Majin Mohammed’s tactical acumen paid off once again as Niger Tornadoes secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Plateau United at the New Jos Stadium in an NPFL match day 33 tie. The match was a nervy encounter between two teams vying for dominance in the North Central contest.
The opening exchanges saw both sides trying to assert control, but Plateau United upped the ante midway through the first half, with Sunday Anthony and Nenrot Silas dictating the pace. However, the Tornadoes’ defense, marshaled by Alex Emeka, Silvester Bell, Godwin Alex, and Abba Khalid, stood firm against the hosts’ attacking onslaught.
The first half ended scoreless, and the second half resumed with both teams sticking to their approach. Plateau United was awarded a penalty in the 57th minute, when Silverster Bell tripped a player inside the box, but Sunday Anthony missed from the spot. The match then became a midfield battle, with Victor Okoro, Sadiq Razaq, and Ifeanyi Okoye delivering a commendable display to keep the hosts at bay.
Both teams made tactical changes to achieve their pre-game plans, but Yusuf Mohammed’s heroics in goal ensured the Ikon Allah Boys secured a point. The match ended with the spoils shared.
Post-Match Reaction:
Majin Mohammed praised his players for sticking to the pre-game plan, designed to avenge the 2-3 defeat in the first leg. “We mapped out our strategy, knowing how Plateau United plays, and we stayed back, capitalizing on counter-attacks when we got the ball.”
Looking ahead to the next match against Kwara United, another North Central Derby, Majin Mohammed vowed to approach the game with the same winning mentality as their home matches.
Cautions:
Alex Emeka (63′)
Yusuf Mohammed (90′)
Substitutions:
70′ Balaji Adeyemon for Sadiq Razaq
74′ Mohammed Hussaini for Ifeanyi Okoye
88′ Solomon Owello for Victor Okoro
Sadiq Isyaka for Akintunde Azeez
Unused Subs:
Joshua Enaholo
Bashir Usman
Idris Saidu
Adeyinka Najeem
Ikenna Offor
Lukman Mohammed
CREDIT: Β©NTFCΒ MEDIA