I WON’T CELEBRATE IF I SCORE AGAINST WARRI WOLVES __CHARLES ATSHIMENE

MFON PATRICK

Akwa United striker Charles Atshimene says he will not celebrate if he scores against his former club, Warri Wolves, on Monday when both sides clash on Match-day 14 of the current 2020/2021 NPFL season.

The striker joined the Promise Keepers from his home town club, Warri Wolves at the start of this season and has scored three goals for his new club thus far.

Atshimene, in an exclusive interview with the club’s official website www.akwaunitedfc.com, promised to exhibit professional conduct before, during and after the match against his former club.

“It will be a special moment for me if I’m selected to represent Akwa United against my former team Warri Wolves on Monday. I’m a professional footballer, so I know how to handle this type of situation. At the moment, I’m an Akwa United player and my job is to contribute to the success of the team.

“Although I’m from Warri, and Warri Wolves gave me my first professional contract as a footballer, I will have to do my job if selected to play but as a mark of respect to my former team, if I score agianst them, I will not celebrate the goal(s).

“My family, friends and fans in Warri are happy that I’m playing for Akwa United and I know many of them would have loved to come and watch me play but because NPFL matches are now played behind closed doors, they may not have the opportunity of watching me play, so I will do my best and give my all”.

Charles Atshimene scored six goals for Warri Wolves last season before the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic which truncated the league.

Atshimene is in Coach Kennedy Boboye’s 20-man Match-day squad to Ozoro for the clash which will be played on Monday afternoon.

Last season, Akwa United were held to a 1-1 draw by Warri Wolves on the opening day of the season and the second leg in Uyo also ended with the same scoreline.

Akwa United, 5th on the NPFL table with 22 points from 13 games, have picked five points from their previous six away games while 19th placed Warri Wolves have dropped the same number of points in six home matches so far this season.

Coach Boboye may likely stick with the bulk of the team which thrashed Rivers United in Uyo on Match-day 13, and victory for the two-time Federation champions will be their seventh of the campaign and their second away from home this season.

The Promise Keepers have solved their goal scoring challenges having netted 16 times in 13 games with dependable striker Ndifreke Effiong leading the team’s scorers chart with seven goals. Charles Atshimene and Mfon Udoh have three goals each while David Philip and Morice Chukwu have one goal each.

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