Babatunde Mustapha’s tactical changes helped Ibom Raptors overcome a difficult spell and secure a 43-24 victory over Gateway Horns in a high-scoring Showtime Bowl Series XV clash at Showtime Arena on Sunday.
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Gateway pushed the Raptors for long stretches, but Mustapha’s decisions on both end of the field helped his team regain control and claim their second win of the season.
The Raptors player-coach revealed that defensive adjustments, offensive play-calling and timely substitutions were crucial to changing the momentum of the game.
“We made some defensive calls during the game when the game was a bit shaky right after we scored that two. Then on the offensive side, I made some calls on the sideline,” Mustapha said.
He also pointed to the importance of substitutions, which helped Ibom maintain their intensity as the game progressed.
Sports247 gathered that Mustapha’s role was not limited to making tactical decisions, as he also had to keep his players calm when Gateway continued to push them during the first half.
“I just had to try to calm the players down a bit,” he explained, noting that allowing the intensity of the contest to affect his players could have disrupted their game plan.
The approach worked as Ibom gradually pulled away from Gateway to complete a convincing 43-24 victory and bounce back from their Week 2 defeat to Lagos Rebels
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The Raptors had started the season with a 21-12 win over Lagos Greenbacks before losing 39-25 to the Rebels, making Sunday’s victory an important response.
Despite the win, Mustapha believes there is still plenty of work to do. He admitted that the Raptors have made a slower start than they would have wanted and said the team will return to the drawing board to improve before their next fixture.
For Ibom Raptors, the focus now shifts from celebrating the victory to building on it, with Mustapha and his players looking to turn their latest comeback into a stronger run as the season continues.
