Doma United coach Deji Ayeni remains confident his team can revive their strong start to the Nigeria Premier Football League season after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Ikorodu City on Matchday 11.
Key takeaways
- Bitrus Philemon scored in the 97th minute to secure a late point for Doma United.
- Ikorodu City had moved ahead through Ujunwa Elijah’s 85th-minute strike.
- Ayeni said his side have lost some of the cohesion that powered their early results.
- The Doma United boss pointed to missed chances and avoidable goals as key concerns.
- He believes the Gombe club can still collect valuable results away from home.
Late rescue in Gombe
The Gombe-based club required a stoppage-time intervention from Philemon to avoid defeat, with the forward netting in the 97th minute after Elijah had put Ikorodu City in front late in the contest.
Ayeni said Doma United have not sustained the understanding and fluency that marked their encouraging opening to the league campaign, but he is certain the players can regain it.
“We began the league well, but that chemistry disappeared,” Ayeni said. “We will eventually put it right.”
Coach targets sharper finishing and greater unity
The head coach felt his players produced enough openings during the match, but were not clinical enough in front of goal. He also admitted that the goals conceded damaged their prospects of claiming a home victory.
Even so, Ayeni viewed the draw as a worthwhile result because it spared Doma United another defeat on their own ground.
“A point is preferable to losing all three,” he said. “There is still plenty to compete for, and we can pick up points elsewhere too.”
Ayeni expects his team to find their rhythm again as the season develops, with more effective finishing and restored collective understanding identified as the immediate areas for improvement.
