LOCAL football side Wat Phnom are now looking to consolidate their position in the Metfone C-League with newly signed Nigerian striker Michael Ezeoke set to make his debut against National Defence Ministry this afternoon. The 21-year-old has the daunting task of trying to fill the void left by last year’s top scorer Uche Prince Justine, who switched to Phnom Penh Crown before the season start.

Wat Phnom are currently struggling to match the firepower of the previous campaign, and have scored 7 goals and conceded 14 from their first three matches. Three of their goals have come from midfielder Henry Uche, who is suspended for the midweek clash with the Army team.

Wat Phnom manager Van Dara says he hopes his new signing will help rescue them from a precarious situation. “My club is OK, except that we don’t have supporters or sponsors to help us meet our financial problems,” he told the Post by telephone. “We hope that Micheal [Ezeoke] will help us improve our attacking option so we can remain in the premier league.”

Ezeoke, meanwhile, is focused on achieving success with his new club. “I am not looking at Justine records. I am here to score, and I know I have the mentality to score,” he said. “I want to score for myself and the team, and maybe at the end of the season I can break Justine’s record he set last season [of 22 goals from 18 games].

Wat Phnom have started the same as last season, with three points from three games, but Ezeoke thinks they will fare better than their eighth-place finish. “The team has matured now with experience,” he said. “They need to add more bite in the attack, and that is what I am hoping to bring into the team.”