Emmanuel Deutsch, Head Coach of Enyimba, has attributed his team’s 1-1 draw against struggling Kun Khalifat in Sunday’s Oriental Derby in Aba to his players’ wastefulness in front of goal, Completesports.com reports.
James Ekebuike handed the visitors a shock lead seven minutes before the half-time whistle, but the People’s Elephant restored parity five minutes before the final whistle when experienced Ekene Awaziem broke the visitors’ resilience to the delight of the home fans.
Kun Khalifat had earlier ended Enyimba’s unbeaten start to the 2025/2026 NPFL season with a 1-0 defeat at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, during a Matchday 8 fixture.
Also Read: NPFL: Deutsch Vows To Restore Enyimba’s Glory After Rivers United Draw
Sunday’s Oriental Derby draw in Aba was Coach Deutsch’s second game in charge of Enyimba, with both matches ending in 1-1 draws — first against Rivers United in Port Harcourt and now versus Kun Khalifat in Aba.
Deutsch Bemoans Missed Chances In Aba Derby
A visibly distraught Deutsch did not hide his frustration after the gruelling contest, lamenting that his wards failed to convert their dominance into goals despite creating numerous clear-cut chances.
“It’s very painful. We missed so many opportunities; it could have been up to four goals in the first half,” Deutsch, a Cameroonian, lamented.
“When you miss so many chances and they have one opportunity which they put inside the net, coming back into the game is always difficult.”
Visitors’ Game Management Frustrates Enyimba Coach
The gaffer also pointed to what he described as time-wasting tactics by the visitors, which he claimed disrupted the flow of the game.
Also Read: NPFL: Deutsch Unveiled As TA, Ayeni Dropped As Enyimba Restore Stability After Boardroom Power Play
“We couldn’t play more than 60 minutes of football. The goalkeeper (of Kun Khalifat) wasted more than 22 minutes and he wasn’t cautioned.
“But we can’t question anybody; rather, we have to work hard. We can still recover the dropped points in an away game.”
Deutsch Eyes Response As Enyimba Prepare For Warri Wolves
Enyimba are now 15th in the standings with 33 points and will travel to face Warri Wolves this weekend in a Matchday 29 fixture at Delta State University, Ozoro.
On the other hand, Kun Khalifat remain rooted to the bottom of the table with 29 points and will host Bayelsa United in a Matchday 29 encounter at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
By Sab Osuji
