It was a frustrating evening at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, as Niger Tornadoes fell 3-1 to Shooting Stars in their first of two away games in quick succession.
Ayodeji Bamidele’s opener in the 38th minute, followed by an Anthony Okachi penalty just before halftime, put the Ibadan warlords in the driving seat.
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But, the Ikon Allah boys from Minna pulled one back through Sunday Williams in the 65th minute, which only proved to be a consolation goal as Samuel Okon sealed the win for 3SC in the 77th minute.
While the Oluyole Warriors celebrated a crucial victory, Tornadoes head coach Majin Mohammed cut a calm but determined figure after the match, reflecting on the performance, controversial officiating, and the road ahead.
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In an exclusive chat with PREMIUM TIMES, Coach Majin shared his thoughts on the game, his team’s effort, and what comes next as they prepare to face a resurgent Akwa United.
“We never planned to lose”
Despite the disappointing result, Coach Majin believes his players gave their all, even if it wasn’t enough to get the desired outcome.
“Yes, they tried their best,” he admitted.
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“Even though it was not good enough to give us what we really planned for. Because we never planned to lose. But anyhow, football is always like that. So we take the result the way it comes and look forward to the next match.”
A moment of confusion
The match wasn’t without its contentious moments. One incident, in particular, left Majin puzzled, a penalty decision that swung momentum firmly in Shooting Stars’ favour.
“I don’t always want to comment about officiating,” Majin began cautiously.
“They have their own referee assessors. Because whatever you say about the referees, it doesn’t change the result of the match.
“What I will only say is that at the moment of that magic penalty, there was a little bit of argument between the officials.
“The centre referee was giving a free kick while the reserve referee was awarding the penalty. So, I don’t know who is in charge of the kick. That is the moment of confusion.”
We’ll do our best — Eyes on Akwa United
With this loss behind them, Tornadoes will now focus on their next away challenge against Akwa United. Majin remains optimistic about bouncing back.
“Yes, we have lost this one,” he acknowledged.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: NPFL: Relegation battlers Akwa United secure first away win
“So the next focus now is how we are going to get a positive result against Akwa. We look forward to it.”
Akwa United, fresh from a commanding away win on the same day, will pose a formidable challenge. However, Majin believes that pressure might work in Tornadoes’ favour.
“With that away win now, they will be playing under pressure at home,” he explained.
“They want to win at all costs. And you know, when a team is playing under pressure, they make mistakes. We will capitalise on that. I know it’s not going to be an easy game for us, but we’ll do our best to get a positive result.”
The road ahead
The defeat in Ibadan is a setback, but Coach Majin and his Tornadoes are already looking ahead.
The next stop is Uyo, where a hungry Akwa United side awaits. As the coach puts it, the plan is simple: learn from the past, focus on the future, and fight for every point.
Will Tornadoes rise from the ashes and bounce back in their next away clash? Only time will tell.
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