Draw In Aba Didn’t Surprise Me, Says Cooreman

Kaduna United manager, Maurice Cooreman, is still excited over his side’s 1 – 1 draw against five-time Premier League winner, Enyimba, in Aba and claims that the result did not come as a surprise to him.
The Belgian coach, who had handled Enyimba two seasons ago before moving to the Ghanaian Premier League to join Ashante Kotoko, revealed that he had told his team that it can go to Aba and get a result.
The former Ocean Boys’ handler told Naijaligue.blogspot.com that he went to Aba with a game-plan, which paid off since he knows how Enyimba would line up against his side, Kaduna United.
“They are a team that I know well. I have worked with them before and most of the players I worked with are still with the club though a few of them have left. But they are the same team to me and I came with a plan to play and it worked out. But this does not mean that they are not a good team because for them to be on top of the league is not a mean feat,” Cooreman said.
The 65-year-old Kaduna United gaffer saw his side continue its climb out of the relegation zone and Cooreman is confident that his side would stay afloat and remain in the Premier League at the end of the season.
Cooreman, a former handler of defunct NPA Seasiders now known as Warri Wolves, believes that his side’s 1 – 1 draw in Aba would bring back confidence in the team and prepare it for the dogfight.
“I am very happy that my players played according to instructions in the game (against Enyimba), and that is why we got a point in Aba. It is not an easy place to get a draw especially against Enyimba. But we are happy that we got the result and this will help us in our remaining games this season since we are battling relegation,” he said.
Cooreman also claimed that the 1 – 0 win in the reverse game proved to be a psychological boost for his side ahead of last Sunday’s game.
Kaduna United is the third side in the Premier League to have taken a point off the Peoples Elephant after Lobi Stars and Heartland Football Club had done same earlier in this season’s campaign.
In the reverse fixture, Kaduna United had dented the Peoples Elephant’s ambition of winning a sixth title in 10 years by defeating it by one nil through Jude Aneke’s strike.
In spite of his side’s inspiring draw in Aba, Cooreman has warned other title rivals that Enyimba should not be written off following its lack of a win in the last two games against his side.