Bayelsa Queens head coach Whyte Ogbonda says he is still confident his side can retain their Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership crown, even after a tough opening stretch at the Super Six in Port Harcourt.
Slow start in Port Harcourt
The defending champions were beaten 2-1 by Nasarawa Amazons on Monday, leaving Bayelsa Queens with just a single point from their first two matches. They had earlier drawn 1-1 with Abia Angels.
After going ahead early in the second half through Chiamaka Ezekwugo, Bayelsa Queens appeared on track to register their first win of the competition. However, they conceded two goals late as Nasarawa Amazons produced a dramatic comeback to secure the result.
Coach’s verdict: concentration and avoidable errors
Following the match, Ogbonda pointed to concentration issues, especially during the closing stages, as the main reason Bayelsa Queens failed to hold onto their advantage.
“We lost the game because of loss of concentration. The Super Six is still very much open because only two matchdays have been played,” Ogbonda said.
- He blamed lapses in focus for the late collapse against Nasarawa Amazons.
- He said the two goals they conceded were preventable.
- He suggested the goalkeeper should have dealt better with the situations that led to the damage being done.
Ogbonda was also specific about the first of the two late strikes, saying it should not have turned into a goal.
“The two goals were avoidable. On the first one, she could have pushed the ball out for a corner rather than trying to catch it. Those mistakes proved costly.”
While he expressed disappointment, the Bayelsa Queens coach accepted the opposition’s quality and admitted Nasarawa Amazons earned the win.
“Nasarawa Amazons played better because they won the game,” he concluded.
Why the title race is still wide open
Ogbonda stressed that the Super Six remains unpredictable, pointing to a surprise outcome earlier in the tournament. He referenced Abia Angels’ unexpected 1-0 win over Rivers Angels as proof that results can swing quickly regardless of expectations.
“A lot of surprises will still happen. We all thought Rivers Angels would beat Abia Angels after their Federation Cup meeting, but football has shown once again that anything can happen. We remain hopeful until the last day that we can defend our title.”
Turnaround mission: Wednesday’s derby with Rivers Angels
With the setback behind them, Ogbonda has already turned his attention to Wednesday’s South-South derby against Rivers Angels. He described the clash as a must-win for Bayelsa Queens and framed it as a decisive opportunity to get their campaign going in the playoffs.
“The game against Rivers Angels will bring out the best in us. We are going all out for the three points. For us, it is like the final of the Super Six and we will give everything to win.”
Bayelsa Queens will now head into the match against Rivers Angels seeking their first victory of the Super Six and aiming to reignite their bid to defend the NWFL Premiership title.
