Ikorodu City Football Club has proven their rapid rise from the Nigeria National League to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) within two years of existence is no fluke, defeating 116-year-old Sudanese giants Al–Merrikh SC on Friday, July 26, in the ongoing Value Jet Pre-season tournament in Ikenne, Ogun State.
When Ikorodu City started the tournament with a draw against Remo Stars B team, many football enthusiasts thought they would be easy prey for Al–Merrikh SC, who have won the Sudanese League 19 times. However, Ikorodu City delivered a memorable performance against the visiting team.
From the first minute, both sides played with intense pressure, and constant protests against the referee’s decisions from the Sudanese bench added more fire to the encounter.
The intensity of the game was heightened by the competition in Group A, where the losing team was likely to be eliminated from the tournament.
In the first five minutes, Ikorodu City gained an advantage when Al-Merrikh’s Amir Kamal fouled Nigeria’s Oyedokun Tosin in the penalty box. Farouk Salami converted the spot-kick in the 7th minute against Super Eagles goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, who had joined the Sudanese side from Enyimba in June.
Despite the early lead, Ikorodu City continued to press for more goals, and the Sudanese side matched their intensity. The game saw numerous tackles and fouls, with the referee sending off two Al–Merrikh coaches for agitating against his decisions.
In the 31st minute, Al–Merrikh thought they had equalized when Mohammed Gbane headed the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. However, Mohammed Hashim managed to score a volley in the 44th minute, leveling the score at 1-1 by halftime.
The second half began with increased intensity, featuring hard tackles and agitations. The deadlock remained until the 80th minute when Ikorodu City scored a well-worked goal. A series of passes in Al-Merrikh’s penalty area left goalkeeper Garas Kafi exposed, allowing Alade Solomon to finish the play and secure a 2-1 victory for Ikorodu City.
Following the final whistle, Al–Merrikh’s coaching crew and players stormed off the pitch, clearly unhappy with the outcome, which could signal their exit from the tournament.
After the match, Ikorodu City coach Bright Ozegbagbei commented on their victory against the decorated Sudanese side. He said, “For us, it is another game. Regardless of who the team is, we try to do our best to have a good performance, and today is just one of those days.”
Regarding the strategy that worked against Al–Merrikh SC, he noted, “We knew that they are an experienced side. It is a big club. We knew we needed to suffer a lot, we needed to work a lot, we needed to try not to allow them comfort, and it worked out for us, especially how we got the second goal.”
On whether the win over Al–Merrikh and the draw against Remo Stars indicate their readiness for the NPFL, coach Ozegbagbei responded, “No, no, no, it is just two games. You can’t judge the team’s readiness [with two games]. We still have about two more weeks to go before we close camping. We have not really done that with the new players coming in. So, we’re going to evaluate ourselves with one, two, or three test matches after the close of camping in about ten days. Then we can really have a positive answer to that question.”
With the 2-1 win, Ikorodu City currently tops Group A with four points after a win and a draw, on the same points and goal difference as the Remo Stars B team. Al–Merrikh SC is third with three points, while reigning champions Shooting Stars are bottom with no points.
Ikorodu City is set to play their final group stage game against Shooting Stars, while Al–Merrikh will face the Remo Stars B team, needing a win to stay in the competition.
Ikorodu City will begin their NPFL campaign on the first weekend of August against former champions Kano Pillars in Kano State. Coach Ozegbagbei told Naija News that the team’s target is “to remain in the NPFL. Yes, that is our target,” he added.