Striker Victor Mbaoma netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Enyimba an emphatic 3-0 win over Kwara United in a MatchDay 33 encounter decided on Sunday morning at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba.
The game, earlier scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon was moved by sixteen hours at the behest of Kwara United, but it didn’t save them from facing the wrath of the Enyimba side that have won all of their home games in the second stanza of the league this season.
The People’s Elephant went in front as early as the third minute when Mbaoma finished off a counter-attack spearheaded by his attacking partner Christian Ekong. It was Ekong’s first start for the club and Mbaoma’s first appearance since returning from international duty with Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Mbaoma got his second in the 15th minute through a brilliant finish to Farouk Mohammed’s pass before completing his hat-trick in the 54th minute after good work by winger Sadiq Abubakar. The third goal took Mbaoma’s tally for the season to fifteen goals, one ahead of the trio of Ishaq Rafiu, Chijioke Akuneto (both Rivers United) and Yusuf Abdulazeez (Gombe United) at the summit of the scorers chart.
The win seems to shatter Kwara United’s continental hopes while it takes Enyimba to 4th on the log, same points with Rangers who occupy the final continental position.
Enyimba are still without their head coach Finidi George who is in Morocco with Nigeria’s senior team but his first assistant, Deniran Ortega who took charge of Sunday’s game told news men after the game that his team simply capitalised on their opponents’ weakness.
“We knew how the game would play. We were able to use their weakness because we know they’re stressed,” said Ortega.
“They came with a game plan to go back so we can play the game on a neutral ground so bringing them back on the way is a mental stress so we capitalised on it.
“Our players followed the instructions from the coaches. We played against a good side nonetheless but we are able to capitalize on their mental stress,” added the former Warri Wolves coach.
Ortega also spoke on the immediate inclusion of hat-trick hero Mbaoma who missed their last three matches due to international engagement.
“It was very easy to bring back Victor Mbaoma into the team because we were monitoring his performances there. He was playing with the big boys so, now he knows he needs to remain at the big boys level. I spoke to him and he responded well,” said Ortega.
Kwara United Chief coach Lukman Ijaiya attributed his team’s loss to the uncertainties that surrounded this fixture since Saturday.
