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Kwara United’s
newly contracted Technical Adviser, Kadiri Ikhana, has stated he would
be going for victory against his former team, Enyimba International,
when both teams clash later today in the star fixture of the ongoing
Super 4 competition taking place at the Gateway International Stadium
in Ijebu-Ode.

Speaking with
NEXTSports after his team’s training session on Thursday in readiness
for today’s testy tie, the soccer tactician stated that only a victory
can boost the chances of his team in lifting the Super 4 trophy after
managing just a draw in their opening fixture with Kano Pillars on
Wednesday. “We were lucky to have finished our first game with a draw
but we have to move forward from there as we will be going for the
maximum points against Enyimba,” he said. “The match is very important
for us if we intend to emerge champions here.”

Ikhana, who is one
of the most widely travelled coaches in Nigeria with several titles to
his credit, also added that the several loopholes and mistakes noticed
in the opening fixture with Kano Pillars have been worked upon; and
pointed that his team will give a better performance against the
reigning Nigeria Premier League champions. The tactician, who was in
charge of the Aba Elephants when the team won its first Champions
League trophy in 2003, and was also voted the continent’s best
tactician for that year, still reckons Enyimba are a good team which
will definitely prove a hard nut to break. Kwara United’s hero on the
first day, goal keeper, Kazeem Yekeen, says he would be targeting
another clean sheet in the today’s game. Yekeen stood firm between the
posts to deny Pillars victory in the opening game and looks set to
repeat the feat.

Emordi confident

Meanwhile on his
own part, Okey Emordi, who is currently at the helm of affairs on the
Enyimba’s technical bench, though agreeing to the technical prowess of
Ikhana, who was his former boss at Enyimba, says he knows Ikahna too
well and knows the best approach to the match. “It is going to a highly
tactical game but I am sure my boys will up to the task once they
follow my instructions accordingly,” he postulated.

Enyimba are
currently on the top of the standings after getting the only victory in
the opening day of the tournament, another victory in today’s match
will put the team in good position to add the Super Four title to the
League crown already won while it will be hoping to also add the
Federation Cup later in the month. Enyimba were the victorious side in
the last game involving the two teams, as the Aba elephants defeated
Kwara 2-0 in Aba and played 0-0 in Ilorin in the just concluded league
season.

Other match

Meanwhile in the
other match of day, Sunshine Stars, who are currently on a tight rope
after losing 1-0 in its opening fixture, will be up against the
League’s runners up, Kano Pillars. Solomon Ogbeide, who is in charge of
the Akure-based team, says his boys already know the importance of the
game hence they would approach the game as such. Both Kano Pillars and
Sunshine were wasteful in front of goal as they created so many chances
in their respective games but both failed to score any. While a draw
can still guarantee Pillars a slight chance to remaining in contention
for the Super 4, any result outside of a victory will effectively knock
out the Sunshine team.

Both teams won their home games against each other in the just
concluded league season with Ijebu Ode now providing a neutral ground
to settle scores. All the teams have so far commended the high level of
officiating in the tourney and the appreciable number of people that
have thronged the stadium to cheer the teams, they are however
expecting that the situation to improve today.