By Chigozie Chukwuleta
Nigeria National League debutantes, Ijele FC began their 2024/2025 season journey with hard fought 2-2 draw at home against Inter Lagos FC.
The game held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu drew a lot of attention being their first league game and against a high rated team.
The young lads met the expectations of their supporters despite home draw as they marched the visitors who the home fans thought would mesmerize the rookies tooth for tooth.
Othuke Egbo set the pace for the four goals thriller when his beautiful shot found the far corner of the net in the eleventh minute of the game for the visitors.
The goal seemed to be the energizer for the homers who were jittery in the first ten minutes of the game. They found their rhythm and their effervescent captain, Izunna Alex in a three step move found the back of the net in the eighteenth minute to restore parity.
Towards the tail of the first half, motivated Adetona Adeyemi increased the tally for the homers in the 42nd minute.
The second half saw both teams refusing each other’s incursions, but a wrong defensive calculation in the 67th minute saw Somtochukwu Abraham stroll into the box for the Inter Lagos equaliser.
Ijele FC fleet footed Captain, Izunna Alex won the Man of The Match Award.
Speaking to journalists after the game, coach of Ijele FC, Mr Fesojaye Tajudeen said that though the result is not what they had expected, it is not an outright bad result.
According to him, the team will hold on to the positives and work on the lessons learnt while preparing for their next game in Ogbomosho this weekend.
Inter Lagos coach, Mr Ezema Gabriel attributed his team’s away draw result against Ijele FC to experience, describing it as a decent start for the team.
