Imama Amapakabo, Technical Adviser of Abia Warriors, has expressed his delight with his strikers’ goal returns in the ongoing 2024/2025 NPFL season, Completesports.com reports.
Amapakabo, a former Nigeria junior international goalkeeper, is in his second coaching spell with the 2024 President Federation Cup finalists.
The 55-year-old gaffer shared his thoughts on Anthony Ijoma’s sixth goal of the season, which came in the 36th minute of Abia Warriors’ 3-0 victory over Sunshine Stars in Sunday’s NPFL matchday 23 clash at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
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Ijoma’s tally makes him Abia Warriors’ second-highest scorer, behind Sunday Megwo, who leads with seven goals.
Amapakabo emphasised the importance of having multiple goal-scoring options in a team.
“Excited! I feel excited,” Amapakabo said. “In a team, when your leading goal scorer is not forthcoming with goals, you need someone else to step up.
“When I arrived, I saw the young lad play and noticed his energy. But he was being played out of position. I believed that if we channelled his energy properly, he could become a key asset and a reliable scorer.
“Now, he’s proving exactly that, and it’s kudos to him. Coaching has helped him adjust to a central role, and he’s reacting well—scoring consistently, both home and away. Consecutive goals give a player belief.
“I told the players that everyone should believe they can score. If Ijoma doesn’t score, we have (Sunday) Megwo, who can. It’s a huge advantage to have multiple goal threats in a team.”
Abia Warriors’ Defensive Resilience and Attacking Philosophy
Sunday’s emphatic 3-0 win marked Abia Warriors’ fourth consecutive clean sheet and their seventh victory in 11 matches.
Amapakabo highlighted his philosophy as an attack-minded coach.
“For me, it’s not about home or away. Anyone who knows my philosophy knows I’m an apostle of attacking football,” he noted.
“I believe that if you score 50 goals against me, I should be able to score 56. That’s my philosophy, and that’s how I train my team.
“Against Remo Stars, we had a two-goal lead but lost it. That should never happen. I always tell my players that to slow Remo Stars down, we must fight our own fight.”
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Amapakabo acknowledged his team’s defensive lapses despite the clean sheet.
“Yes, another clean sheet today, but we made some technical errors defensively. If those mistakes weren’t there, I wouldn’t have a job as a coach.
“It’s my responsibility to review the game with the players, show them what went wrong, and correct it.
“Most importantly, we got the victory. People who weren’t at the stadium today will only hear the result—Abia Warriors won 3-0. They won’t bother about how we played.”
Following the Season’s Blueprint
Amapakabo revealed that Abia Warriors are on track with their season’s objectives.
“We had a clear plan—to finish the first round in a single-digit position on the log, which we achieved,” he said.
“Now, we are approaching the second round in three phases. We’ve completed four matches in this phase and have two more to go.
“After that, we’ll evaluate our progress—technically, tactically, and collectively—before assessing the next six games.”
He noted that only Remo Stars and Shooting Stars have better records in recent matches.
“Remo Stars have won almost all their games, while Shooting Stars have drawn one of their last six. We’ve only lost once in our last five or six matches.
“The vision is clear, and we must keep our dreams alive. We won’t blow our trumpet too soon. We’ll stay focused, believe in ourselves, and keep working hard.
“The most important thing is that there’s belief and harmony in the team.”
Squad Fitness and Injury Updates
Amapakabo expressed relief that his squad remains relatively injury-free, which is crucial for maintaining confidence.
However, Paul Samson limped off during the match due to injury. Amapakabo said the medical team would assess him, and by Tuesday, they should have more details.
“I’ll discuss with my medical team. He missed our last game due to injury. By Tuesday, we should know his status,” Amapakabo concluded.
By Sab Osuji