Super Eagles and Akwa United striker Ndifreke Effiong has expressed optimism that his team will record their seventh home win of the season on Sunday in Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL.
The Promise Keepers who are top of the NPFL Group B log with 28 points from 16 games will engage Nasarawa United at the Nest of champions in one of Matchday 17 fixtures on Sunday.
Effiong – the club’s second leading scorer with six goals that the team will approach their remaining matches with positive mental attitude and assured that Nasarawa United will return to Lafia empty-handed.
“At this point of the season it will be operation no mercy on any team that will face us both home and away. We are ready for our game against Nasarawa United and I want to categorically state that they won’t escape defeat on Sunday. They defeated us in Lafia in the first leg, now this is our turn to take our pound of flesh.
” We are top of the table and we want to remain there till the end of the season. Our concentration level is very high because we want to qualify for the playoffs but to do that we have to take the remaining six games very seriously if we must achieve our aim.
“The Coach is doing a great job already and I’m happy that we have very good players who are always determined and ready to give their best at any given time. We know the importance of every match, and the game on Sunday against Nasarawa United is one game we cannot afford to lose. With the usual support of our fans, I can assure you that we will get all three points on Sunday” said the striker.
In their eight previous meetings, Akwa United have recorded four victories and Nasarawa United won on three occasions while one game ended in a 2-2 draw in Lafia back in September 2016. Coach Rafael Everton’s side lost their last away game 3-0 to Plateau United in Jos while Nasarawa United thrashed El-Kanemi Warriors 5-1 in Lafia.
Top scorer Mfon Udoh and strike partner Ndifreke Effiong have scored 14 goals between them so far and they will be aiming to add to their goal tally when Matchday 17 kicks off at the Godswill Akpabio international stadium in Uyo.
League leaders Akwa United are three points above 4th place Nasarawa United and victory on Sunday will see them move a step closer to securing one of the three playoffs spot.
*By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde*
Twitter @profseunoyediji
