Ikorodu City FC dazzler, Waliu Ojetoye has declared that his man of the match award on the opening day of Nigeria National League (NNL) Super-8 will motivate his team to pick one of four promotion tickets on offer.
Ojetoye was simply outstanding in his side’s 1-1 draw with their local rivals, Inter Lagos FC and, though many observers felt his team are still ranked outsiders in the promotion contest, he is of a view that they now have additional motivation to pick a ticket to the top-flight Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
That aspiration will be put to a stern test when they tango group leaders, Beyond Limit FC of Ogun State in their second group match on Monday, with kick-off fixed for 11am at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
Beyond Limit will enter the fixture full of confidence and buoyed by their 2-1 victory over another Lagos-based side, Madiba FC on Saturday, but Ojetoye insists Ikorodu City will knick the game and stop their opponents from achieving an early qualification spot.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Saturday’s draw with Inter Lagos came from a tough battle between both local rivals and conceded that Ikorodu City now have to put in extra effort to keep their promotion aspirations alive.
Ojetoye recounted: “It was a very tough game, but it was one we should have won, especially as we scored first.”
He went on to outline his club’s target from the ongoing competition in The Coal City, affirming that they all want to return to Lagos with the NPFL promotion ticket in their kitty.
“With this result, we need to stay focused and remain with full concentration. What is on our mind is promotion to the NPFL.
“We are here for the ticket … nothing more, nothing less. We remain dedicated, we remain focused.
“This award is something that will motivate me further, and it confirms that we are here for real business,” Ojetoye posited.
Victory for Ikorodu City will keep his side’s promotion aspirations intact and prevent Beyond Limit from getting two straight victories that would make them the first side to gain promotion to the NPFL from this year’s NNL Super-8 in Enugu.
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