Friday, March 30, 2012

‘Enyimba are always title favourites’

Rising Stars leading scorer, Kayode Agboola has branded Enyimba as one of the traditional favourites for the Nigeria Premier League title.

He told Naijaligue.blogspot.com in the wake of his team’s 0 – 1 win on Matchday 16 that the strength and quality of Peoples Elephant cannot be ignored in every season of the Nigerian top flight.

“It is true that before Enyimba there were other clubs that were bigger. But in recent years you cannot ignore Enyimba when you talk about favourites for the league title because they have achieved more than any Nigerian club,” Agboola, who is often called ‘Careca’ by his teammates, spoke of Enyimba with assertion to winning the Caf Champions League twice which no other Nigerian club have achieved.

But the striker was happy that he and his Rising Stars colleagues handed the six-time Nigerian champions a run for the points at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba last weekend in spite of the game looking like a David and Goliath battle on paper.

Enyimba toiled in their first-ever clash with the newcomers before Chinonso Okonkwo’s 75th minute goal ensured that the hosts snatched a late winner.

The 21-year-old, who joined Rising Stars from Lagos-based football academy, Westerlo before the start of this season, tipped Enyimba as one of this season’s favourites for the title.

Agboola has scored three times for Rising Stars this season and hopes they escape the drop as they are currently in the bottom four with 15 points.

Enyimba have won the NPL six times in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010 and only southeast rivals, Enugu Rangers have that enviable record.

The Peoples Elephant have also won the FA Cup twice, Nigerian and African Super Cups twice apiece since the turn of the millennium.

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