Abia Warriors head coach Imama Amapakabo has identified poor finishing and weaknesses in defensive transitions as major reasons behind his team's disappointing results in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Umuahia-based club twice recovered from a goal down to secure a 2-2 draw against Doma United in their Matchday 12 fixture in Aba on Sunday, but the result extended their difficult spell in the competition.
Obioma Chukwumeka scored twice for Abia Warriors, although the hosts failed to convert their comeback into a victory.
Reacting after the game, Amapakabo expressed disappointment with his players' inability to make the most of their scoring opportunities and their failure to respond quickly when possession changes hands.
“We create the chances, and we are not capitalizing on them. There have been so many moments for us in transition. My players are not reacting well in defensive transition,” he said.
The former Nigeria U-23 coach explained that both problems had persisted despite repeated efforts by the technical crew to improve the team's performance in those areas.
“Something we’ve been working on, you know, and what has bedevilled us mostly has been our finishing and our transition in defence. We’ve done a whole lot on it but still, you know, the players, you know.”
Amapakabo also acknowledged that Abia Warriors were fortunate to avoid defeat against Doma United.
“We were lucky today; we escaped with a point,” he admitted.
The coach further raised concerns about the lack of consistent goalscorers in his squad, revealing that only one player among the more than 30 members of the team regularly takes advantage of scoring opportunities.
The draw leaves Abia Warriors 19th on the NPFL table with 11 points from 12 matches. They have recorded two victories, five draws and five defeats so far this season.