MFM TM confesses how Ilechukwu leading the rival Plateau United in their MatchDay3 encounter. Gave him serious concern
Fidelis Ilechukwu was the pioneer Manager of Church Club, MFM FC when they joined the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) but left two seasons ago for Heartland from where he moved to Plateau United.
Plateau United visited Lagos for the MatchDay 3 fixture against MFM and Shola Balogun, leading the host team revealed that he had sleepless nights preparing for the Jos team. At the end of the encounter, Balogun said he was glad his team came away with a 1-0 win at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Wednesday, December 29 evening.
Precious Roland won the match for the Lagos team with a 55th minute free header from Adikwu Moses cross.
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After a barren first half, MFM changed strategy by opening wide to the right flank, drawing Plateau defence line out and open, giving Roland the chance to freely connect the cross at the left arm of the box.
Overjoyed Balogun recalled that the match was a must win for his team having lost his first two games and was coming under pressure. The pressure was not made better by the thought of former MFM coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, plotting for the opposition.
“The pressure was too much on me as we had lost our first two games. I did everything I could but we could not win. At a point I began to feel that it was a spiritual problem but I told my boys that this match is a must-win, come rain, come shine.
“Matters were not helped by the thought of having my former boss (Fidelis Ilechukwu) coming with Plateau United. He brought me to MFM. He taught me. He knows everything I know and he knows how to change a game. All that fear is gone with the win and I can assure MFM fans of better days ahead because the door has opened with this win.”
Plateau United coach, Hamza Abara, said his team was simply unfortunate.
“We hoped to win and we put in everything but the result went the other way. That is football for you.”
