Dolphins drown Eyimba in Aba

Eyimba 0 Dolphins 1 Dolphins Football Club of Port Harcourt took their devastating form to Aba on sunday and drowned Champions Enyimba of Aba in an explosive encounter that portrayed the best of Nigerian football. It was a match Enyimba would have gone three up in the first twenty minutes but their flurry of misses surely worked against them in the later stages of the game. Return of the Super Stars in this game, Enyimba surpriseing capped certain players who had gone AWOL since their Champions league victory over Ismaili of Egypt. Keeper Vincent Enyeama returned to the posts as well as Joetex Frimpong who had been injured since mid last season. Ekene Ezenwa also dressed and came on in the second half.

Controversial Iwuanyanwu Nationale players, Bob Osim, Chibuzor Ozurumba and Ndidi Anumunu also got starting shirts. Dolphins survive early blitz Enyimba went on the early offensive torturing the Dolphins defence and keeper Sunday Rotimi but Dolphins were resilient and their stout defending ensured the score sheet remained bare.

In the 5th minute, Sunday Rotimi rescued a one on one situation with the ball at the feet of Ndidi Anumunu. A minute later it was Dolphins Skipper, Abdul Ahmed who cleverly took the ball off the feet of Ndidi Anumunu who was free and on goal once again.

in the 7th, Emmah godwin's header deflected a fierce 20 yard shot from Bob Osim, who worked tirelessly all through the game. Damian Ude was next on the shooting range but he blasted his shot wide. At this point the Dolphins defence was in Shambles but they just held on. Ndidi Anumunu once again got in the thick of action as he beat the offside trap but Rotimi raced out of his box to clear out to safety.

At this point it seemed the pressure had been well soaked up and Dophins started to edge forward slowly. Ochuko Ojobo, in th 20th rode over Jerome Ezoba but his pull out was stopped by Seyi Ogunsanya. A minute later, Sunday Rotimi's flexibility was brought to bear as he stretched full length to tip over a 25yard shot from Joetex Frimpong.

Ozurumba almost made it one nil to Enyimba when in the 29th minute he noticed Rotimi was off his line and he tried a lob from about forty yards but an alert Rotimi played to the gallery, first chesting the ball down and stylishly passing to his right full back, Kennedy Chinwo.

Bola Bello for Dolphins came on for injured Ochuko Ojobo in the 30th minute and four minutes later Joseph Dakop for Enyimba was in for Damian Ude. At this point it was obvious that the Enyimba players were getting frustrated at their missed chances as Sunday Rotimi again rescued a pull out right from the feet of Joetex Frimpong. With four minutes left on the clock before half time, Dolphins had a rare attacking move which saw Enyeama intercept a through pass from Victor Ezeji to Bolla Bello but Dolphins wasted the resultant corner kick.

A minute later, Bob Osim makes 40yard run, taking out three Dolphins players on his way but his pass to Ndidi Anumunu was wasted by the striker. The resultant goal kick found Haruna Musa on the left and he ran all of twenty yards towards the center, passed to Bol Bello at the edge of Enyimba's 18yard box and without hesitation Bola put Victor Ezeji through and he chipped over on rushing Keeper Enyeama to silence the capacity crowd at the Enyimba International Stadium.

Crowd trouble mars game The start of the second stanza was delayed by about ten minutes as some Enyimba supporters encroached into the field behind the Dolphins goalkeeper, and in the 65th minute the center referee had to stop the game for another ten minutes as about five individuals ran behind Sunday Rotimi harrassing him, even though there were no incidents With ten minutes left of play, Vincent Enyeama ran off his line and Uduak Udofia tried a lob that met the head of Victor Ezeji but missed the goal by inches.

Enyeam was not repentant as again and again he came off his line, dribbling his way through the Dolphins defence and even won a corner for his side in the 85th minute. The short corner was passed to him and facing Kennedy Chinwo Enyeama's step over took his marker out of the way before he was brought down just at the edge of Dophins 18yard box but the free kick was wasted.

With a minute left on the clock, the most dubious of decisions was made by the referee when he awarded a penalty to Enyimba when an attacker fell in the box, a decsion that was hotly contested by the Dolphins players, and Technical crew. However, after a close to five minute protest, Sunday Rotimi saved Ndidi Anumunu's poorly taken kick.

At the sound of the final whistle, the Aba fans had no choice but to lift both Victor Ezeji and Sunday Rotimi shoulder high whilst they called for the sack of Coach Miroslav Urukalo from Enyimba

Enyimba 1. Vincent Enyeama 13. Ajibade Omolade 35. Chinedu Ezemora/ Darlington Iheanacho 66th 5. Seyi Ogunsanya 6. Jerome Ezoba 20. Bob Osim 17. Chibuzor Ozurumba 9. Ndidi Anumunu 33. Abdulaziz Isah 14. Damian Udeh/ Jacob Dakop 34th 21. Joetex Frimpong/ Ekene Ezenwa 50th Subs not used 16. Dele Aiyenugba 34. Onyewuchi Chukwuma 19. Abdulaziz Umar 47. Atanda Sakiru

Dolphins 18. Sunday Rotimi 6. ahmed Abdul 12. Kennedy Chinwo 3. Joe Eyimofe 16. Kingsley Williams 15. Emmah Godwin 14. Ochuko Ojobo/ Bola Bello 30th 19. Haruna Musa/ Joe Cole 70th 10. Victor Ezeji 25. Uduak Udofia/ Albert Chinwo 82nd 9. Kelechi Osunwa Cautions Yellow cards Kingsley williams 45th, Haruna Musa 60th, Sunday Rotimi 90th

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Dolphins drown Eyimba in Aba

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