The 2016 NPFL Super4 tournament got off to a remarkable start on Wednesday in Enugu. Five goals were scored in the two games decided and the games provided what there seem to exist in terms of thrills and frills of a football match.
A dismissal, a penalty goal, a penalty miss, a clean sheet, a come-from-behind victory, a last gasp winner and a home win were duly shared by all four teams on parade.
One of the star performers on the opening Matchday was Wikki Tourists striker Shammah Paul Tanze. With his team trailing by a lone goal and less than ten minutes left on the clock, Tanze latched on to a visionary long pass from midfielder Ya'u Hassan to hit home a sweet half-volley beyond FC Ifeanyiubah's Ivorian goalkeeper Drissa Bamba.
The goal further raised the voices of the spectators (who were now trooping in for the night game) at the stadium. Wikki would later find a last minute winner through their centre back Abdullahi Musa but Tanze's contributions throughout the 87 minutes he spent on the Nnamdi Azikwe pitch stood him out as one of the star performers of the opening match.
The former Nasarawa United striker started as the lone man upfront for Wikki, who are now without the services of last season's league topscorer Godwin Obaje.
Tanze has silently been working his way as Wikki's replacement for Obaje having scored three goals at the Shehu Dikko Cup earlier in pre-season but he knew his biggest scrutiny yet would be this Super4 tournament.
"I am not here to replace Obaje," Tanze surprisingly told www.npfl.ng. "My target here is to help the team and the only way to do that is by scoring goals. The feeling in me now is awesome because the goals are coming already."
The Keffi, Nasarawa state-born attacker is in his second stint at Wikki after leaving them in 2014 to join his state-owned club, Nasarawa United. He was part of the Nasarawa side that made an early exit from the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup and he hopes the experience will help him in ensuring Wikki Tourists have a better representation in next year's tournament.
"I left for two years ago to play in Nasarawa United, my hometown team. When they came calling, I saw it as an opportunity to play in the continent as well which was every player's dream.
"The Confederation Cup trophy is the target for the team and we will give it our best. It is good to set a high aim for yourself so that will keep you working towards it." Tanze said of his team's ambition next term.
He also had some good words about last season's league top scorer with 18 goals, Godwin Obaje and star winger Yaro Bature who just crossed to Wikki alongside Tanze from Nasarawa United.
"He is a very good friend and more like a brother to me," he said of Obaje, "We played together for one season here in Wikki before I left for Nasarawa and we had a good time together." he added.
In one of the many moments of understanding between him and Yaro Bature, Tanze almost created a goal for Bature in the first half of their Super4 contest against Ifeanyiubah but the winger went a bit too fast to an offside position.
"The understanding between us has been there before we came here and he is also a very good friend. I am sure we will do some good things together here as time goes on."
Source: www.npfl.ng
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