Enyimba’s Usman Abd’Allah, Olisema, Ojo React To Draw At Jigawa GS
Enyimba technical adviser Usman Abd’Allah believes his side stood the chance of grabbing maximum points in their Nigeria Professional Football League fixture against Jigawa Golden Stars at the Sani Abacha Stadium this evening.
The eighth times champions took the lead in the sixth minute when Victor Mbaoma headed in Stanley Okorom’s freekick, but Jigawa drew level three minute to the end of the half with Munir Ubale’s powerful finish.
Speaking to the club’s media after the match, Abd’Allah however indicated satisfaction with the final outcome of the game.
“I think it is a game we should have won but all the same we got one point away from home and we still have a lot of away matches to play.
If we couldn’t get it in Kano we will get it somewhere else. The most important thing is to get something away. If you can’t get the maximum point you get a point and when you go back home you grab the whole of the three points. But unfortunately last week we dropped two points at home and then we got a point today.
From what is happening with the team with a lot of injuries and all these tiredness and all these fatigue that has been with the team from all these travelling and this continental assignment, I think we will keep on working to make sure that we will be back to our rightful place.
Abd’Allah opted for four natural central midfield players in his lineup for the fixture, with Faouk Mohammed, Jean-Marie Guera, Dayo Ojo and Cyril Olisema all getting the nod to start. This the gaffer explains was a tactical switch occasioned by injuries within the squad.
“Normally we have the wide players that play from the left and right, but of recent it’s either they are not picking up in form or most of them are injured.
“You see Zenke is out because of injury and (Stanley) Dimgba is just recovering back and Anayo also just recovered back and Orok has a blister and can’t play. So that is why we decided to play with this formation with the natural midfielders. At the end of the day we still came back to substitute and bring another wide player to play.
“It’s just a tactical formation depending on the kind of players you have. Those are the players available so I have to choose a choice that will benefit the team.”
Midfielders Dayo Ojo and Cyril Olisema also shared similar thoughts with Abd’Allah after the fixture.
*DAYO OJO*
“I believe we should have won the game but as you can see there is no small team in the NPFL anymore and moreso whenever a team wants to play Enyimba they double their effort.”
“We scored first then they equalised and the game ended 1-1. Not a bad one (because they are) not a bad side. Every point counts now. The only point that does not count is when you lose a game.”
*CYRIL OLISEMA*
“As a team it’s not the result we wanted but just unfortunate that it ended 1-1 draw. I will say it was very bad we conceded that goal in the first half. It’s part of the game. From the second half we came back and made sure we corrected our mistakes.”
*UP NEXT*
Enyimba Football Club will redirect focus to the CAF Confederation Cup with a group D fixture against Paradou AC scheduled for next Sunday in Algeria.
