The highly anticipated Oriental Derby between Enyimba and Heartland Owerri ended in a stalemate, with both teams settling for a 1-1 draw at the Enyimba International Stadium on Thursday.
Enyimba were under pressure to deliver a result, having suffered three consecutive losses in all competitions. In contrast, Heartland Owerri were seeking to build on their morale-boosting 1-0 win over Lobi Stars.
Enyimba’s coach, Stanley Eguma, made notable changes to his starting lineup, handing Brown Ideye his first start since joining the club and recalling Ani Ozoemena to the starting eleven.
Heartland Owerri seized the initiative, taking an early lead through Daniel Ekpo’s penalty kick. The away side maintained their advantage until halftime, leaving Enyimba with work to do in the second half.
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Enyimba, however, emerged rejuvenated after the break, and their efforts paid off when Joseph Atule scored in the 56th minute to level the scoreline. Despite creating chances, neither team could find the winner, and the Oriental Derby ultimately ended in a draw.
The draw has prolonged Enyimba’s winless run to five matches, leaving them ninth in the NPFL standings with 28 points from 20 games. Heartland Owerri, on the other hand, have stretched their unbeaten streak to three matches, occupying 13th place with 26 points from 21 outings.
Enyimba’s quest for a long-awaited victory will continue when they face Lobi Stars in their next fixture, while Heartland Owerri will aim to preserve their unbeaten streak when they host Rivers United.
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