Lobi Stars kept alive their hopes of making it to the knockout round of the CAF Champions League following a 0-0 draw against
Michael Babatunde’s Wydad Casablanca in their
The Makurdi club have their disciplined defending and goalkeeper Olufemi Kayode to thank for the away draw.
Solomon Ogbeide’s men who lost 1-0 to the former champions in the first leg paraded their Nigerian import Michael Babatunde in the game.
In the Group’s other fixture also on Tuesday, Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosas were held to a goalless draw by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
Lobi Stars occupy third position in the group despite the impressive result. The Nigerian champions have four points from four games.
Wydad top the group with seven points, same as second placed Sundowns who have inferior goal difference.
Lobi Stars will next face South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns on match day five.
By Adeboye Amosu
10 Comments
A very impressive performance by Lobi stars against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco last night with a lot of eye catching moments.
I really wished they won the game given their imperial displays: they showed so much confidence, dorminated the game with quick short exchange of passes, fluent movement beating their North Americans to their game but failed to find the killer pass in the final third to punish the lacklustre performance of the home team who pipped them by a lone goal in Nigeria.
Omoleye, Darey Ojo, Kayode (kp), kelly, Aghahowa, Sikiru.
I do hope they can make it out of the group stage with a sustained performance and goals.
Nice one bro. Really glad that – at least – they have a chance of salvaging something from this Champions League campaign.
A lot of NPFL fans believe that Lobi Stars should not be the ones representing the country in this competition as their participation is a direct outcome of a dysfunctional league.
Well, we are here and I am rooting for them to make it out of the group stages however bleak that might be looking at the moment.
The boys from Makurdi have to somehow conjure this same kind of performance against Mamelodi Sundown on 9 March and then go one better against Asec at home on 16 March, with results elsewhere going their way, to have a fighting chance of making it out of the group of wolves that they found themselves.
Whatever the final outcome, they can be buoyed going into their next league fixture against Wikki Toursist with a performance last night that may end up being a temporary high in a CAF champions league campaign that promised them so many lows when the draws were made.
Grinding out results no matter what is the name of the game for Lobi from now on. This 1 point sure gives them some hope. I just hope they can also grind out another point against sundowns and wrap things up with 3 against ASEC. But left to me, Lobi are already biting more than they can chew, giving the fact that not much chance was given to them at the beginning. I wish them the best of luck.
I not sure your description of the game as dominated by Lobi stars is accurate, but rather the other way round. Lobi packed the bus and made virtually no meaningful incursion into their opponents half. In fact they could hardly string three to four passes together. their two central defenders and to a lesser extent their goal keeper, as well as some wrong offside calls is why they got a draw. they need to improve if they hope to get anything on the road in SA
I watched the game live, Lobi stars played total rubbish sorry to say, first half is like 90% to %10 , they lose the ball easily and cant even make good four passes, any ways these guys Kone, Kwambe , Lazarus playing from right back and Sikiru the number 9 guy impressed me most. Ojo is a good footballer but gives nonsense passes too much and some times fails to trap the ball well.Hope they win at beat ASEC at home and go to SA to draw the match because they cant beat sundowns at home that i am 100% sure
‘Charles, the stats support your statement that they went to park the bus, however, whatever is necessary to get/grind out a result that keeps one in the competition.
Casablabca had 18 shots on goal to Lobi’s 5, possession WAC 67% to Lobi’s 33%, 537 passes to Lobi’s 260, and WAC had 11 corners to Lobi’s 1.
if Lobi had come out to attack, maybe they would have lost and crashed out of the competition.
Sometimes in football one has to get an “ugly result” so one lives to fight again
@BigD i do understand what you talking about but it seems our league is a piece of trash, am the only guy that support and watch Nigeria football, all my lads are always insulting me because of our style of play. It seems Nigeria league needs sponsors and supports,we don’t even travel to watch our teams playing away, all our so called millionaires are Just useless, may be if the guys are getting paid enough things might improve.I am not going to give up though. Am going to watch Rangers live again and hope they won’t give me heart attack today like Lobi stars almost did
Lol…
Lobi can’t make it to the next round
Am so sure of that..
We should be supporting rangers to go for golf in the confederation’s cup
Let me point you to these lyrics by Mariah Carey:
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
Its hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe.
With belief, hard work and luck , the men from Makurdi may yet walk on water….
Nigeria league need support and sponsors like other leagues, all we know is to embassament, all these useless people in the board and NFL are so corrupt, GLO stopped sponsoring because all the money they invest are no where to be found, which kind country con be this, they didn’t say don’t eat but we go eat every thing finish.Every body is running away because people running our league are all assholes.I don’t live in Nigeria but i am passionate about Out football and always there to support.People should try go to the stadium and also watch live soccer match, every body is just focus on Euro leagues.I don’t support anytime than Super Eagles