Euromatch NPFL: Niger Tornadoes Coach Umar Tyabo Hails Crucial Win Over Ikorodu City

Niger Tornadoes head coach Umar Tyabo Abdullahi has described his side’s 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City as a crucial result in their bid to climb the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table.

The Ikon Allah Boys extended their unbeaten run to three matches with the hard-fought win in their Matchday Nine encounter at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna.

Speaking to the club’s media team after the match, Tyabo said his players understood the importance of securing maximum points at home, describing the result as one of their most significant victories of the season.

“This is one of the most important three points we have secured this season. We prepared for this game like a cup final because we understood the importance of winning at home. Before this match, we had recorded two wins and two draws in our home fixtures, which was not good enough for our ambitions.

We knew victory would improve our position on the league table, and I am happy we achieved that."

"Mistakes are part of football, and we saw what happened towards the dying minutes of the game. Thankfully, we had already put ourselves in a position to win before that incident.

“If the mistake had happened earlier, perhaps with nine minutes remaining, it could have been a completely different game. However, I believe it is an important lesson for the goalkeeper and the entire team. We will work on correcting such errors to ensure they do not happen again.

“Generally, we played against a very good side that has been together for a long time. Ikorodu City were among the teams that challenged for a top-three finish last season, so we knew they would be difficult opponents.

“On our part, we are still building. This team was assembled barely two months before the season began, with several new players coming together. However, game by game, we are improving, developing better understanding and gradually taking shape.

“The most important thing is that we secured all three points, and we thank God for the victory.”