Niger Tornadoes technical adviser Kabiru Dogo says his side must improve their finishing after being held to a goalless draw by Warri Wolves in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday five fixture.
The Ikon Allah Boys created a number of chances during the competitive encounter at Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Wednesday but were unable to convert any of them.
The result extended Niger Tornadoes’ recent difficulties in front of goal, with the club having scored only once in their past three matches.
Dogo admitted the lack of goals had become a concern but said the team were capable of resolving the problem during the season.
“We scored four goals in our first two opening matches against Enyimba and Kano Pillars, which made us believe we wouldn’t have any goal-scoring challenges,” Dogo told the club’s media.
“But now, we have managed to score just once in our last three games, which is not encouraging.
“Since we have identified the challenge, we will work collectively as a team to address the goal-scoring problem.”
Niger Tornadoes had begun the campaign with four goals in their opening two games, but their attacking output has since declined. Their failure to find the net against Warri Wolves also meant they had to settle for a share of the points despite creating opportunities.
Dogo recognised the disappointment among the club’s supporters and called for patience as his young squad continues to develop its understanding.
“We understand the frustration of our supporters, but we equally call on them to exercise a little more patience with the team so as not to subject the young players to too much pressure,” he said.
The coach stressed that there was still considerable time for the team to improve, pointing to the number of matches remaining in the campaign.
“This is just Week 5, with 33 more matches to play out of 38. In my opinion, there is still room for improvement, and it is our responsibility as a team to work towards achieving the desired results.”
The draw leaves Niger Tornadoes with five points from their five matches. They will attempt to return to winning ways when they travel to Lafia to meet North-Central neighbours Nasarawa United in their NPFL matchday six fixture.