Abakaliki FC striker Chukwudi Okoro has said it was not their day in Saturday’s President Federation Cup final against Kwara United.
The ‘Rice Boys’ as Abakaliki FC are known, stunned everyone by reaching this year’s President Federation Cup.
To get to the final Abakaliki took out top sides like Enyimba, Katsina United, Nasarawa United and Ikorodu City.
After putting in an impressive performance in the final which ended 0-0 in 90 minutes, Abakaliki lost 4-3 on penalty shootout.
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Reflecting on the defeat to Kwara United Okoro, in an exclusive interview with Completesports.com, said things did not go they way they planned it.
“To me our performance in the final was not bad we really prepared ahead of the game but unfortunately it was not our day,” the tall striker said. “We played to win against Kwara United but things did not go as planned.”
Okoro explained that he expected a tough encounter against Kwara United defence.
“I expected to come up against a strong Kwara United defence in the final, I was prepared for it. It was the same thing I faced against the likes of Enyimba, Katsina United, Nasarawa United and Ikorodu City. So, it was nothing to me it was a final and that was expected.”
Abakaliki converted their first two spot kicks while their goakeeper saved Kwara United’s first attempt.
But things went south as Abakaliki missed their third and fourth spots and Kwara United went on to convert the next four kicks.
Despite the defeat, Okoro played it down positing that penalty shootout is a gane of luck.
“We all know that penalty shootout is a game of luck, anybody can miss a penalty,” he noted. “Even we have seen the best players miss penalty so that’s not a problem. It was our wish to win but things did not go as we wanted.”
Next season Okoro and his teammates will compete in the Nigeria National League (NNL) after suffering relegation to the Nigeria Nationwide League (NLO).
Looking ahead to next season, Okoro expressed confidence that Abakaliki FC will gain promotion back to the second-tier League.
He added:”It’s unfortunate that we got relegated but I want to let you know that we are coming back to the NNL.”
By James Agberebi
