By Ebube Dike

Abia Warriors’ head coach Imama Amapakabo was a delightful man at the touchline in Okigwe after his wads smashed Sunshine Stars of Akure 4-1 to record their first win in the 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL season.

Prior to the matchday 8 clash, Warriors under Amapakabo has not won a match in the past seven games they have played after recording four consecutive losses and three successive draws to mount pressure on the former Enugu Rangers coach

With their three-match ‘win or be sacked’ ultimatum elapsing in matchday 7, Imama needed to make a statement of purpose and it could not have come at a better time.

After bounced back strongly on Wednesday to pummel Sunshine Stars 4-1 in Okigwe, Imama Amapakabo did not hide his excitement as he spoke after the match

“The win is going to come at a point in time but coming at the 8th week it was difficult.

“We played, we created chances but we were not able taking it, like I told the players, we need one win to be able to go into the next match.

“Finally, the win has come hopefully we are going to take it from here prior to this we had 3 draws we closer to these goals every time, they were not coming.

“We were unable to get victory in those 3 games because we are not converting the chances fortunately today, the players came big and we see the result we have.

Looking ahead of the matchday 9 encounter with Dakkada FC in Uyo Saturday, said the team will not be carried away by the Wednesday’s win but will focus on their next match

“These are things we practised overtime, this are reasons coaches get disappointed when things don’t go right. It always a thing of joy when things you do prior to a game manifest in the game. For me this has come and gone, Saturday is not too far, this is nothing to celebrate about, whoever knows me knows I don’t take goals celebrations too far, Dakkada is in the picture next.”

“I told them in the dressing room that the easiest result to upturn is two goal lead because when they scored one goal the narrative change immediately and the new player scored with his first touch, every coach will be glad that his substitution scored,” he said.