MAIDUGIRI – Coach Sam Okpodu of Ikorodu United Football Club on Saturday in Maiduguri blamed his side’s 0-1 loss to hosts El-Kanemi Warriors FC in a Premier League encounter on poor officiating.
“The officiating was bad, and I am disappointed. The referee was against us,’’ he said at the post-match conference at the El-Kanemi Warriors Sports Centre.
Okpodu however praised his players’ performance, saying “ nonetheless, I have to give kudos to my players. They never relented, and they gave their best.’’
The match was a 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 13 fixture.
The match’s lone goal was scored by Ibrahim Mustapha who converted a penalty kick in the 24th minute, following an infringement by an Ikorodu United FC player.
Okpodu said his team would return home and prepare better for their next outing in spite of the defeat.
“We will go home and get ready for our next outing,” he said.
The coach blamed the club’s poor performance in the league so far on lack of cohesion.
“This is a new team made up of young players who are hungry to make names. But it will take time to blend,” he said.(NAN)
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