Baba Ganaru: Abia Warriors win will give Lobi Stars confident boost in NPFL title race

By Wale Mustapha

Mohammed Baba Ganaru, the head coach of Lobi Stars believes his side’s bright start to new season is the needed impetus to contest for a playoffs spot and challenge for Nigeria Premier Football League title.

Lobi Stars recorded one of the shocking results in their NPFL third match outing with their 1-0 Group B away win at  Abia Warriors on Sunday with tTeenage sensation, Kumaga Suur nodding home the lone goal of the match.

The victory sees Lobi Stars ended Abia’s bright start to the season and put them among the contenders to the playoffs in Group B and Baba Ganaru who is full of praise for his players, opened up on the strategy behind the win.

“I said before the match that we were coming with a match plan that will be good enough to get a win and thank God we’ve achieved it,” Ganaru told nigeriafootball.ng.

“If you look at the way we set up the team, you will notice its with an attacking consciousness, mindset of counter attack and very discipline I’m defense.

“We knew its an abridged season so it has affected our approach especially how we play away matches, we are working to improve it to more on having sanity in defense and have believe of scoring going forward and I’m confident it will help us more to end well this season,” he said.

Asked about the performances of the goal scorer and goalkeeper Daniel Atsaka, Baba Ganaru revealed it was as a result of their inputs in training and a bit of encouragement to make the lads give more.

“Suur has been coming up and doing very well in training, we’ve been giving him few minutes to build his confidence and scoring today will give him more confidence,” he continued.

“For Atsaka, its not that bad, he only need to believe in himself and put more to what he does and today you can see he has qualities to play at the top levels and keep more games, we will continue to encourage them to give their best for the team.”

Lobi have now garnered six points from three matches and will next host Bayelsa United in Jos for the Matchday Four duel.