Heartland FC Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke, has emphasised that the road to success is never paved with sweet-smelling roses, revealing that he has instilled this hard truth into his players since assuming the role of technical helmsman of the Naze Millionaires, Completesports.com reports.
The five-time Nigerian champions left it late, waiting until two minutes into added time to secure their most dramatic victory of the 2024/2025 NPFL season— a 3-2 triumph over struggling Nasarawa United on Sunday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
The former Nigeria international also heaped praise on his players for demonstrating the “character and mentality” necessary to clinch the win.
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“We want to win our games,” Amuneke said when asked about snatching victory in such a high-octane encounter.
“Since I joined this team, I’ve worked to train the players to understand that ‘success is not a straight line’ and that nothing in life is achieved without hard work. That’s the path I follow.
“If you know me as both a player and a coach, you’ll understand that I have always followed that path, even when the journey seemed rough and unfavourable.”
Heartland clawed their way back from the brink of defeat to snatch all three points against Kabiru Dogo’s Nasarawa United.
Promise Anyanwu handed the home side the lead a quarter of an hour into the match, but Anas Yusuf equalised for the Solid Miners on the stroke of half-time.
With just four minutes to go, Garba Abubakar shocked the packed Dan Anyiam Stadium with a goal that put Nasarawa United ahead. However, Suraj Lawal restored parity for Heartland just two minutes later. When it seemed the teams were destined to share the spoils, Christian Molokwu netted the match-winner deep into added time.
The thrilling contest left spectators stunned, as many believed the match would end in a stalemate before Molokwu’s late heroics.
Amuneke commended his players for digging deep and setting aside tactics to rely on their collective resolve.
“In football, sometimes you must abandon the tactical approach and rely on the ‘character’ and ‘mentality’ you have as a team,” Amuneke said. He also praised Nasarawa United, despite their lowly 20th position in the NPFL table with 15 points from 15 games.
“When you look at Nasarawa United’s position, it’s deceptive compared to their quality. They play good, attractive football and have confident players who can build from the back and excel up front. Sometimes, football doesn’t favour you, and I think that’s what’s happening to them.”
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Reflecting on the Matchday 15 clash, Amuneke acknowledged his team’s struggles in the first half.
“We struggled a lot in the first half, probably because we approached the game emotionally, wanting to win so badly that it affected our performance. As the game progressed, Nasarawa United grew in confidence, and we must respect what they demonstrated today,” he said.
In the second half, Heartland relied on their fighting spirit to overturn the game.
“We made some changes, and the players brought out their best in terms of spirit and determination to secure the result we desired,” he added.
Amuneke expressed gratitude to the fans and the Imo State supporters.
“Even when the game wasn’t going our way, the fans kept cheering. I’m happy we made them go home happy,” Amuneke concluded.
By Sab Osuji
