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MFM FC, a Lagos based football club will on Sunday do battle with Ifeanyi Ubah FC of Nnewi in a match that will determine their fate in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).
The match, which will is seen as a make or mar encounter for the Lagos club, will be played against a continental ticket chasing and high flying Ifeanyi Ubah FC who also needed the game to boost its continental chances.
MFM had in the first half of the league put up superlative shows, but lost form in the second half of the season.
Against this backdrop, MFM FC coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has admitted his career as well as that of the entire team will be on the line in Sunday’s clash against Ifeanyi Ubah at the famous Agege stadium.
MFM will be desperately looking out for an outright victory to escape relegation. They sit 17th on the Nigerian top-flight table with 42 points from 35 games.
Ilechukwu and his men are aware that they have one thing to play for in this encounter, which is a remarkable win against the third-placed team and thus the youthful coach is looking forward to a glorious outing at the Agege Stadium on Sunday.
“Sunday’s match against Ifeanyi Ubah FC is more than a football match for me and my players, a lot of things are tied to it, my career as a coach, the players careers and that of our fans and supporters because failure to beat the visitors means we are relegated and we can’t afford to let that happen at home,” admitted the coach.
“We have been doing our best in training, working extraordinary hard and our management led by Godwin Enakhena has been very supportive and the players too are ready to fight with the last drop of their blood because it’s more than a football match for them.
“I’m very confident that we will beat Ifeanyi Ubah.”
The Olukoya Boys must get the three points to stay afloat on the NPFL, knowing well that not even a draw will salvage them from dropping off the Nigeria league just as fellow compatriot Ikorodu United FC.
In second stanza of the league MFM struggled to replicate the fine form they exhibited at the start to the season where they got inspiring results even outside their home turf.
In the first stanza, MFM was able to win eight matches, drew five and lost five games. Notable among the wins was the surprise 2-1 defeat over Nasarawa United in Lafia.
However, MFM has series of misfortunes in the second stanza after strings of uninspiring results from its matches most, especially losing to clubs on the lower rungs on NPFL.
The Fidelis Illechukwu coached boys got only a paltry four games and drew three while losing 10 matches.
The Lagos boys also lost some of its must-win home matches, notably against 3SC of Ibadan of Ibadan and Plateau United of Jos.
On the other hand, high-flying Ifeanyi Ubah also needs the match to ensure its continental ticket.
In the light of this, Lagos fans must expect an explosive match between a team on the thread of its lifeline and a team chasing continental glory.
But Olawale Quadri, MFM spokesman, is confident the team would escape relegation.
“Bearing in mind that if we lose, we will have broken the heart of many Lagos fan; especially being the second team in Lagos that may be relegated.
“The players themselves know the gravity of the task ahead of them and they have been training hard more than ever to face the visitors.
“We cannot afford the drop as I have said earlier and by God’s grace we will stay afloat. We just need the prayers of Nigerians.’’ he said.
Anthony Nlebem with agency reports
