Enyimba International FC head coach, Stanley Eguma, has attributed his team’s 1-1 draw against Heartland FC to fatigue, following their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 21 clash.
The encounter, held at the Enyimba International Stadium on Thursday, saw Heartland take the lead in the 18th minute through a Daniel Ekpo penalty. Enyimba equalised in the 55th minute when Joseph Atule found the net, but both sides held firm to share the spoils.
With the result, Enyimba remains in ninth place on the NPFL table with 28 points from 20 matches, while Heartland sits in 13th position with 26 points from 21 games.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Eguma admitted that his side had aimed for victory but struggled due to their hectic fixture schedule.
“We expected to win, but this is what makes a derby match tough. We knew they would come out strong, especially after we beat them at their home in the first round,” he said.
“My players have been playing two matches every week—one in the NPFL and another on the continent—so fatigue is taking a toll on them.”
However, the Enyimba coach remained optimistic about the team’s prospects.
“Enyimba is still Enyimba. We will put this result behind us and focus on upcoming games because the league is a marathon,” he added.
Other NPFL Matchday 21 Results
- Enyimba 1-1 Heartland
- Katsina United 1-0 Plateau United
- Niger Tornadoes 2-1 Kwara United
- Rivers United 2-2 Bendel Insurance
