NPFL: Bayelsa United coach blames officiating for the draw as Remo Stars urge players to remain focused

Bayelsa United coach, Ladan Bosso, lamented his players’ conversion rate and poor officiating after their goalless draw at home against reigning champions Rangers International.

The Restoration Boys have struggled in their last five matches before Sunday’s encounter and they needed a win to steer clear of the relegation waters but the draw has left them five places and five points above the drop zone.

It was also their fifth draw at home in the NPFL this season, having also lost one game at home this season.

“We planned to get the maximum three points but along the line, decisions from the officials cost us. You can never catch someone offside when there is a rebound. The rule says when the ball is last touched to you by your teammate, you’re offside but the ball was last touched by the goalkeeper before the guy scored the goal. So, why was the goal cancelled?” Bosso queried.

He also extended the blame to his players, noting that they failed to make the most of their chances.

“As far as I’m concerned, the performance in the second half was better than the first half, that is coaching. So the issue now is the players should take their chances as early as possible. If we had taken those chances in the first half, we could have been in a good position.”

Currently 12th in the league with 29 points, Bayelsa United will hope to bounce back in their next game against Kwara United in Ilorin.

Elsewhere, Remo stars coach Daniel Ogunmodede has charged his players not to take their feet off the gas in their quest to win the club’s first Nigeria Premier Football League title, despite holding an eight-point gap at the top of the table currently.

 Ogunmodede’s side maintained their lead in the NPFL last Saturday, beating former champions Kano Pillars 2-1, moving up to 48 points at the top with southwest rivals 3SC behind them in second place.

Their 2-1 win over Pillars was however not perfect, as the visitors dominated the game to the dismay of Ogunmodede.

“It’s not a very good day for us but to be champions, some days will be like this and the most important thing is having the spirit to conquer. We didn’t play to our best but we have the maximum points which is what is important to our course,” Ogunmodede said after the win.

“It’s one of those things, some of the players have this belief that we are there already but we are not. We have learnt a lot of lessons in our last three games. But I must salute their courage too, they fought hard.”

Having agonisingly missed out on the title in the last two seasons, the gaffer has been outspoken about their desire to win the league this term. In one of his halftime talks shared by the club during their spirited 3-2 win over Abia Warriors, Ogunmodede charged his players not to get carried away.

“If you want to be the best, you be the best. I don’t want a better player. I don’t want any good players here. It’s either you’re the best or nothing,” the coach charged.

“If you throw away games like this, you will never come back like this again. And for a champion, you don’t trail twice like this, if not you will suffer for it.”

They came back from two goals down to win the game 3-2.

Unbeaten in their last eight games, Remo Stars have recorded the highest number of wins so far this season, winning 15, drawing three and losing five matches. Four of those wins have come in away games, making them the best team on the road this season as well.

They have scored 32 goals in the process which is the league’s second-highest at the moment behind Ikorodu City’s 34 goals. Defensively, they have also chipped in 17 goals – a joint-third defensive record so far this season.

Remo’s win against Pillars also extended the winning streak to six games, the first time they will do that in the history of the NPFL.