Abraysports FC Coach Says Evolution Cup Will Help NLO Teams
Coach Gbolade Ezekiel of Abraysports FC of Ilorin has described the ongoing Evolution Cup at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne as a watershed which has availed participating teams the opportunity to guage their team's readiness for the upcoming NLO season.
Coach Ezekiel, while speaking after their 5-3 win over Rolly FC on MatchDay 3 of the NLO Pre-season Invitational Tournament noted that the championship is serving as a reality check for his team having lost their last two games.
"So far, so good; the tournament has been commendable and at the same time, I want to thank the organisers of this tournament because this type of programme will help the team prepare very well," he said.
As regards his team's first victory, "I have been drumming it to their ears that I know the way the team play; because they have good wingers who are very tall and can run- so I said when they are scoring we will be scoring too and you can see in the second half that immediately I pulled out some players and told those that came in that they must not hold the ball more than two times- that's why you see the progressing passes which eventually produced three goals" revealed the gaffer.
Speaking on their first game, Coach Ezekiel attributed their 4-1 loss to Beyond Limits due to the need to test some of his players with the hope to improve on their lapses.
"In our first game, we held the team to a goalless draw at half time, and in the second half because of the fact that it's a pre-season; we decided to try some other players and to know those who are mature and those who have a long way to go. At they end we go thrashed. If this kind of result didn't come, we would think that those are the best players we have," he quipped.
Reacting to the dominance of his team in Kwara State and how they have struggled at Evolution Cup, he said: "We were a leading team in Ilorin but when we got here, we discovered that we still have a long way to go.
"Back home in Ilorin, they are saying that Abraysports have jammed their 'husband' but the game of football is like that- i know we came here to learn and we have seen a lot of things and by the grace of God the league will be very superb for us this season" he concluded.
Abraysports, who lost 3-2 in their second game against Right2Win will face Magic Stars in the match day 5 of the tournament.
Evolution Cup is sponsored by Alphakay International Sports and packaged by Sportsflames Communications.
