BY SAB OSUJI

Heartland FC will go into Saturday’s 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 10 tie with Enyimba in desperate for a 10th Oriental Derby win over the People's Elephant.

There had been 25 meetings between the cross-town rival in the domestic top flight with the Naze Millionaires victorious on nine occasions. Enyimba have prevailed over Heartland on seven occasions while the rest (9) nine fixtures ended in stalemates.

Saturday's crunchy clash inside Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, provides a new manager, Kennedy Boboye, his 'baptism of fire' as he begins his 'rescue mission' for the Naze Millionaires who are stuck on the base of the Premier League Standings with six points from a possible 27.

Enyimba are slow starters in the league and currently moving up the ladder in emphatic form, moreso with their pyrrhic 2-1 win against Bendel Insurance on Wednesday in Aba.

Expectedly, Heartland will be the hungrier side for the maximum points atleaat to put their season back on track.

Also, Boboye would wand a winning start in his sojourn to Owerri to convince his new employers that he holds the key for Heartland's survival.

Boboye is also under pressure to end the Naze Millionaires winless streak since the start of the season.

The new 'Sheriff in Town' had won the league twice in 2017 with Plateau United and 2021 with Akwa United. That's the intimidating record he arrived Owerri with and which the Owerri football freaks are in a haste to see him replicate at Heartland.

Boboye's arrival was part of a major reorganisation that swept through the club in the past 72 hours in the aftermath of their epileptic performance in the current campaign.

The massive shake-up that swept through the five time league champions saw former Team Manager, Victor Ezuruike redeployed to the club’s feeder team while former Assistant Team Manager, Osuorji Linus Maduabuchi was promoted to Acting Team Manager. 

Charles Uzor was drafted in as replacement for Willie Udube as club’s Chief Coach while Chidi Ike who was formerly with the Heartland FC Feeder Team got a promotion to serve in the Heartland FC main team technical crew.

On current form, Enyimba hold the ace in this fixture but the two teams’ previous matches showed current form plays only a little role in the tie. 

The new -Sheeiff in Town',  Kennedy Boboye said he was aware of the onerous task before them in the game and called on the club’s fans and supporters to come to the stadium to celebrate the club’s first victory of the season.

Boboye disclosed that his immediate target was to ensure that Heartland FC are out of the relegation zone.

“It is a derby game that we can’t take away anything from. The most important thing is that with our current situation, only a win will help our cause. 

"Everybody’s hand is on deck to ensure we get the three points on Saturday.

“We need to move out of the position we are now. I want our fans to come out enmasse on Saturday. I am assuring them that they will come and celebrate their first win of the season.

“I want to thank the fans for their patience with the team even when the team is not doing well. It is football and we are lucky to have our crisis now. We will overcome it".

*Heartland vs Enyimba Head to Head:*
26-6-2022 Enyimba 0-0 Heartland
26-2-22 Heartland 1-0 Enyimba
30-5-2021 Enyimba 0-0 Heartland
13-1-2021 Heartland 2-0 Enyimba
15-1-2020 Enyimba 0-2 Heartland.