Stanley Eguma admits hard-fought win in Enyimba’s Oriental derby vs Rangers

By Wale Mustapha

Enyimba FC head coach Stanley Eguma has acknowledged the difficulty of his side’s hard-earned 2-1 victory over Enugu Rangers in Sunday’s fiercely contested Oriental Derby.

The People’s Elephants secured the crucial three points in their Matchday 35 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash, thanks to first-half goals from Innocent Gabriel and Ekenne Awazie at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

Despite Enyimba’s early dominance, Rangers rallied in the second half and pulled one back through Chiedozie Okorie, but the Flying Antelopes fell short of completing the comeback.

Speaking after the game, a visibly relieved Eguma praised his team’s resilience and acknowledged the quality of the opposition.

“This is the biggest Oriental Derby game. It turned out to be a game of two halves,” Eguma said.

“We dominated the first half and scored twice. Rangers came out strong in the second half and got a goal. I respect them — they are a good side, but today, we came and won.”

With the victory, Enyimba climbed to fifth on the NPFL table with 52 points from 35 games. The Aba-based club will host Kwara United next in a Matchday 36 showdown at the Enyimba International Stadium.