Bab 37: Matchday 3
Like usual, it was that same night after their home game as his players rested at home that Coach Yemi Daniel sent the fixtures of matchday 3 to their phones.
Waking up the next morning, Sam viewed the picture on WhatsApp.
A few days ago, he was put into the WhatsApp group of Enyimba FC.
(Matchday 3:)
>Nasarawa United – Akwa United<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Enugu Rangers – Sunshine Stars<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Abia Warriors – Lobi Stars<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Bayelsa United – Wikki Tourist<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Doma United – Dakkada<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Plateau United – Enyimba<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Kwara United – Bendel Insurance<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>El Kanemi Warriors FC – Gombe United<
>Date: 22 Jan, 2023<
…
>Rivers United – Niger Tornadoes<
>Date: 24 Jan, 2023<
…
>Remo Stars – Shooting Stars<
>Date: 25 Jan, 2023<
Just like after their matchday 1 game, they were given only 3 days of rest. Their next game would be played on Sunday which meant that no rest for the players. Their next game would be played against Plateau United in away ground.
Since they would have to travel to Plateau State for the game, from experience, Sam already knew that they had only 2 days of training which meant he had only 2 days to convince his coach to draft him in the starting line-up.
That morning, waking up early as usual, Sam got set for training.
Of course, he completed his daily system quest first before going. Only after he got the sweet notifications and he consumed his daily low-grade physical conditioning elixir did he get set to go for training.
Unknown to him though, that morning while he jogged, a video of him was taken by a certain player of Enyimba FC, his teammate.
Like usual, Austin Oladapo was one of the Enyimba FC players to arrive earliest for training. Immediately after Coach Yemi Daniel arrived for training that morning, he walked over before showing him a video.
This captain eyed his coach. "I just wanted you to see this," he smiled. "Nothing is getting in the head of that boy, his mentality is unlike any other player I've been privileged to play with here in Enyimba FC".
"Sam's love for football is insane. It won't wane, I guarantee that. He can't be distracted, so coach, do the needful and draft the boy in the starting line-up".
"You brat," Coach Yemi Daniel punched his captain playfully on the shoulder due to the tone he used on him. "Get lost".
Chuckling, Austin left to change into his training attire.
Sam was also among the earliest players to arrive for training. Once it was 8:00am sharp, Coach Yemi Daniel led his players to the pitch where he took them through the light training before finally ramping the intensity.
From jogging, they progressed through all the training drills before finally playing a training match which Sam and Austin's team won.
After the training game, like usual, Coach Yemi Daniel finally presented his preferred starting 11 for the upcoming away game to his players.
Goalkeeper: Olorunleke Ojo
Center Back: Timothy Danladi
Center Back: Adekunle Adeleke
Right Back: Sadiq Abubakar
Left Back: Ezekiel Bassey
Central Midfielder: Austin Oladapo
Attacking Midfielder: Samuel Moses
Defensive Midfielder: Farouk Mohammed
Center Forward: Emeka Obioma
Left Winger: Chijioke Mbaoma
Right Winger: Victor Mbaoma
For the upcoming away game, there was only 1 change to the starting XI. After Olisema's performance in the home game contrasted against Sam's performance, the 17-year-old was finally given the nod to start a game.
That afternoon, Sam once again felt on top of the world. Instinctively, a grin crept up his face already as he threw a grateful glance at his coach.
Coach Yemi Daniel acknowledged his glance with a simple nod. Sam knew what it meant. 'Don't disappoint me'.
'I won't!' He answered in his own mind.
Returning home that day, Sam put even more effort into his post-match recovery processes to make sure that his body was perfectly recovered and in tip-top shape for the upcoming away game on Sunday.
Away games were always tough, he wanted to be the difference maker again.
That night, he had another family call with his family. This time, his dad was present as they talked about a lot of things.
When it was time for him to sleep though, his android phone beeped with a new notification. Checking it, he discovered that it was from his coach.
All of matchday 2 games were finally played and like his tradition, this Nigerian coach sent all the results to every one of his players.
Sam opened the WhatsApp image.
(Matchday 2 results:)
>Abia Warriors 3-1 Bayelsa United<
>Date: 18 Jan, 2023<
…
>Lobi Stars 1-0 Enugu Rangers<
>Date: 18 Jan, 2023<
…
>Dakkada 2-1 Wikki Tourist<
>Date: 18 Jan, 2023<
…
>Enyimba 2-0 Akwa United<
>Date: 18 Jan, 2023<
…
>Sunshine Stars 1-1 Rivers United<
>Date: 19 Jan, 2023<
…
>Niger Tornadoes 1-0 Doma United<
>Date: 19 Jan, 2023<
…
>El Kanemi Warriors FC 2-1 Nasarawa United<
>Date: 19 Jan, 2023<
…
>Gombe United 0-1 Remo Stars<
>Date: 19 Jan, 2023<
…
>Shooting Stars 0-0 Kwara United<
>Date: 19 Jan, 2023<
Enyimba FC was already topping the league table with 6 points due to their perfect record of 2 wins in 2 games.
Sam slept with a big smile on his face.
The next morning, waking up, he said a prayer before getting off with his daily activities. Starting off by completing his daily system quest on time, he soon got prepared before going for morning training.
Coach Yemi Daniel was even more intense today with the training as he drilled his tactics into his players' heads, making sure that they understood his instructions on how they would approach the Plateau United game.
When the training game time finally came, in a different team from his captain this time, Sam still managed to put on an incredible performance and despite the fact that Olisema put out an improved performance, Coach Yemi Daniel's starting XI for the next game remained unchanged.
That day, as the players returned home from training, Sam felt Olisema's ire. The player didn't do anything drastic, but his piercing glare told the full story.
Cyril Olisema was not happy with his current situation in the club.
It didn't concern Sam though, what mattered was that finally, after weeks of trying his best, he finally broke into the starting XI of Enyimba FC.
Sam had a great night rest again and the next day, unlike what he expected, the team still did light training in the morning under their coach before they finally embarked on the journey to Plateau State.
When the journey started, Sam finally understood.
The distance from Aba in Abia State to Plateau State was an incredible 738 kilometers, so the team took a flight instead of the regular bus.
It was Sam's first time traveling by air.
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