Kano Pillars technical adviser Ibrahim Musa is impressed by his side’s 1-1 draw at Enugu Rangers on Sunday but believes they might have been helped by in-game mismanagement from the hosts.
Rangers took the lead three minutes before the break through midfielder Godwin Aguda but in-form striker Junior Lokosa earned the visitors a priceless away point at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium in Enugu.
Musa who took charge of the Sai Masu Gida at the middle of last season believes it was a deserved point for his wards and they could easily have got more from the game.
“We deserved it. We are supposed to win the match because our target when we lost two points in Kano against Enyimba was to come and beat Rangers to make up for the points we lost,” said Musa after Sunday’s game.
Pillars were playing their first match this season without Chinedu Udoji, the centre back who died in an auto crash in the early hours of Monday last week.
“That was what affected the team,” commented Musa when asked if Udoji’s loss motivated the players.
“If you look at the game, it was not how we like to play. If there were no problems, we would beat Rangers in the first half but you see, the loss of Chinedu has affected the team. We will still thank the boys because they played to instructions.”
With his team trailing at half time, Musa made some tactical changes which included flying right wing back Ifeanyi Nweke replacing defensive midifielder Sikiru Kamal. Musa believes that was a sign of a sound technical bench while adding that it was the bane of his opponents on the day.
“That is the sign of good reading from the bench, because a good team is (known from the quality) on the bench,” he says on the impact of his substitutions.
“What I know about Rangers from last season is that they are a good team. I respect them because they were champions before last season. Even now they are playing well but lack of their reading of the game maybe (cost them). But I can’t talk against my Oga (Ogunbote),” he concluded.
Sunday’s draw took Kano Pillars to the summit of the Nigeria Professional Football League table and they will have a chance to consolidate their leadership position when they host Go-Round FC next Sunday.
