Enyimba International defender and captain, Ekene Awazie, has expressed delight after returning to the club’s matchday squad following a four-month injury lay-off, declaring that the People’s Elephant are targeting a top-three finish in the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

 

Awazie, a former Super Eagles invitee, had been sidelined since sustaining a knee injury at the close of the 2024/2025 NPFL campaign, which ruled him out of the entire first stanza of the current season.

 

The 29-year-old wing-back has now been named in Enyimba’s squad for their Matchday 20 encounter against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, as the second stanza of the league gets underway this midweek. The Aba giants are already in Ibadan ahead of the high-profile clash at the Lekan Salami Stadium.

 

Speaking on his return, Awazie could not hide his excitement at rejoining the team after months on the sidelines.

 

“First of all, I thank God that I’m returning to join the team again after four months. I’m really excited to be part of the team again. It hasn’t been easy staying out all this while,” he said.

 

Awazie’s return coincides with a fierce showdown between two of Nigeria’s most glamorous clubs. Enyimba had earlier beaten 3SC 3–1 in the reverse fixture in Aba, and while the Oluyole Warriors will be seeking revenge, the nine-time NPFL champions will be aiming to complete a league double.

 

Admitting the difficulty of the task ahead, the Enyimba skipper stressed the team’s readiness.

 

“Today’s game against Shooting Stars is honestly not going to be an easy game. But with our hard work and efforts, I believe victory is possible. We’ve trained so hard throughout the week and during the mid-season break to start this year in good form,” he stated.

 

Awazie added that the team is determined to secure a positive result in Ibadan and build momentum for the remainder of the season.

 

“I trust my team and I know what we want. The fans should expect nothing less than at least a point from this game. This second stanza will be a great one for us, home and away,” he said.

 

Looking ahead, the Enyimba captain revealed the club’s ambition to return to continental football.

 

“We want to finish among the top three so we can go back to the continental scene next season. We’ll give the fans what they want from us, and we also need their support,” Awazie concluded.