 |
| Uche Kalu |
It
was the 62nd minute of the Nigerian Premier League Match between
Enyimba and Shooting Stars at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba, and Enyimba was about
to make a substitution. The assistant referee stood by the sideline alongside
the player Enyimba was about to send on.
The
red number board he was holding was for jersey number 32. That meant that it
was the Super Eagles’ striker, Uche Kalu, that was about to give way.
Kalu
had all along been a shadow of himself, to the consternation of the Enyimba
bench, and not a few fans had been calling for his removal.
Events
however took a dramatic turnas Enyimba got set to take a free kick from 25
yards. This was to be Kalu’s last assignment for the day, and he seized the
moment.
Kalu
curled a magical free kick over the 3SC wall into the top left of keeper
Okenlawon.
As
the Enyimba Stadium came alive, the Austin Eguavoen – led technical crew did
something amusing. They quickly cancelled the substitution they were set to
make. The player who was waiting at the sideline was recalled to the bench, and
the now forgiven Kalu was to conclude the game.
The
goal proved to be the high point
of the match on a day the people’s
elephants found it tough breaking the resilience of the resurgent Oluyole
Warriors.
Captain
Josiah Maduabuchi had failed to put Enyimba ahead in the 17th minute
when his effort was thwarted one – on – one by goalkeeper Okenla.
Shooting
Stars got their single shot at goal barely three minutes into the second half
when support striker T. Adesina slipped through his markers but his low drive
was effectively cuddled by the Enyimba goalkeeper, Ocheayi.
Two
minutes later, substitute defender Samuel Tswanya who came in for the injured
Emma Anyanwu, responded with a thunderous cracker from 35 yards but could only
smash the cross bar.
Enyimba
thus raised their total haul to 38 points from 23 matches, two points behind
leaders Enugu Rangers who trounced Jigawa Golden Stars 5-0 in Enugu also on Wednesday.
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