By Wale Mustapha
Heartland FC’s Technical Adviser, Emmanuel Amuneke, has praised his players for their determined and spirited performance in the Oriental derby against Enyimba FC.
The Naze Millionaires secured a 1-1 draw against the Peoples’ Elephants in a hard-fought Matchday 21 encounter of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Thursday in Aba.
Daniel Ekpo gave Heartland the lead in the first half, before Joseph Atule equalized for Enyimba in the second half.
The result extended Heartland’s unbeaten run to three games, and Amuneke expressed satisfaction with the team’s resilience and character during the match.
“I’m happy for the boys. They fought hard, showed character, and that’s what sets a player apart—character and the ability to interpret the game both in and out of possession,” Amuneke told Heartland media.
“I have to be grateful to the boys and say a very big thank you to them.”
Looking ahead, Amuneke emphasized the need for his side to maintain consistent performances as they continue their league campaign.
Heartland will next host Rivers United at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Sunday.
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.
