Technical Adviser of NPFL Doma United FC of Gombe, Akinade Onigbinde, has attributed the equalizing goal against his club’s one all draw with Sunshine Stars of Akure to his goalkeeper’s mistake.
Playing their first NPFL match to the excitement of their supporters at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe, Sunday evening, the Savannah Tigers opened score through Charles Chibuike at the 38th minute of the game.
The excitement however turned sour and even sad at the 90th minute of the game when Sunshine Star’s Ibrahim Yusuf, who stole the ball from Doma United’s goalkeeper, who tried to clear the ball in the air with his hands unsuccessfully.
Fans, players and management of Doma United got into a very sad mood after losing what would have been a win in their debut in the abridged version of the NPFL.
But speaking to newsmen shortly after the last whistle of the match was blown, Onigbinde said, his boys couldn’t hold on to the way they were playing.
He said, “We realized that three of our players were weak, a striker and the wingers. We now brought in other players but the worst part of it was the costly mistake from the goalkeeper, that is what cost us the game.
“If the goalkeeper had held on, it would have been a good result. So, the mistake was from the goalkeeper, and we are going to work on that area.
“Our next match is against Niger Tornadoes in Minna on Wednesday, and we are ready to go and pick the three points.
“This game is a lesson for us, it’s all about using the quality players that we have. Some players just came in and have not played some matches with us, we said let’s hold on to them, but insha Allah, we will get the result, it’s a promise”, Onigbinde said.
However, Head Coach of Sunshine Stars, Agoye Edith Olumide, said the game was a good one for them having secured an away draw in the league’s first game adding that, ” It was very important for us when you consider the very long journey, we took to Gombe.
“What made the difference in the game was the attitude of our boys, they wanted it so much, they didn’t want to loose, we couldn’t win but we were able to salvage a point.
” Our game plan worked but unfortunately, we conceded a goal in the first half, but we were able correct that in the second half, they fought back and got the equalizing goal”, he stated.
He also praised the maturity of the Gombe fans in accepting the result and the fairness of the match officials who handled the game.
Doma United is paired in group B of the NPFL abridged league format and will face Niger Tornadoes in their second match of the league on Wednesday in Minna.
