Akpan Bassey says Akwa United have high hopes in this season’s Nigerian Premier Football League
Ten-man Akwa United forced Sunshine Stars to a 1-1 draw in match day one of the Nigeria Professional Football League on Sunday.
Goal caught up with Akpan Bassey, a goalkeeper of the Promise Keepers shortly after the tantalising clash at the Akure Township Stadium.
“God is the secret of the Promise Keepers. He has always kept his promises to us,” Bassey told Goal.
“Akwa United is a team that is dedicated to God. The team is a united set-up.We have an outstanding technical crew led by coach Maurice Cooreman. He understands the whole set-up and knows what he wants.
“I want to commend the boys for a job well done in Akure. It’s not easy to play one man down for more than 30 minutes and still hold on to a draw. Kudos to the team.”
According to bookmakers, Akwa United are capable of winning more laurels after their recent successes of lifting the Super Four and the Charity Shield.
“We will take each game one after the other.The season is at an infant stage, we want to take it step by step and not put ourselves under pressure.
“We still have 37 more games to play in the 2016 campaign. It’s too early to start expecting much from us. But I must confess we have high hopes in the Nigeria Professional Football League, CAF Confederation Cup and the Federation Cup. The issue of fatigue and stress is something you can’t rule out. One thing is sure, the team is determined.”
Akwa United will welcome Ikorodu United in the match day two of the Nigeria Professional Football League on Wednesday.
“Ikorodu United is a good side that recently gained promotion from the National League to the top flight. We will approach the match as if we are playing against Enyimba.The team needs the three points at stake in Uyo. A win in Uyo against the Oga Boys will make the draw we earned in Akure useful,” he said.
The former Bayelsa United, Heartland, Sunshine Stars, Abia Warriors and Hoang Ahn Gia Lai goalkeeper has tipped Akwa United to qualify for the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup.
“It was a good game for us against Vita Mokanda in Point Noire. I must confess that it was a tough first leg match but God was on our side. We won 1-0. We are looking forward to completing the job we have started when we play the return leg in front of our fans at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Saturday.”
On his heroics in the Charity Cup and the secret to his career the experienced shot stopper said, “I really cherish those moments as I saved two penalty kicks. It’s not easy winning against a big team like Enyimba. I look forward to when I will show my kids the medals I had won as a footballer.”
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