The coach of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, Aliyu Zubair has declared that his players will go all out to snatch victory against Sokoto United on Wednesday, in order to pick a ticket to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The former Wikki Tiurist of Bauchi and ex-Gombe United tactician admitted that beating Sokoto United will not be an easy task, but stressed that his team must get all three points from the encounter.
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That has become pertinent due to the fact that they entered Match Day 3 in the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super-8 level on three points with Sporting Supreme FC of Abuja.
While Sporting Supreme face already qualified Nasarawa United of Lafia in the other final group match, El-Kanemi will confront the whipping boys, Sokoto United, but Coach Zubair said they must not underrate their opponents.
Rather than feel a sense of fulfilment heading into the game, Zubair took a cue from Monday’s terse encounter with Sporting Supreme, which he confessed was not an easy win for his side.
Zubair retorted in an interview with Sports 247, “It wasn’t an easy match. It was a very difficult match, but we managed to carry the day despite the pedigree of the opposition.
“I watched them against Sokoto United, and I saw what they played. They are a very good side. The game was a bit tough, and my boys were tensed up. They knew that anything short of three points would throw us out of the promotion bid.
“That’s why the game became a little bit tensed up, and we had to fight hard. They were not relaxed but, during half time, I talked to them.
“They were then a bit relaxed, a bit calm, in the second half. That was why we saw a good result.”
He then projected into Wednesday’s promotion deciders that are scheduled to hold simultaneously in two separate venues and affirmed that The Borno Warriors will go all out for three points against a side he believes have a jinx hanging against them.
Zubair attested: “For the last group matches, we will definitely face our own. We know Sokoto United are a good side, but they have been having hard luck in this competition. It’s not like they have not been playing well.
“They are really a good side, and we will have to play with all positivity to make sure we come out victorious in that match. We need to get three points to win that match.”
He also spoke about his personal experiences in the NNL, then ended with gratitude to the fans in Enugu and what he tagged the high structural quality of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
“This is my second time in the NNL. The first time was when I was with Wikki Tourist, and Gombe United contacted me.
Many of my senior colleagues in coaching were surprised when I accepted Gombe United’s bid, but I said that I wanted to see new challenges in the NNL.
“I faced the challenge, promoted the team, and stabilised them for two seasons. Immediately I left Gombe United, they wobbled down to relegation.
“So, I’m trying to make sure El-Kanemi is taken back to premiership as well. If I did not want to promote them, I wouldn’t have taken the job. Definitely, we are on course.
“I also want to commend the environment here in Enugu. The people have been very wonderful. The spectators, the fans … they have been giving their support, and they are very accommodating.
“I pray that more matches like this will be brought to Enugu, even Super Eagles’ matches. Though CAF won’t want their matches to be played on a synthetic pitch, otherwise, this is a good atmosphere for the national team,” Zubair concluded.
