Katsina United Head Coach, Azeez Mohammed, has disclosed that the Chanji Boys capitalised on Abia Warriors’ fatigue—caused by their long journey from Umuahia and the harsh weather conditions—to hammer them 5–1 in Saturday’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 34 fixture in Katsina, Completesports.com reports.
The 5–1 triumph marked Katsina United’s biggest result so far this season and came shortly after they suffered a 6–0 drubbing by Ikorodu City on matchday 31 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.
Coach Mohammed further explained that Abia Warriors’ late arrival in Katsina, coupled with the intense heat, took its toll on the visitors, allowing his team to dominate.
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“We went hard on them because their long journey—just like when we travelled to Lagos for the Ikorodu City match—affected them. The journey and the weather hit them hard,” Mohammed said during the post-match press conference.
“So, we had to push. We pressed them high, they made a lot of mistakes, and there was space behind them. When you’re fatigued, you leave gaps, and we capitalised on that to get what we wanted. It was a bad day for them and a good day for us.”
The visibly delighted gaffer noted that he knew the game was sealed after his side’s third goal.
“I think the game was won after the third goal. The first two didn’t mean much because they pulled one back quickly.
“After they made it 2–1, we lost a bit of concentration. If they had kept pushing, it could’ve been a problem for us. But when they eased off, we took control. We adjusted our game plan in the second half and got the third goal, which I consider the match-winner.”
The result came as a major relief for Mohammed and his Chanji Boys, lifting them out of the relegation zone to 13th position on the NPFL log with 44 points from 34 games.
He also stressed the importance of the emphatic win, especially with just four fixtures remaining.
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“This result and the goals are massive for us, especially after conceding six goals against Ikorodu City. But as you can see, Abia Warriors are no pushovers,” Mohammed added.
“They’re a respected side. They came with a solid game plan, but our boys showed resilience. The two quick goals we scored helped us settle into the game.
“Even though we conceded soon after, the boys kept their heads and kept scoring. It was a bad day for them (Abia Warriors), but we’re happy we converted most of our chances.
“Yes, it’s a battle—as you said—and until the war is over, the battle continues. That means until the season ends.
“This game turned out really well for us—three points and five goals. We’ve been able to reduce our goals deficit and move up the table.
“It’s not over until it’s over. We’ll keep fighting and working hard. Our focus now shifts to our next match against Sunshine Stars, where we hope to get another positive result.”
By Sab Osuji
Katsina United behaalde een overtuigende 5-1 overwinning op Abia Warriors in de Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) en Mohammed, de coach van Katsina United, sprak over de wedstrijd en hoe zijn team gebruik maakte van de vermoeidheid van hun tegenstander.
De wedstrijd begon met beide teams die probeerden om de controle over het spel te krijgen, maar al snel was het duidelijk dat Katsina United de bovenliggende partij was. Ze slaagden erin om de verdediging van Abia Warriors te ontwrichten en creëerden tal van kansen voor zichzelf.
Mohammed benadrukte dat zijn team goed had geprofiteerd van de vermoeidheid van Abia Warriors, die eerder in de week een zware wedstrijd had gespeeld. Hij merkte op dat zijn spelers fysiek en mentaal scherp waren en dat ze in staat waren om de druk op hun tegenstander te houden gedurende de hele wedstrijd.
De coach prees ook de individuele prestaties van zijn spelers, met name de aanvallers die verantwoordelijk waren voor het scoren van de doelpunten. Hij benadrukte het belang van teamwork en discipline in het behalen van zo’n overtuigende overwinning.
Hoewel de overwinning een grote stap voorwaarts was voor Katsina United, benadrukte Mohammed dat het belangrijk is om nederig te blijven en te blijven werken aan verbetering. Hij gelooft dat zijn team nog steeds ruimte heeft om te groeien en zich verder te ontwikkelen als een kracht om rekening mee te houden in de NPFL.
Al met al was de 5-1 overwinning van Katsina United op Abia Warriors een indrukwekkende prestatie die laat zien dat ze een geduchte tegenstander zijn in de competitie. Met hard werken, toewijding en teamwork hopen ze nog meer successen te behalen in de toekomst.
