By Aderonke Ojo
When it rained heavily on Sunday afternoon in Abeokuta shortly before the CAF Confederations Cup second leg match between Kwara United and Asante Kotoko, we all believed the heavens had opened up with showers of blessings for the Afonja warriors.
Little did we know that it will turn out to be a ravaging “storm” that will sweep us away from the Continental championship, no thanks to our players momentary loss of concentration and visible complacency which paved the way for the visitors to painfully and ironically score the only goal we needed to advance.
Yes, supporters and fans wailed, they yelled, they cried blue murder, berated our boys for allowing a golden opportunity slip off their fingers at “home” in Abeokuta after putting up such a spirited fight away in Accra.
It was indeed a painful experience that got the whole MKO Sports Arena to become “dead as dodo”, with all present (except the happy visitors) wearing long and sorrowful faces instead of the joyous celebration that would pavaded the whole Arena had victory been ours.
That sometimes is the unpredictable nature of the beautiful game of soccer.
Now that the “storm” is over, our darling club should be ready to pick up the bits and pieces of the Abeokuta sad experience with a view to forging ahead and face the domestic league with the aggressiveness of a wounded lion ready to pounce on its prey.
All matches in the NPFL must be approached with the seriousness,courage and determination to win both at home and away.
There must be a resurgence of hope in the ability of our darling club to deliver,that ofcourse is the way to assuage the pain inflicted on our teeming supporters in the wake of our ouster from the Continental championship.
The fact must not be lost that even on the flip side of the coin emerged the cheering news that our facilities are now gradually wearing a new look with a promise that in the coming days all deficiencies which necessitated our having to play home “away” in Abeokuta as directed by CAF, will be a thing of the past.
Tomorrow, as they engage visiting Plateau United in their first domestic league encounter after the “Abeokuta storm”,
that match offers a unique opportunity for Kwara United to put smiles back on the faces of their teeming supporters who would be at the Rashidi Yekini Arena to watch them.
The Harmony boys must go all out, charge at the visitors, choke their defense, curtail their attack ,score very re- assuring goals and record a convincing victory to announce their being back on winning ways.
Only this, I believe can heal the wounds of that Abeokuta misadventure.
This is the only noble choice open for our darling team to make and I sincerely hope and believe they will leave up to expectations.
Plateau United must bow to the fire power of Kwara United in Ilorin.