Enyimba International FC have fired an early warning shot ahead of the coming 2025/2026 NPFL season, storming to glory at the 2025 Ifeanyi Ekwueme Tico/Select Preseason Tournament with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over eternal rivals, Rangers, in Sunday’s pulsating final at the iconic Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium — 'The Cathedral', Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

In what felt like a dress rehearsal for yet another fiery Oriental Derby, the People’s Elephant proved their pedigree when new signing Pere Anderson broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, calmly tucking away the decisive strike that silenced the Antelopes on their own sacred turf.

It was a statement performance from the nine-time NPFL champions, who extended their recent dominance over Rangers, having beaten them 2–1 in Enugu during last season’s league campaign. But for head coach Stanley Eguma, this was less about early bragging rights and more about shaping a championship-ready squad.

 “It’s good to win because it brings more success, but this is still preseason,” Eguma remarked, clutching his first trophy since taking over the Aba giants in January this year. 

“Our main goal here was to assess the players, especially the new ones, and see how they blend with the team. We’re still a work in progress.”

Eguma also lauded the tournament organizers for staging what he described as a “high-profile competition” that gave teams the perfect stage to fine-tune ahead of the NPFL kickoff.

 “I must thank the management for allowing us to participate. This has helped us build momentum, and we’ll definitely work on the areas that need improvement before the league starts,” he added.

With the preseason crown now in Aba’s possession, Enyimba’s message to the rest of the league is loud and clear — the People’s Elephant are warming up, and when they hit full stride, the stampede could be unstoppable.