Coach Emmanuel Amunike with Heartland
Heartland FC head coach Emmanuel Amunike has expressed relief after his team recorded their first victory of the season, ending a winless streak, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Owerri-based club secured a 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday Five fixture on Sunday.
Making his debut, youngster Michael Ogu was the hero for Heartland, scoring both goals – one in each half.
His brace handed the Naze Millionaires their first three points of the campaign, while it marked Niger Tornadoes’ first defeat of the season.
Reflecting on the much-needed win, former Barcelona winger Amunike praised his players, saying:
“First of all, I think I have to congratulate the players. Every single one of them put in a brave effort to ensure we came out victorious today.
“You know, the league is like a ‘marathon’. When you lose points or games, it can unsettle the team. But we are determined and focused on achieving our objectives.”
Amunike continued: “When you look at Heartland last season, a lot happened. Many of the players are no longer with us because they have moved on.
“So, this time, we are focusing on bringing in younger players who can serve the club long-term.
“We all understand that rebuilding takes time before results start to show. I’m happy for the players and the people of Imo State. We deserve this moment of joy.
“We’ve played five games so far, including this one (against Tornadoes); we lost three, drew one, and won one. This could be a turning point. We will go back, review our performance, and identify areas for improvement, knowing that as a team, mistakes are inevitable.
“For me, those moments of mistakes matter a lot, and we need to correct them and move forward.”
The coach is now looking ahead to Heartland’s next game against El-Kanemi Warriors, confident that the win offers much-needed relief:
“Overall, I’m pleased with today’s win, as it gives us relief heading into our next game.”
Heartland now have four points from five games as they prepare for their next fixture in Maiduguri.