BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE,Abeokuta
Head Coach of Ikorodu City Football Academy, Washington Egor, has admitted that his side played under intense pressure in their decisive final group match against Hephzibah FC at the Nationwide League One (NLO) Super Eight Playoffs in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Ikorodu City FA secured promotion to the Nigeria National League (NNL) after battling to a 1-1 draw with fellow Lagos side Hephzibah FC on Wednesday at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena.
The result saw Ikorodu City finish top of the group with seven points, edging Hephzibah FC on goal difference to clinch the lone promotion ticket to the NNL for next season.
Speaking after the tense encounter, Egor said the high stakes of the fixture placed enormous pressure on his players, particularly as both teams entered the match with promotion aspirations.
He noted that the pressure intensified after Hephzibah cancelled Ikorodu City’s early lead, but praised his players for remaining disciplined and resilient throughout the contest.
“I must commend my boys for sticking to our game plan despite the intensity of the match,” Egor said.
“We should have won the game, but the players understood the situation. We needed only a draw to qualify, while our opponents had to win. That naturally created pressure, but they showed great character and determination.
“Hephzibah gave us a very tough fight, and I thank God we achieved our objective. I also appreciate our fans, management and backroom staff for their unwavering support and commitment throughout the campaign.”
Despite narrowly missing promotion, Hephzibah FC Technical Director, Shola Ogundare, expressed pride in his team’s performance, insisting they had every reason to hold their heads high.
“I am not disappointed with the outcome because my boys gave a very good account of themselves,” Ogundare said.
“It is painful that we missed the only promotion ticket, but we remained unbeaten throughout the group stage, and that reflects the quality and fighting spirit of the team.”
Hephzibah FC’s Head of Media, Anderson Gift, also praised the team’s performance but criticised what he described as poor officiating during the fiercely contested encounter, which attracted a large crowd.
Assistant Team Manager, Temitope Lapite, similarly lauded the players for their impressive showing throughout the NLO Final Playoffs, describing their performances as commendable despite falling short of promotion.
Ikorodu City FA took an early lead through Okonkwor Chika before Nazif Idowu restored parity for Hephzibah FC shortly afterwards.
Although both sides created several scoring opportunities in an entertaining and high-tempo contest, neither could find the decisive goal.
The match also produced a red card for a player from each side in the second half following separate reckless challenges.
Football fans who witnessed the encounter commended the organisers for successfully staging the NLO Final Playoffs in Abeokuta, describing the competition as exciting and well organised.