BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
A Lagos-based NNL club, Ikorodu City on Friday suffered unexpected defeat from a semi-professional club, Prince Kazeem Eletu Football Club in a friendly match played at the Eagles Club playground, Surulere, Lagos.
Eletu who have not lost a match recently came from behind and defeated Ikorodu City 3-2 in a friendly match that was full of skills, passions,tactics and fitness between both teams.
The outcome of the match was not good enough for NNL team as coaching crew led by Dabiri quickly held a meeting with players for almost 20th minutes to analyse and assess the match before departed the match venue.
Speaking on the team’s victory, Eletu coach, Isreal Adegolu revealed that he was happy that his boys carried the instructions gave to them before the match.
“We came to this match with our strategies which worked for us.We knew that it would not be easy but I thank God for the hard fought victory.We caged our opponents in the second half and beat them to confirm our superiority over them,”he said.
Asked if their opponents underrated them to win the encounter, Adegolu quickly said their opponents did not underrate them insisted that his game plan was carefully executed by the players which earned them a vital win.
“I don’t want to believe that they undrrated us.They played to beat us but like i said my boys were at their best and executed our game plan in the match.It was a tough game for us but we achieved our set target at the end of the game,”he said.
In his own response, Ikorodu City coach, Dabiri admitted that his opponents deserved the victory and frowned with the attitude of his players during the encounter saying that his boys had an opportunity to win the game in the first half.
“I must confess that my boys underrated their opponents.We had many scoring chances to win the game unfortunately we did not take our chances.As a coach I take the responsibility and i commend Eletu for giving us a good figh,”he said.
Meanwhile Benjamin Jato opened the goal scoring for Ikorodu City to set the ball rolling in the 7th minutes before Lawal Sulaiman quickly equalised for Eletu.
Ikorodu City who used the friendly match to prepare them in the ongoing NNL new season scored their second goal through Fatai Adekunle.
In the second half Eletu intensified its effort to get equaliser.Their effort was rewarded when Jude Obasi managed to covert half chance into the net.
Both teams increased the tempo of the game but Eletu who were very focused, determined and dogged in the encounter got a deserved penalty after their opponents committed foul inside the box eighteen.
Eletu keeper, Fossoh Salas quickly converted the penalty kick to send his teammates into wild jubilation.
Effort by Ikorodu City to get equaliser proved abortive as their opponents stood their ground and ran away with the victory.
