The slow start of Lobi Stars in their 2021/2022 games which has seen them without a first half goal after 10 matchdays would have been responsible for a home lose in an NPFL 2021/2022 Matchday 10 against Niger Tornadoes on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at the Aper Aku Stadium.
It was Niger Tornadoes that took the fight to Lobi Stars as 7 shirted Shamsudeen Hashim found himself with a 1st minute opportunity to put his team ahead but large body framed Goal Keeper Stanley Nwabali stopped his shot. Three of such incursions played out in the early minutes but Nwabali lived up to his rating as he frustrated all their shots at goal.
Lobi Stars had their first shot at goal in the 32nd minute when Raphael Ayagwa came from behind to thunder a 35 mitre shot which slightly missed the goal. 3 minutes later Inah Isha’s brilliant header from Adams Olamilekan’s cross was counted as foul play by the Centre Referee.
Lobi Stars made some first half late efforts as they gain two corner kicks and 3 free kicks on the fringe of the penalty area but none was converted, not l even the last first half minute header by Inah Isha off Gabriel Wassa’s cross as the first half ended barren.
Three minutes in the second half, Shamsudeen Hashim had a similar opportunity he had in the first minute, this time his shot beat goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to put Niger Tornadoes ahead.
Lobi Stars Coach, Eddy Dombraye rejigged his team as he threw up super sub Onuwa Chukwuka, Austin Ogunye and Mubarak Sai’d to replace Douglas Achiv, Inah Isha and Sanni Mohammed. The substitution proved effective. 4 minutes after substitution, Lobi Stars’ reaction mounted pressure on the Ikon Allah boys, the pressure paid off when Ifeanyi Ogba who had his second Man of The Match Award received a pass from new entrant Mubarak Sai’d on the bright to power home a low drive to the far side to beat goalkeeper George Micheal for the equaliser.
The Glory to Glory boys stepped up the pace of the game after the equalizer in a bid to get the winner but the Ikon Allah boys stood their grounds in resistance. Lobi Stars approached the last 25 minutes of the game with the spirit and zeal never seen in the team in the current season, Onuwa Chukwuka was a fantastic inclusion spreading upfront passes with precise accuracy but the last touch kept been aborted by Niger Tornadoes defense as the game ended 1-1.
In a post media Interview, Eddy Dombraye accept responsibility for the lack lustre performance but blamed the players for lack of commitment to duty and negative and demoralising reportage on the side of the press. He plead with Lobi Stars fans to expect drastic changes in coming days.
Lobi Stars Line Up:
Stanley Nwabali, Ganda Samuel, Wassa Gabriel, Ayagwa Raphael, Kwambe Solomon, Tsehuan Moses (Odinaka Francis 69′), Sanni Mohammed (Mubarak Sai’d 48′), Inah Isha (Austin Ogunye 48′), Ifeanyi Ogba, Douglas Achiv (Onuwa Chukwuka 48′) Adams Olamilekan.
Unused Subs: Emeka Onyia, Joshua Akhabue, Michael Okolo, Ifeanyi Ogba,
Nassiru Mommoh.
