Aliyu Zubairu, the technical chief of Gombe United Football Club, said his team’s 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars FC on Sunday was well planned and perfectly executed.
Gombe United ended Remo Stars’ unbeaten record in a Match Day 12 fixture of the 2021/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe.
Zubairu told newsmen that Remo Stars’ defeat was carefully planned and well executed.
“I know Remo Stars in and out and I know their mode of operation, and the way they approach their matches. That was why in the first 10 minutes, we took the fight to them.
“We know the only thing they do is to sit back, wait for the right moment and take us on the counter. So, we went out on them and, before they could settle down, we destabilised them and got the goal.”
The Gombe United official added that Remo Stars, in spite of being a good side, are not unbeatable, stressing that the team had been overrated so far in the league.
“There is too much shout about Remo Stars,” he said.
Zubairu, however, commended his players for showing commitment and resilience, while assuring that his team would not allow the victory to get into their heads.
“We are going to Dakkada FC in Uyo to win.’’
Zubairu stated that his team was gradually moving away from their “unpleasant’’ position on the league table and would continue to sustain the improvement.
On his part, Gbenga Ogunbote, the technical chief of Remo Stars Football Club, said his team did not deserve their 1-0 loss to Gombe United FC.
Ogunbote, at the post-match conference, said the defeat was a representation of the alternatives which football offer, stating that his team deserved something more than the result.
He said his team played to the level of getting either a draw or a win from the game.
“The defeat is one of those things in football. There are three results: a win, a draw or a loss. Unfortunately, we got the bad one which was a loss.
“But we all know from the game that we did not deserve to lose, and that’s football. Sometimes you play well and yet you lose.’’
The coach, however, stated that his team would take the “positives” from the game to come back to winning ways in their subsequent matches.
Gombe United defeated the Ikenne-based club through Ibrahim Yahaya’s goal scored in the game’s 15th minute.
Prior to the match against Gombe United, Remo Stars had played 11 matches, won six and drew five.
