Enyimba coach explains draw against Bayelsa United

Enyimba International’s coach, Yemi Olarenwaju, has explained why his team failed to secure maximum points against Bayelsa United.

On Wednesday, Bayelsa United held Enyimba to a 1-1 draw during match day 36 of the league in Aba. Coach Olarenwaju attributed the draw to the psychological impact of a recent league decision which awarded maximum points and goals to Rangers.

Last weekend, Enyimba fans invaded the pitch in Enugu after the referee awarded a late penalty to Rangers. As a result, the league decided to award Rangers three goals and three points, a decision that significantly affected Enyimba’s players.

“I had to talk to the players because they felt very bad after they heard that the 3 goals and 3 points had been awarded to Rangers,” Olarenwaju explained. “It really affected us. You could see that in the first half, they were slow and didn’t want to train yesterday morning. I had to motivate them and tell them that the season is not over and we have to keep fighting.”

Olarenwaju noted the team’s uncharacteristic performance, especially in the first half. “This is our worst half since the first half, you can see that we were very sloppy and if we had continued the way we played in the first half, we would have lost the game. Psychologically, the boys are down with what happened in Enugu.”

Despite the setback, Olarenwaju remains optimistic. “The decision is a big setback for us but we just need to fight on. The only response we need now is to go to Lagos and get the maximum points. We might be the favorites for the league again but we have to keep fighting so everybody will be proud of us at the end,” he said.

Enyimba’s focus now shifts to their upcoming matches, where they aim to regain their form and secure their position in the league.