Brown Ideye Helps Enyimba Grab First Win After 10 Winless Games

Enyimba’s recent signing, Brown Ideye, marked a memorable debut by scoring his first goal for the club in a convincing 4-1 victory against Mozambique’s Black Bulls in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.

Enyimba, which had been seeking to break a 10-game winless streak, also saw returning player Joseph Atule shine with a brace, helping to lift the morale of the former Nigerian champions.

Before this match, Enyimba’s last victory was a 2-1 win over Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Premier Football League on October 27, 2024.

Struggling in their first three games of the Confederation Cup group stage, this win was crucial for the People’s Elephant, who took charge of their destiny at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Atule, returning from injury, opened the scoring within the first six minutes, providing an energizing start.

Though the Black Bulls equalized shortly after, Enyimba quickly regained the lead with a well-placed strike from Ifeanyi Ihemekwele. Ideye, who was introduced in the 61st minute as a substitute, made an immediate impact, extending the lead to two goals in the 67th minute, thanks to a setup by Atule. The final touch came from Atule in stoppage time, solidifying Enyimba’s victory at 4-1 and injecting a sense of hope for progressing beyond the group stage.

Despite the positive outcome, Enyimba remain in fourth place in Group D with four points after four matches, and they will look to continue their momentum as they prepare to host Al Masry of Egypt in their next group stage game in Uyo next Sunday.

This victory also marks coach Stanley Eguma’s first continental triumph, after having started his campaign with a goalless draw in the NPFL. He aims to harness this success to improve the team’s overall performance in all competitions.

Looking ahead, the last group match against Zamalek in Egypt on January 19 will serve as a significant challenge. To fully turn their season around, Enyimba will need to address their domestic standing as they are currently sitting ninth with 24 points after 16 games.