By Saheed Afolabi
Heartland head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has expressed confidence ahead of his side’s upcoming Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash with Enugu Rangers, insisting that his team is not intimidated by the Flying Antelopes’ recent successes.
Heartland, who have been in solid form recently, earned a 2-2 draw against Kano Pillars in their last match, and Amuneke is not afraid of the reigning NPFL champions. Despite Rangers’ continental experience and strong position in the league, the former international believes his team is fully prepared to challenge the Enugu side in the highly anticipated Oriental Derby.
“Rangers are a strong side, the reigning NPFL champions, and have continental experience,” Amuneke said, as quoted by Complete Sports. “When it comes to an Oriental Derby, it’s about rolling up our sleeves and preparing adequately. We’re not obsessed with the game; we just need to focus and be ready.”
Heartland currently sit in 10th place on the NPFL table with 16 points from 12 matches, while Rangers are 4th with 19 points from the same number of games.
Amuneke’s focus remains on ensuring his team approaches the match with the right mindset, and he is determined to make a statement in the Derby.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
