The Enyimba International Stadium,’ is notoriously one of the toughest venues in Nigerian football for visiting teams. Yet, on Match Day Fourteen, it was silenced. Not by a late goal or a moment of individual brilliance, but by the relentless, suffocating rhythm of a cohesive tactical system executed to near-perfection.
The architect of this stunning victory over the People’s Elephant was Coach Abdul Maikaba, and his weapon of choice was the distinctly European philosophy: ‘Retieni e Passa.’
The term ‘Retieni e Passa’ translates from Italian language as ‘Hold and Pass’ or ‘Receive and Pass.’ It is more than just a passing game; it is a possession-based, high-tempo tactical blueprint that places supreme importance on ball retention, numerical superiority in midfield, and the quick, intelligent movement of players both with and without the ball.
1. Tempo Control: The system dictates when to slow the play down with methodical short passes to draw the opponent out, and when to launch rapid, vertical attacks once a passing lane is opened.
2. Positional Interchange: Players are encouraged to drift from their designated roles, creating ‘passing triangles’ across the pitch to always offer a short, safe outlet for the player in possession.
3. The Press and Counter-Press: The loss of the ball is immediately met with an aggressive counter-press, often involving two or three players, to win possession back high up the pitch before the opponent can organise a counter-attack. This forces turnovers in dangerous areas.
4. Midfield Overload: Maikaba’s favoured formation (likely a variation of the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1) is designed to ensure numerical advantage in the central zones, making Enyimba’s midfield battle a constant struggle.
Coming into the fixture, Enyimba was favoured to win on their home turf. However, from the opening whistle, Maikaba’s team—Wikki Tourists refused to be intimidated.
The decisive factor was the team’s ability to deny Enyimba’s creative players the ball. Enyimba, known for their direct attacking style and exploiting the width of the pitch, found themselves chasing shadows. Passes that would typically be straightforward for the home side were rushed, often resulting in cheap turnovers due to the relentless pressure applied by the away team.
”The game plan was simple but challenging: starve the opponent of possession. Every player had to take two seconds maximum on the ball—Retieni e Passa. Hold it, look up, and move it to the best option. It takes incredible fitness and discipline, but today, my boys showed they are masters of the art.” — says Abdul Maikaba.
The first goal came in the 33rd minute, a direct result of the system. A sequence of 15 short passes across the back four and midfield drew Enyimba’s defensive line out of shape. A swift, vertical pass then bypassed two defenders, finding the run of Abubakar Aliyu who finished beautifully with a long left footer to slot the ball past the keeper. It was a goal forged in possession and patience.
The defeat was a chastening experience for the former champions. The defensive strategy against ‘Retieni e Passa’ must be to maintain rigid structure and intercept passing lanes.
However, the sheer speed and complexity of the short-passing movements eventually caused gaps to appear in the Enyimba defence. When the team pressed high, the opponent simply played around them; when they sat deep, Maikaba’s players controlled the ball in midfield, dictating the entire tempo of the game.
The Aba fans, usually boisterous and inspiring, were noticeably subdued as their team struggled to string five passes together. This loss of rhythm and control played directly into the hands of Maikaba, who oversaw his team’s continued dominance until the final whistle.
The victory not only secured three crucial points for Wikki Tourist but also laid down a powerful statement. It proved that in the rough-and-tumble of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), a sophisticated, possession-based philosophy like ‘Retieni e Passa’ can indeed triumph over raw power and home advantage, even in the revered Aba Cathedral.
The challenge for Coach Maikaba now is consistency. Can this demanding system be maintained across a gruelling league season? For Enyimba, the defeat necessitates a tactical review. How do you beat a team that refuses to give you the ball? The answer may determine the fate of their season.
