Enyimba were a study in ruthlessness, despatching visitors Wikki Tourist 4-0 in Calabar on Sunday.
Goals from Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Stephen Chukwude, Chinonso Okonkwo and Stanley Dimgba saw the home side equal its highest goal tally this season, and inch closer to a place on the continent next season.
The seven-time champions came into their Matchday 36 encounter trailing third-place Akwa United by three points and four goal worse off on goal difference. As such, a win was imperative; an impressive one was crucial.
To this end, club Chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu, in addressing the team on the eve of the game, charged them to go all out on the offensive. By way of incentive, he also promised an outlay of 250,000 Naira for every goal scored on the day.
Poor Wikki then, who were on the end of a hiding. The result never looked in doubt from the moment Ibenegbu stepped up to send Emeka Nwabulu the wrong way from the spot in the 11th minute. That kick resulted following a Chukwude shot, which came off a hand in the visitors' box.
Set-piece dominance would prove the theme for the next two goals: Dimgba's free kick was headed in for two by Chukwude, while Okonkwo was first to a corner to make it three inside the opening half. That means that Enyimba have scored a staggering 75 per cent of their last eight league goals via set-pieces.
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Indeed, it could have been so much more. Both Chukwude and Okonkwo had good opportunities prior to their goals to open the scoring. The latter met a cross from left-back Ikouwem Udoh with a powerful header, before turning provider for the former. Both headers were, however, too close to the goalkeeper.
Ibenegbu then offered up a free-kick special, extending Nwabulu full length. The score would however remain at three going into the half-time break.
The second half began slowly, but Enyimba asserted control once again. Chukwude had a chance to add to his tally, but fired into the side-netting from close in.
The fourth however arrived with 15 minutes to go, Dimgba breezing past his marker with a drop of the shoulder, before dinking over the advancing Nwabulu to complete the rout.
Okonkwo went close to making it five, diverting Chinedu Ohanachom's centre onto the crossbar and over the top with the goal gaping.
With the traffic flowing almost exclusively in one direction, goalkeeper Fatau Dauda earned his wages by staying alert and producing a splendid one-handed save to deny Shammah Tanze a consolation goal.
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