Ikorodu City ‘should have won’ Lagos derby against Sporting Lagos – Ozebagbe

Ikorodu City manager Bright Ozebagbe believes his side missed the chance to take all three points after being held to a goalless draw by Sporting Lagos in the Lagos Derby.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture was played at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, where Ikorodu City produced a disciplined first-half performance but could not turn their promising spells into goals.

Ozebagbe said his players followed their tactical instructions during the opening period and created enough opportunities to settle the contest before half-time.

“I think we would have wrapped this up in the first half. The boys played with discipline, they were resilient,” Ozebagbe said.

“But we had those moments where we had to come back and we didn’t come back.”

Sporting Lagos applied greater pressure after the interval as the game became more evenly contested. Ikorodu City were forced to withstand periods of pressure, with Ozebagbe acknowledging that his team must improve its ability to regain shape and maintain discipline.

The coach said those shortcomings would be addressed ahead of the club’s next fixture.

“We will go to the next game prepared to stay disciplined, try to work areas where we have to come back. We all looked great, but we didn’t come back. It’s a big worry. Hopefully, it turns out well for us.”

Although Ikorodu City were unable to claim victory, Ozebagbe was encouraged by the options available to him on the bench. He said the substitutes helped his team remain stable during the second half of the fiercely contested derby.

“We have the depth in the team. Everybody that is part of the team is giving their best. That’s what we saw when we made those subs,” he added.

The result means Ikorodu City and Sporting Lagos shared the points in a match that produced no goals. Ikorodu City remain positioned in the upper half of the NPFL standings, while both Lagos clubs were left to settle for a point.