BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
Coach of 36 Lion Football Club, Oladipo Opeyemi, has lamented that his boys let him down after they suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Utility Sports Football Club in the round of 16 of Lagos State Challenge Cup, known as Lagos FA Cup.
Many football fans who watched the encounter on Friday morning at FIFA legacy pitch of national stadium,were shocked with the poor performance of 36 Lion as some of them were disappointed with the outcome of result.
Speaking after the match, Opeyemi admitted that his boys were not impressive saying that they played out of instructions.
“I must confess to you that my boys disappointed me with their unimpressive performance.Our midfielders were not function well and the attacking line was not biting at all.
“With this result,I will also take the responsibility as a coach and like I said earlier my boys also let me down for their poor run.For out opponents I wish them all the best in their next match”he said.
Asked what went wrong in the team, Opeyemi said one of the reasons for their defeat was that his midfielders were not at their best during the match saying that his boys also lost their concentration after the two goals in the first half.
Meanwhile Micheal Peter opened the goal scoring for Utility Sports before Chiemere Ofor scored the second goal in the 25th minutes to end the half time 2-0 in favour of Utility Sports boys.
36 Lion who created some chances in the second half failed to convert it as their opponents, Utility who were on rampage punished them with two goals through Obinna Samuel and Idori Great to earn their team’s quarter final ticket.
In another match played early Friday morning, Box 2 Box defeated Goal Getters FC 1-0 to book their place in the quarter final stage.
A shot from Yomi Johnson in the 72th minutes was Box 2 Box needed to beat their opponents in an encounter watched mammoth crowd.
It was a tough match for Box 2 Box as Goal Getters boys gave them a run for their money before they finally scored a winning goal.
In another match Gbagada FC also defeated Real Sapphire FC 1-0 to reach the quarter final stage.
Commenting on the Lagos FA Cup,.vice chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Dotun Coker expressed satisfaction with the standard of the play by the participants noted that this year’s edition is better organised and well reported by the media organisation.
He also reminded some coaches whose teams are still in the competition to exercise caution while reacting to decisions of the match officials saying that the organisers are frowing over some coaches who lost their cool during their matches.