Akwa United determined for continental football, says Ayeni

Deyi Ayeni, Akwa United Head Coach, says the team will continue to fight for a qualifying spot to feature in the continental football tournament next season The Trumpet gathered.

Ayeni said this in a post-match interview after Akwa United defeated Lobi Stars in MatchDay25.

He noted that despite the series of injuries overwhelming the players, they have gone six matches unbeaten in the Nigeria Professionals Football League (NPFL).

“We are still a work in progress and we won’t stop working until we achieve our aim of picking a continental slot,” Ayeni told Brila FM.

Ayeni revealed that the team have been able to achieve success in recent times following the in-depth composition of the squad.

He said, “It is good to have a very solid depth, and as you can see we didn’t feel the absence of some players today and that’s because we also have a solid bench.”

Akwa United last lost a match in the NPFL on March 20 against league leaders Rivers United and maintained a six-match unbeaten run with a 6-1 win against Nasarawa United on Matchday24.

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However, Ayeni boys that trail Remo Stars on the NPFL table by a point while keeping the hope for continental tournament alive, travel to Muhammadu Dikko Stadium to take on Katsina United over the weekend.

According to Ayeni, the players have been mentally stressed by the crashed programme and this has instigated the technical team to fashion out a way to numb their nerves.

He continued: “The crashed programme of the league is telling on the boys, I must tell you.”

“The long-distance journey and all that, but we have to strategize and work on the mental strength of the players, because all the players in the league are mentally sick, in terms of the crashed program of the league,” Ayeni added.

Ayeni assured that despite the challenges bedevilling the players, the team will ensure they get a good result in Katsina.