Katsina United’s coach rues missed chances after 0-1 loss to Gombe United

Usman Abdallah, the Technical Adviser of Katsina United Football Club, on Sunday described his team’s defeat to Gombe United as “painful”, saying his side failed to take their goalscoring chances.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 0-1 defeat was in a Match Day 25 fixture in the 2021/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) played on Sunday.

In the match played at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe, Yusuf Abdulazeez’s sixth-minute goal secured the maximum three points for the hosts.

Reacting, Abdallah said the match would have been won by his side in the first half but for the several goalscoring chances his team failed to utilize.

“This is about football, and if you keep making mistakes, you get punished when the time comes and it is very unfortunate.”

He said he was not happy with the manner his players squandered goalscoring chances. “I think we have to go back and work on ourselves.”

Abdallah said football was about winning by scoring. “If you don’t score and you concede, then you lose the match.”

He however commended their hosts for “fighting” hard to secure the three points and said, “I think they were lucky and I congratulate them.”

The coach however stated that he and his technical crew colleagues would keep on building the team to ensure they win their two outstanding games and escape relegation.

On his part, Aliyu Zubairu, the Technical Adviser of Gombe United, said the match was good for them in view of the result.

Zubairu said his players fought hard to win the match, adding that his side met a “well-fortified” team in Katsina United.

On their next match against Enyimba International FC, he said his side would visit Aba with the aim of getting at least a point.

“If possible, we will try to secure the three maximum points.”

NAN also reports that Abdulazeez has now scored 11 goals in the ongoing season.

Also, with the result, Gombe United now has 35 points from 25 matches played and sits in eighth place on the league table.

Katsina United with two outstanding matches has 24 points from 23 matches and now occupies the 17th position.