Abia Warriors Head Coach, Abdul Usman Biffo, has described as huge setback the top-flight draw against oriental neighbours, FC IfeanyiUbah on Wednesday.
The Umuahia Warriors were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Anambra Warriors in midweek’s NPFL rescheduled Match-day 34 clash at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Biffo said despite the dropped points in the oriental clash his side still have their destiny to survive the drop right on their palms.
“Of course, the draw against FC IfeanyiUbah was a huge setback on our concerted efforts to beat the drop in the on-going top-flight.
“We worked very hard to claim the whole three points but ended up sharing the spoils with the visitors.
“After we fought hard to pick a point on the road only to come back home to forfeit two points that’s not really smiling moment for us.
“However, I can beat my chest and tell whoever that cares to listen that Abia Warriors will certainly beat the drop at the end of the season.
“We have our destiny right there in our hands to make or mar the survival quest in the top-flight.
“We have three home matches to play on the calendar we cannot afford to toy with any of the matches if we must remain in the premier league.
“We must device a measure that will see us win all the matches as well as pick some points on the road, too.
“However, I’m confident we will avoid the drop once we are able to do the needful in the remaining matches,” said the former Giwa FC and Kogi United coach to supersport.com.
Abia Warriors are 17th on the Nigerian top-flight log on 38 points 16 behind league leaders and oriental neighbours, Enugu Rangers.
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors have condemned in strong terms, the minor skirmishes that followed the
draw with Ifeanyi Ubah while accusing fans of the Nnewi club of engineering the violence.
In a statement issued yesterday in Umuahia after the club’s emergency management meeting, Abia Warriors recalled that the Umuahia Township Stadium has remained the most peaceful venue in the country as no violence had ever been recorded at the arena in the history of Nigerian football before, during or after any match no matter the result recorded.
Media Officer of Abia Warriors, Igwe Onuoha, noted that FC Ifeanyi Ubah had come to Umuahia with thousands of their fans and were the ones that started a fight even at half time when their goalkeeper beat up a ball boy for an inexplicable reason and after the game in order to indict Abia Warriors Football Club.
“We have lost some games and drawn others at the Umuahia Township Stadium this season and nothing happened after those matches despite the provocation by some of the officials, so what is the big deal about the draw with Ifeanyi Ubah? The statement signed by the media officer queried.
Abia Warriors called on the league Management Company to monitor the activities of the officials that handle league matches at this critical period of the season in order to ensure fairness to all the clubs and so that the league will not be brought into disrepute through the activities of some overzealous referees.
