Tosin Omoyele scored his first goal for Enyimba as the Nigeria Professional Football League champions held tight to secure a 1-0 win against a confident Katsina United in Aba on Sunday evening.
Omoyele’s goal came as the perfect atonement for an earlier miss from the penalty spot as the forward fluffed his chance from twelve yards.
In a half that Katsina United provided little threat, Enyimba bossed play but took almost a quarter of an hour before Dayo Ojo tested Yusuf Muhammad with a long-range strike.
Omoyele ran onto Ojo’s pass shortly after, only to see his flick stray narrowly off the mark, before Anayo’s chip over the keeper landed on the crossbar.
The hosts were offered a chance to take the lead when the unstoppable Iwuala was fouled in the box, but Omoyele had his low drive from the spot stopped by Muhammad.
The forward however made amends in the half’s added time, seizing a long ball to poke past an on-rushing Muhammad.
Ojo fired wide from point-blank range as Enyimba continued to dominate after the restart, and Anayo’s well-executed freekick was tipped over by the outstanding Muhammad.
The introductions of Boubacar Massaly and Samuel Kalu, however, brought about a real momentum switch as the visitors turned up in the search of an equaliser.
Massaly attempted an audacious effort from distance to force John Noble into his first save in the 72nd minute before Samuel Kalu saw his effort crash against the crossbar late on.
The result moves Enyimba to second on the standings, The People’s Elephant’s fifteen points only equaled by Rivers United who lead with a superior goal difference. Katsina United, meanwhile, are sixteenth with seven points.
