Niger Tornadoes head coach, Majin Mohammed, has expressed disappointment over his team’s wastefulness in front of goal and defensive lapses following their 2-1 home defeat to Abia Warriors in Sunday’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 11 fixture at the Bako Kontagora Stadium, Minna.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Majin admitted that his players underestimated the visitors after their impressive win over Kano Pillars in the previous match.
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“First of all, I think we were carried away by the victory against Pillars. We thought we could just ride over Abia Warriors,” Majin said. “We were in control of the game in the first 20 minutes and created chances but couldn’t convert. The visitors capitalised on our defensive mistakes and took their chances — that was how we conceded two cheap goals.
“What happened today is common in football. We went to Kano and got three points, so we’ll prepare again for the trip to Bauchi to face Wikki Tourists.”
The Tornadoes boss also appealed to the club’s supporters to stay calm and keep faith with the team, insisting that the season is still long and there is much to play for.
“The league is a marathon; we must stay focused. I urge our fans to keep supporting the boys because we will bounce back,” he added.
At the Bako Kontagora Stadium, Tornadoes started the game brightly, dominating the opening exchanges and creating several goal-scoring opportunities. However, their inability to convert early chances proved costly.
Sunday Megwo broke the deadlock for Abia Warriors in the 38th minute with a fine header, before Chibueze Damian’s own goal deep into first-half stoppage time handed the visitors a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.
The Ikon Allah Boys responded in the 54th minute when Abdulrasheed Shehu Dabai pulled one back, finishing off a precise cross from Clinton Jephta, but their spirited second-half performance couldn’t rescue a point.
Majin introduced Ahmadu Liman, Terdoo Shimagande, and Joseph Godstime in the second half to inject energy into the attack, yet Abia Warriors held firm to secure a vital away victory that took them to the top of the NPFL table.
