get a good result today.”
By Sab Osuji