The Technical Adviser of Doma United FC of Gombe, Najib Mabo has confessed that it was the technical and tactical errors which his lads committed that caused their loss to Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi.
Coach Najib made the confession after his team was forced to genuflect before Lobi by 1-2 in the Match Day 9 cracker of the 2025/26 NNL, decided on Saturday, at the McCarthy Stadium Makurdi in Benue State. He explained that, “in football, there are technical and tactical errors that must occur and which you may sometimes pay the price, but I have to give glory to God for not only did we play a free game and left the field in absolute peace, I have also taken note of the mistakes that we made and I will go back to the drawing board and fix them before confronting Sokoto United FC in our next match in Sokoto”.
He said he felt terribly bad when his side conceded the equaliser and was subsequently defeated by the Coach Abacha tutored side, acknowledging that he was still proud of his boys for their exceptional performance in the field of play. He said, “they did their best but it wasn’t their day at all, noting that for them trading tackles with a team like Lobi Stars who were playing at home for the first time after four years, I think I have to give it to my boys for playing well, honestly”.
The former Mighty Jets FC of Jos defense marshal who said he was hopeful of garnering a point against the Makurdi based NNL side but couldn’t, saying, “a defeat is always painful and I felt bad with this defeat and now I am looking at the teams behind us on the League table that are all playing their matches at away and it is after their matches that my comfortable standing on the log will be determined”.
Coach Najib described the Chairman of Doma United FC of Gombe, Alhaji Suleiman Umar as an intelligent and technically sound man whom he said understood football very well and would always take a defeat in good faith and that he was happy working with him. “Although, my Chairman is not a certificated coach but he is intelligent, technically sound and understands football very well. I am pretty sure he watched the match live streaming and I believe he saw how well the players played and he is also a man who accepts defeat in good faith”.
Meanwhile, the Head Coach of Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi, John Onuh (aka Abacha) has attributed his team’s victory over the visiting Doma United FC of Gombe to the miracle of the Almighty God.
Coach Onuh made the remark after Lobi climbed over the shoulders of Doma to slam them with a 2-1 defeat, in the Match Day 9 keenly contested tussle in the 2025/26 NNL, at the McCarthy Stadium Makurdi. He remarked, “I came from behind to win the match because I had the belief in God that Lobi will triumph over Doma. Even when we were a goal down in the 14th minute into the first half, I did not despair because I trusted that He would not fail me”.
Coach Abacha while thanking his wards for their wonderful performance in the match and making the coaches, themselves, the management and the entire fans happy, urged them to understand that, “we have just started and until when we hit the target which we are aiming at, it will not be over. So let us put the celebration and all that comes with it behind us and focus on our next match against FC Basira in Lafia”.
The fourth time coach of Lobi Stars who maintained that he was dedicating the victory to the Chairman of Lobi, Terver Ikya who was always motivating the players financially before every match and for also opening his heart for God to use him to perform the miracle of appointing him as the Head Coach of Lobi Stars, said, “when I asked him to tell me how I got the job, he simply told me that it was God that gave me the job and not him. That is to say, when God appoints you for a job, He does the job for you”. The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Alfred Berger also got commendation for the motivation he gave the team. The Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Creativity, Tiza Imojime received commendation as well. A young and committed fan who on his own volition came out and promised ₦50.000 cash award for each goal scored and presented the sum of a ₦100.000 cash to the team after the match, also deserves appreciation.
He expressed appreciation to the teeming fans and supporters of Lobi Stars whom he addressed that, “if they were paying match bonuses to fans, I would have paid double of their match bonuses because even when we were a goal down, they did not lose faith in God and in the team. They continued to appreciate the game until we came out victorious. I must admit that, I have played and captained Lobi Stars and as a coach for the fourth time, this is the first time that I have witnessed such an overwhelming and wonderful support from the fans. I do not know how much to reciprocate the love that they have shown to their darling team and for me because most of them know me but I want to just say that I am proud of them and I place them in the hands of God”.
