Akwa United’s head coach, Fatai Osho, shared his disappointment following a goalless draw against Sporting Lagos. In a post-match interview, Osho discussed the team’s performance and identified areas that need improvement.
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Fatai Osho began by addressing his disappointment, stating, “Quite a disappointing one.” He acknowledged that Sporting Lagos had a strategic focus on exploiting wide areas in the first half, which the Akwa United coaching staff noticed.
In response, the team adjusted its tactics in the second half to block passing lanes and isolate Sporting Lagos players, making it a more one-sided contest.
However, Osho expressed his concerns about the quality of Akwa United’s attack, describing it as “worrisome.” He lamented missed opportunities, saying, “It just unfortunately created glorious four chances, and we couldn’t convert from any of those chances.” The inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities was a glaring issue for Akwa United during the match.
The coach highlighted the importance of addressing midfield issues, as a porous midfield can hinder a team’s ability to dominate a game.
While Akwa United improved their control of the midfield in the second half, they struggled to perform effectively in the final third.
Osho stressed that the team had previously been able to score goals, indicating that they had created chances during the match but failed to capitalize on them.
He expressed frustration with the decision-making of the strikers, particularly when faced with one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper, as they seemed indecisive and allowed defenders to block their attempts.
Despite his disappointment, Osho acknowledged that Akwa United is a well-trained team.
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However, he emphasized that the quality of the attack was subpar and not up to the desired standard. He described this as a “failure” and a departure from his expectations.
Looking ahead, Osho expressed the need to rally around the players they have and work on improving the attack.
The team is now focusing on their next fixture against Enyimba FC, and Osho indicated that they would analyze the match and explore ways to enhance their performance, particularly in front of goal.
Akwa United will seek to address their attacking concerns and regain their winning form as they prepare for their upcoming challenges in the league.
