The NLO2 match between North York FC and Vining United did not go as planned for the former, as they faced a 1-2 defeat at the Legacy pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere.
In an interview with Sports247, Coach Shola Lateef, the head coach of North York FC, shed light on the challenges the team encountered, stating, “Actually, we faced a lot of obstacles on the way because the boys were in camp. I arrived at the stadium before them to watch the earlier matches in my league. However, by 3 p.m., the boys had not arrived for their match scheduled to start at 4 p.m. due to a flat tire on their way. The delay and challenges they faced affected their preparation, and by the time they arrived, it was too late to give them a proper pep talk before their match, which ultimately led to their defeat.”
Distractions and unforeseen circumstances played a role in the team’s loss. However, Coach Shola remains focused on boosting their motivation moving forward, saying, “We are still going to work hard. They are a very young team, playing in the league for the first time. It’s their first experience at this level of competition. While we were initially asked to bring the U-19 team to compete with their contemporaries, we realized upon arrival that the other players were more mature. Nevertheless, I am not making excuses about maturity or age; my plan is to go back home and train my boys to be more prepared.”
With three matches remaining in the tournament, Coach Shola is optimistic about the team’s potential for a strong comeback and their ability to secure victories in the upcoming games. The focus now lies on training and instilling discipline to improve their performance on the field.
