Imama Amapakabo identifies two major problems behind Abia Warriors struggles

Abia Warriors head coach Imama Amapakabo has voiced his frustration with his team's inability to turn chances into victories.

Amapakabo identifies two major problems

Abia Warriors twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Doma United in their Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 12 encounter, but Amapakabo was far from satisfied with the performance.

The coach identified poor finishing and defensive transitions as persistent weaknesses, despite the technical crew's efforts to address them.

“We create the chances and we are not combating them. There have been so many moments for us in transition moments. My players are not reacting well in defensive transition.”

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He added: “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.”

Injuries and confidence add to concerns

Amapakabo also expressed concern about the number of injuries during the match, particularly hamstring problems that disrupted his plans.

“I was asking the questions, you know, how well the players warmed up, you know, before the game because, you know, just from the start of the game, there were too many injury worries, you know, especially hamstring injuries and it gave me so much concern.”

He said the medical team would assess the affected players before determining their availability.

The coach also acknowledged the psychological effect of recent poor results, explaining that the technical crew had been working to boost the players' confidence.

‘We were lucky to escape with a point’

Despite Obioma Chukwumeka scoring twice to rescue a draw, Amapakabo felt his side had escaped with more than they deserved.

“We were lucky today, we escaped with a point,” he admitted.

He also described the pressure of remaining composed on the touchline while his players missed opportunities.

“You know, I’m a coach and I have to do my crying in the rain. You know, I don’t have to, you know, I take soldiers to war. And if I show a soldier saying my body language that I’m defeated, it’s always, you know, it is, you know, challenging for me.”

The coach further lamented his team's lack of reliable finishers, saying:

“It is challenging for me that I have just one player in a squad of about 30-something that converts chances. And the same player has chances too and he loses them too. So it’s a big problem.”

Abia Warriors remain in relegation trouble

Amapakabo insisted that responsibility for improving the team's attacking output is shared between the coaching staff and the players.

“My worry, like I always say, two people are involved in the game. I am responsible for tactics and formations. My responsibility is to make them arrive at goal. And it’s their responsibility to take the chances that we’ll be able to create through tactics, by their technique.”

He concluded: “And when they’re not converting, we keep working on it.”

The draw leaves Abia Warriors 19th in the Euromatch-NPFL standings with 11 points from 12 matches, having recorded two wins, five draws and five defeats.

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