Superb 3-1 Victory For MFM
Ikorodu United slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the Agege Stadium in the second Lagos Derby in the modern era of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), a result coach Jacob Theodorus De Jong admitted has added to the relegation worries of the club.
The fixture attracted sufficient interest in cosmopolitan Lagos such that the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode joined the frenzy to grace the occasion at the 4320 capacity ground. He was joined by the Lagos FA Chairman and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde and the Special Adviser on Sports, Deji Tinubu. The Governor was presented a jersey by the home side before kick-off and obviously enjoyed the contest as his body turned and moved with the flow of the game.
The reverse fixture at Onikan Stadium had ended ni all and in Agege, it took Sikiru Olatubosun just 11 minutes to put the home team ahead when goalkeeper Segun Fasawe failed to hold onto a shot by Ifeanyi Ifeanyi off a freekick.Despite the mistake of the visitors goalkeeper, they continued to press for the equalizer and were duly rewarded o the 20th minute as Moses Ebiye was fouled in the box by MFM Erhun Obanor.The resultant penalty was converted by captain Fatai Abdullahi.The teams ended the first half 1-1
In the second half the home didn't hide their intention to take the maximum points and forced the visitors to struggled to get going.Stephen Odey restored MFM advantage on the 69th minute with a well worked goal.Ifeanyi Ifeanyi completed the rout from the penalty spot in added time after Sikiru Olatubosun was fouled in the box.
De jong agreed that the home side had the upper hand especially in the second half and blamed it on the poor physical condition of his players and also on the fact that midseason buys meant that the new players are still trying to adapt to the club's playing philosophy.
"We had a good first half, both teams were evenly matched and when they got the goal, we responded. But after about 60 minutes, the energy level of the players dropped, most of them are yet to attain full fitness especially the new players. I don't know which club some of them came from and what was their level of fitness but we hope to work on conditioning them in the days ahead", explained De Jong at the post match conference.
The expatriate coach also alluded to their recent road accident during which some players sustained injuries and said, "some of those players only recently returned to training. But he would not want to be drawn into making promises of leading the team out of the bottom spot where they currently place but insists, "we will give it our best. The possibilities are much and if we can improve on our performance, then we will see where the team will be at the end of the season."
credit: npfl.ng
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