For the thousands of spectators that stayed behind to watch the last match of Day 1 at the 2019 NPFL Championship Playoffs between nominal league champions Lobi Stars and 2018/19 season’s surprise package FC Ifeanyiubah, one thing evident to all was the incredible fitness level of the Pride of Benue in the evening game.
Lobi Stars recorded the highest score margin of the opening match day at the Agege Stadium in Lagos on Tuesday evening with a 3-1 win over the dazed Anambra Warriors in a game decided under floodlights.
Right from the very beginning when Samad Kadiri raced clear to finish Kelly Kester’s pass with just about ninety seconds on the clock, Lobi’s players did not stop running even until the final minute.
Right back John Lazarus was at his overlapping best, midfielders Kester and Alex Aghahowa harangued and harassed their opponents with incredible sprints throughout the contest, while Kadiri and his strike partner Sikiru Alimi ran across the front with gusto and verve.
FC Ifeanyiubah’s young side responded at some point but in the end could not match the physicality and high octane pressing of the 2018/19 CAF Champions League campaigners.
Head coach Evans Ogenyi believes that his team’s display should not be unexpected considering the level they came from at the CAF Champions League.
“You know we just came back from the continent even though it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t go beyond the group stage but then we’ve been able to restore Nigeria’s second slot in the CAF competitions and the experience was valuable,” said Ogenyi.
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