El-Kanemi Warriors’ flash in the pan performance

El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguru kicked off the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season full of promises as they went 10 matches unbeaten, which made their teeming supporters to believe that they meant business this year. However, with six matches to the end of the season, El-Kanemi Warriors who were among the title contenders at […]

El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguru kicked off the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season full of promises as they went 10 matches unbeaten, which made their teeming supporters to believe that they meant business this year.

However, with six matches to the end of the season, El-Kanemi Warriors who were among the title contenders at the beginning of the season are at risk of being dragged into relegation waters by rival clubs.

Presently occupying 14th position with 41 points, having won 10, drawn 11 and lost 11 matches out of 32 matches, El-Kanemi Warriors are no doubt in a precarious situation as only four points are separating them from Heartland who occupy the 17th position with 38 points.

Before their underwhelming performances began, El-Kanemi Warriors who had just returned to the Nigeria topflight from the Nigerian National League (NNL) where they were relegated to at the end of the 2021/2022 season, shocked even themselves when they won the 2024 Federation Cup at the expense of NPFL side Abia Warriors.

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Against all odds, Nasiru Salihu, scored a goal in each half of the final at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena in Lagos to hand El-Kanemi Warriors their first major trophy in 32 years. They had won the prestigious trophy in 1991 and 1992.

Apart from the trophy and cash prize of N50million, El-Kanemi Warriors picked one of the tickets to represent Nigeria in the Confederation Cup. Unfortunately, their campaign in the second tier inter-club competition was short-lived as they were eliminated in the first preliminary round by Daje FC of Benin Republic on 3-2 aggregate. The Warriors had forced their opponents to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Ikenne before the 1-2 defeat in the return leg.

Despite the disappointment, the Coach Aliyu Zubairu tutored side shifted attention to the NPFL and hit the ground running with an away draw in their opening match at defending champions Enugu Rangers. They forced Rangers to a 0-0 draw at the ‘Cathedral’.

Buoyed by that crucial away point, El-Kanemi Warriors began to mop up points at home and on the road, producing one away victory at Nasarawa United (3-4), three away draws against Bendel Insurance (1-1), Lobi Stars (2-2) and Rivers United (1-1). Although El-Kanemi Warriors also drew three home matches against Kwara United, Plateau United, and Heartland, they won two high profile matches against Enyimba FC (1-0) and Katsina United (1-0) to wrap up their performance in the first 10 matches.

However, they suffered their first defeat of the season away from home when 3SC thrashed them 3-0 in the week 11 match played on November 10, 2024, at the Lekan Salami Stadium.

The defeat in Ibadan set off the poor run of El-Kanemi Warriors who won four, lost three and drew one match in their remaining eight matches of the first round.

In the second stanza, their form has deteriorated the more. If not for the 0-0 draw against Heartland in week 26, they would have lost all seven away matches. They were also beaten 1-2 at home by Rivers United. However, the Warriors recorded three home wins against Rangers, Nasarawa United and Lobi Stars, and two draws at home with Bendel Insurance and 3SC. So, in 13 matches, El-Kanemi have managed to score only eight goals while conceding 17.

The collapse of the Warrior’s campaign can be attributed to two major factors- the appointment of their Technical Adviser, Aliyu Zubairu as the Head Coach of the Flying Eagles and the departure of their most influential striker, Ibrahim Mustapha, who left to join Albanian side, FK Bylis.

Without a doubt, the continuous absence of Coach Zubairu who is presently preparing the national U-20 team for the 2025 AFCON in Egypt has impacted negatively on El-Kanemi Warriors as his assistants have failed to prove their technical abilities.

In addition, El-Kanemi Warriors’ woes have been made worse by the absence of their most experienced striker, Mustapha ‘Yuga’ who had scored eight goals before his exit in February. Since his departure, the Borno Warriors have scored only five goals in nine matches, meaning his goal-scoring boots have been too big for the likes of Nasiru Salihu, Umar Al Amin, and Usman Abbas to fill.

Having been eliminated from the Federation Cup in the round of 32 by Enyimba, El-kanemi Warriors who lost 0-2 to Tornadoes yesterday will now channel all their energy into ensuring that they at least remain in the Nigerian topflight.