Niger Tornadoes Chief Coach, Umar Tyabo Abdullahi, has described his side’s 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City as one of their most crucial wins this season, saying the result is vital to the club’s ambition of moving up the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, table.
The Ikon Allah Boys secured the victory at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna last weekend, with Nafiu Obalowu opening the scoring three minutes before the half-hour mark before Bashir Musa doubled the hosts’ advantage eight minutes from regulation time. Basit Ayinde scored a late consolation for Ikorodu City deep into stoppage time, but Niger Tornadoes held on to claim all three points.
Tyabo said his team approached the encounter with the seriousness of a cup final, recognising the importance of securing maximum points at home. “This is one of the most important three points we have secured this season. We prepared for this game like a cup final because we understood the importance of winning at home,” Tyabo told the club’s media.
“Before this match, we had recorded two wins and two draws in our home fixtures, which was not good enough for our ambitions. “We knew victory would improve our position on the league table, and I am happy we achieved that.” The Tornadoes coach also addressed the goalkeeping error that allowed Ikorodu City to score late in the encounter, describing it as a learning opportunity for the player and the entire team.
“Mistakes are part of football, and we saw what happened towards the dying minutes of the game. Thankfully, we had already put ourselves in a position to win before that incident,” Tyabo added. “If the mistake had happened earlier, perhaps with nine minutes remaining, it could have been a completely different game. However, I believe it is an important lesson for