Sports
We Will Make Up For Home Draw -3SC Coach
In spite of the team’s 1-1 draw against Abia Comets, Assistant Coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Yinka Popoola believes topping the group is still possible.
Popoola at the end of the stalemated match in Ibadan said that the draw against Abia Comets was a temporary setback.
The Tidesports reports that the Oluyole Warriors followed the footsteps of its other southwest club, Gateway United FC with unimpressive opening fixtures in the lower league.
The Match Day 1 of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Group B1 played in front of the boisterous fans at the Lekan Salami Stadium, last Wednesday, recorded a 1-1 draw to the chagrin of the fans.
The Teams Media Officer, Tosin Omojola in a statement in Lagos, however, appealed to the fans to be more patient with the club as the team’s technical crew would make amends.
He said that the team’s assistant tactician, Popoola had promised to turn the tide around for better results.
“It was unfortunate we could not win despite dominating the match but that is football.
“We have been held at home today but I want to assure you that we will go to our next match away from home and win.
“The heavy rain in the first half of the encounter was also partly responsible for the unfortunate result,” he said.
Omojola said: “A goal in the early moments of the game, gave Abia Comets a shocking lead before Gbadanosi Fatai curled in a free kick to restore parity.
“That was after Ahmed Rasheed had his penalty kick saved by the visitors’ goalkeeper. The first half was marred by heavy downpour which to a large extent disrupted the free flow of the game.
“However, we had few chances to claim the maximum points, especially in the second half but the likes Amed Rasheed, Opeoluwa Olufemi, Ayobami Junior and others were shy infront of goal.
“The visiting team, who adopted a frustrating time wasting pattern, defended well enough to get a valuable one point on the road.
“The group’s other match has Bayelsa United took command of the group as they beat Osun United 2-0 in Yenagoa.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.