Following a nil all draw away to Wikki Tourists, Erasmus Onuh, the Coach of Heartland was emphatic in asserting that the club has recorded tremendous improvement over the course of the season and are on course to avoid relegation.
Heartland followed up an impressive 1-0 win against title contenders, Plateau United with the draw in Kaduna on Matchday 25 against Wikki Tourists and were clearly the better side.
Still mired in the relegation zone, the Owerri side had two great chances to score but couldn’t make it happen, while the Kaura Boys could not muster a shot on goal even when Olawale Tolulope had an empty goal at his mercy inside the box.  He skied his shot missing Wikki’s best chance to win the game. 

Speaking after the match, Onuh , who bagged yellow card just before the match for dissent, said the attitude of the Owerri side has changed and their tactics is based on possessive football and being ready to die for the team. 
“My team has improved tremendously, there is a big improvement from the way we used to play, that is why I didn’t make many changes. The few changes I made was not because someone was not doing well, but for tactical reasons. 
“We will escape relegation. We are on course. It is work in progress and we would see what we can do as the season progresses. It is a difficult job to do, but we would do it. The people who gave me the job trusted me and I want to do my best not to betray that trust. 
“There is a new mindset in our team, the game plan from me is that the team should possess the ball and get ready to die, we should play like soldiers, defend the team with our body, mind, everything. We want to leave that place (relegation zone) and we would do that by going for victory in our next match against Abia Warriors,” the gaffer said. 

Heartland grinded out a first win after five games and Coach, Erasmus Onuh Olottah, though relived by the 1-0 defeat of Plateau United urged the club management to do more to motivate the players.
Chukwudi Nwaodu’s half volley from about 22 yards in the 16th minute secured a return to winning ways for Heartland and a happy Olottah told www.npfl.ng that he knew the players would get it right at some stage despite their unimpressive results of recent. 
The Coach would go ahead to challenge the management on what must be in place for the club to move out of the relegation zone, insisting team’s logistics must be put right to ensure the players and the coaches are happy.
While commending the Management for moving the players out of their camp in troubled Orlu town to Owerri, emphasized that they can only keep the team going and active if the motivation is right.
“I’m well relieved that we picked this important three points. When you look at the game today it is still the same thing I have been harping on that we are work in progress,” Olottah said.
“The only thing that will set us back is in the area of logistics. When the logistics are taken care of, the results will come.”
Olottah thumbed up the squad for adhering to the game plan but expressed worries that they were still not converting scoring opportunities to goals.

During the match, Heartland missed several sitters that could have killed off the game even before the final 30 minutes.
“We have all seen that the game today was quite different from the ones we have played in recent time. The team’s return to Owerri has been a blessing to us because we have more time now to train than when we were in Orlu,” Olottah continued.
“When chances are created it means the players are taking the instructions of the technical crew. Putting the ball in the net is the initiative of the players because the coach won’t teach you how you will put it in the net.”
What does this mean?
It means Heartland FC have left the bottom of the table after the slim home win and they are now 18th on the table with 24 points from 24 games. Plateau United are still four points behind league leaders, Rivers United with 48 points from 24 games.
What’s next?
Plateau United will host Remo Stars in Jos this weekend while Heartland are off to Kaduna to play Wikki Tourists in Matchday 25 fixtures.

The 2020/2021 NPFL season finally kick-started on Sunday with mouth-watering actions from different centers all across the country, which also carried some interesting and ventilating contents, where there was the creation of NPFL TV platforms, which enabled the League control it’s content, as well as helping fans view their respective teams from across the world.

In an interview with Sports247, Erasmus Onu took some time out to commend the great efforts of the Youth and Sports Development Minister for his great effort of restarting the League, after it looked as though it wouldn’t get started, as well as hailing the innovative content as well, which was being brought out for the League. He also commended and hailed the League Management Company (LMC) for carrying out the desires and wishes of the Minister in restarting the League as well as enforcing the content initiative, saying that he is fully impressed with both parties (The Minister and the LMC).

“Kudos to the Minister, I want to thank the Sports Minister for the way and manner he has gone, regarding the League. I want to appreciate him, for the fact that he said they should restart the League and they (The LMC) did so. I listened to his interview the last time and on the 27th (on Sunday), the League started. I watched the content he was talking about, some people were making a mockery of it that the content is stupid, but what he (the Minster) actually meant was the League in its content”

“You can see in week one, radio is carrying it, TV is carrying it, they now have NPFL TV, you can now google online and know what the League is all about. The League needs content, I want to thank the Sports Minister, who talked about the licensing of the players, there is a mandate given to the players, you could see the manner the minister went about it, he talked about the facilities, he said the stadiums would be put in order, which he did, I want to thank him a lot for that”

“I want to thank LMC too for adhering to the instructions of the minister. Sunday Dare has done well. Over the years, We have ministers who are not concerned about what happens in the League. Had it been they were concerned, we could have had a wonderful league by now. I have coached the NPFL for more than 15 years and I have coached so many NPFL teams. In week one, some teams won away, some drew away from home and nothing happened, we pray that the officiating will continue that way”.

“Sunday Dare has written his name in the hands of time, he has definitely done well”, he concluded.