Plateau United head coach Gbenga Ogunbote has praised his players following their dramatic 2–1 away victory over Remo Stars, a result sealed by a stoppage-time strike from Harrison Ebah that eased the club’s relegation worries and lifted them up the Nigeria Premier Football League table.
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Speaking after the match, Ogunbote said the significance of the three points outweighed the manner of the win, noting that the victory helped his side move clear of the relegation zone.
“I think I’m very happy, not because we just won, but because the three points assisted us to move away from the drop or the red line. This is what we’ve been struggling partly to get all through. Finally, all we need now is to manage it and get it done,” he said.
Plateau United played against 10 men for much of the contest following Remo Stars’ early red card and led for long spells, but Ogunbote admitted his side failed to fully capitalise on the numerical advantage. He acknowledged that lapses in concentration allowed the hosts to draw level despite being a man down.
“I think we were careless about it. We didn’t take advantage of their one-man short situation. We were too eager and forgot to tidy up our defence. We were looking for a security goal without defending the one we actually scored,” the coach added.
Ogunbote also highlighted the importance of the venue, noting that playing on neutral ground worked in Plateau United’s favour.
“I know too well that even the players are aware of the importance of this game. You never can get it better than this. This is a neutral ground and we took advantage of it,” he said.
The defeat leaves Remo Stars in serious relegation trouble, sitting 18th on the table with 26 points after their 14th loss of the season.
Plateau United, meanwhile, have climbed to 14th place with 30 points, moving three points clear of the drop zone after recording their ninth win of the campaign.
Attention now shifts to matchday 25, where Ogunbote’s side will host Kwara United in a North Central derby that could prove crucial in shaping their survival push.
