NPFL: Emmanuel Amuneke relieved with Heartland first away win of the season 

By Saheed Afolabi

Heartland coach, Emmanuel Amuneke is delighted getting the first away win of the season against Abia Warriors in Umuahia.

Amuneke revealed he’s happy to achieve his aim for the game while he hailed Abia Warriors for an incredible display.

Despite the encounter was a derby, the former national team coach said both sides played to win the game but Heartland met their objective which took them away from the danger zone.

“I can say I’m happy; we came here with the objective of winning, and at the end of the day, we achieved our goal. It’s a dream come true, but we also need to recognize the Abia Warriors team; they played good football and gave us a lot of problems, especially in the first half. But, thank God, we managed the situation well,” Amuneke told media in Umuahia.

“When you have an Oriental Derby, it’s a brotherly game, but when it comes to football, everyone wants to win. Our dream was to achieve our objective, which is to win and continue moving out of the difficult position we’re in. That’s what we did today.”

The ex-international refused to reveal the tactics used to defeat Abia Warriors. However, he disclosed that the team would return to their fold and address their setbacks next outing.

“Well, I can’t share my tactical secrets. But I can say we respect Abia Warriors a lot, and the coach, Imama Amapakabo, is a brother to me. We’ve spent time together in the national team, and I also played with his assistant, Bethel Orji, at Julius Berger. But as I said, our goal coming here was to win.

“When we started this journey, many doubted the players and the project. But we’re focused, knowing that success comes through a process. We’re grateful for this opportunity; we’ve got our three points. We’ll return home, review our performance, and address mistakes ahead of the next game against Sunshine Stars.”

The Naze Millionaires are placed 12th on the NPFL standings with 12 points from ten games and they will welcome Sunshine Stars to the Dan Anyiam stadium in their next match on Sunday, November 10.