Fc Ifeanyi Ubah One Step From Africa(Anambra Warriors Devours The People's Elephant).

Derbies come with special feelings, its a day nobody ever wishes to be on the receiving end, the stakes are normally high and divergent odds plays out. A derby between teams from eastern Nigeria is tagged "Oriental Derby", normally all eastern derbies comes with a certain pressure on both sides and it propels both team to try and outwit each other. The matchday 37 was a fixture most of our fans dreaded, while some wished it never came so soon after a costly loss at Makurdi the previous weekend, others felt we weren't going to win the game against Nigerian Professional Football League's defending champions Enyimba International Fc of Aba. Finally the much anticipated game came and its gone, while its talking points remains our foothold to dissect for years to come because it was a game that propelled Fc Ifeanyi Ubah one step towards glorious season.

The game kicked off as Anambra Warriors took the game to our opponents, resulting to a freekick which was delivered by Alberico Da Silva at the 3rd minute, only for Loute Isaac to tap in home the goal that made the difference. Enyimba tried to pull one back with a reverse freekick but Fc Ifeanyi Ubah safe hands goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa made it look too easy with a save at the 6th minute. Bright Onyedikachi charged the Enyimba's backline but was fouled and Elu Wilson curled in the resultant freekick but the Enyimba safe hands made it an easy save, just nine minutes into play. Six minutes later, Ezenwa pulled a double save and during that action an Enyimba player was offside and the referee signalled. Alberico brought the stadium alive as he dazzles but was brought down by the frustrated people's elephant player, a minute later. At the 24th minute, Enyimba had an almost potent attack foiled as Adeleye Olamilekan was the last man to beat turned the ball corner. Alberico continued his entertainment as he became a victim of a malicious tackle at the 29th minute and Elu's resultant freekick went straight to the Enyimba keeper's hands. Thirty five minutes into the game, enterprising Bright Onyedikachi curled a tricky one from outside the Enyimba's 18 yard box but it narrowly went off target. Two minutes later, Ngoma Luamba tried to double Anambra Warrior's lead by curling similar effort from a free kick but it went narrowly over the crossbar. The game forged ahead as both sides played very cautious, at a very high tempo until the half time whistle from the referee.

At the resumption of the break, Fc Ifeanyi Ubah wanted to replicate similar action of the first half by scoring early, as Alberico won a freekick and delivers the resultant deadball to Isimaila Gata who headed it narrowly off the mark at the 48th minute. Anambra Warriors safe hands Ikechukwu Ezenwa who was almost idle, sustained an injury just ten minutes into the second half and was treated. Two minutes from the hour mark, the Brazilian playmaker Alberico delivers a corner but it was headed out by the Enyimba defence to Adeleye who flicks on to Alakwe who headed it almost but the Enyimba's keeper alertness saved the day for another corner. Alberico curls in the second successive corner a minute later and it fell to the Congolesse born defensive midfielder Ngoma's path but he failed to turn it on goal as the Enyimba's keeper made it an easy save.

 The Mercular Brazilian Alberico tried a long range shot but it went way over a minute after the hour mark. Three minutes later, Isimaila Gata was injured, as he was been treated, Ikechukwu Ezenwa had a reoccuring injury and it became obvious his time was numbered on the pitch. Twenty minutes from time, Enyimba tried to restore parity via a long range shot but narrowly missed, as Chijioke Alakwe made his way for Ajunwa Onyebuchi. Ezenwa couldn't continue due to his injury and was replaced by his deputy Okafor Uche at the 73rd minute. Okereke Maduabuchi came up for the petit Bright Onyedikachi at the 78th minute. Alberico curled his trademark freekick at the 85th minute but the ever busy Enyimba goalkeeper saved once again. The Brazilian play maker Alberico Da Silva who was edging to a man of the match performance, dazzles but was fouled and he took the resultant freekick which went narrowly wide at the 86th minute. Afterwards the actions of the game was limited because Fc Ifeanyi Ubah held possesion to the detriment of the people's elephant until the referee blew the final whistle.

Overall it was a very strong and responsive performance from Anambra Warriors, at th wake of a defeat last weekend in Makurdi, the boys made no excuse for that loss and pulled a fine performance infront of a mammoth home crowd, Club President Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and his dignitaries which included Sir Emeka Offor and his amiable wife. Despite losing three super regular players like Kojo Baah, Tamen Medrano and Seka Pascal Fc Ifeanyi Ubah made up and played even better but safer to avoid conceding. Rangers International won away to Ikorodu at Abeokuta, Rivers drew at home with Abia Warriors and Wikki lost to Shooting Stars at Ibadan, which is a life line for Anambra Warriors to the CAF Champions league should we win at Lagos against MFM. Before then there's a dicey fixture at Kaduna and it the Federations Cup semi final against Crown Fc of Ogbomosho, we look forward to make that a door to Africa as well.

Thanks to all the fans who graced the game from start to finish, it was wonderful and emotional moments at the last home game for the 2015/2016 season of the Nigerian Professionals Football League. God's willing next year would be better and massive, the continental fixtures would be a welcome development, it will take the game to the next level and bring us closer to the world.