Katsina United assistant coach Azeez Audu Mohammed has admitted that an early goal contributed to his side’s difficult outing as the Chanji Boys suffered a 2-0 defeat to Shooting Stars in Ibadan in the EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League.
Sports247 reports that Shooting Stars took control of the contest with an early goal, putting Katsina United on the back foot and giving the Oluyole Warriors an advantage they ultimately maintained.
Reflecting on the defeat, Mohammed acknowledged the impact of the early setback while insisting that the result was part of football and that his team would now turn their attention to the next fixture.
“I think that early goal destabilised us a little bit. I think that was what gave them an edge.”
The Katsina United coach also referred to the red-card decision during the encounter, suggesting that the incident further affected the contest.
“And the red card, we would caution the defender. It’s just a normal game; we lost, and we will go back home to plan ahead of our next game.”
Mohammed was also asked about the second goal and whether he believed there was an offside infringement.
Rather than make a definitive judgment without reviewing the incident, the Katsina United coach said he would need to watch the goal again before reaching a conclusion.
“I have to watch the second goal to know if that was offside.”
On the officiating and the referee’s decisions during the match, Mohammed maintained a respectful position, acknowledging the official’s authority to make decisions on the pitch.
“On the referee decision, he is the best man in the field to decide and judge.”
The defeat leaves Katsina United with work to do as the NPFL campaign progresses, while Shooting Stars will take confidence from another positive result in front of their home supporters.
For Mohammed and the Katsina United squad, attention now shifts towards preparation for their next fixture, with the coaching staff expected to review the performance, identify areas for improvement and ensure the team responds positively.
The Chanji Boys will hope to put the Ibadan setback behind them and return to winning ways in their next NPFL outing.
