Akwa United FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Sporting Lagos FC in a 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League matchday two clash. Below are three observations from the keenly contested clash at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
A POINT DESERVED FOR BOTH TEAMS:
Akwa United FC and Sporting Lagos FC earned a point apiece from the keenly contested game. That was a true reflection of the match, none of the teams deserved more or less than one point.
Whereas, the home team, Akwa United FC will be heads down, Sporting Lagos FC have reason to cheer as the point helped them to the top of the two-weeks old 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League standings.
AKWA UNITED FC MUST IMPROVE IN ATTACK:
For Ninety minutes plus the seven minutes added on for stoppages, Akwa United FC struggled to find the perfect rythym in attack.
That the Promise Keepers scored three times on matchday one was largely a product of Midfielder Seyi Oguntayo’s good shots, and in the game vs Sporting Lagos FC, he was the most potent threat for Akwa United FC.
The attackers Hadi Mohammed and later Kufre Ebong and Uche Collins all had opportunity to score but were let down by their finish and spirited defending by Sporting Lagos FC.
Akwa United FC Head Coach, Fatai Osho must work on the teams attack to complement key decisions in the goalkeeping department that saw U-23 Eagles goalie, Nurudeen Ibrahim replace Camerounian shot-stopper Jean Efala while Franklin Anthony had a good game alongside Wisdom Ndon in defence.
Not too much reason for panic yet at Akwa United FC, fix the attack – wing-play did not yield desired result, Osho can play with two forwards and add extra body’s in a midfield that misses the experience of Cyril Olisema who is no longer at the club.
Edidiong Ezekiel and Hadi Mohammed as two forwards will disturb opposition defences with their direct runs. That will offer Seyi Oguntayo more space to launch his shots.
THE CAF B COACHING LICENSE CAP:
We conclude with the observation that both teams did not have their Head Coaches on the touchline because of the CAF B Coaching License cap announced by the NPFL board.
Whereas, Akwa United’s Fatai Osho sat on the bench, he did stand on the touchline to pass instructions to the team, because of his credentials, same way the opposition missed the services of Coach Paul Offor who has been sponsored to Namibia for a course to fit the role of Head Coach in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Coaches are not to blame, though, as Nigeria have not hosted these courses for more than a decade due to malpractice-related restrictions.
Akwa United FC sits in the bottom three with a single point from two games and will next face Enyimba FC, in midweek.
