Ikorodu United’s Salau Yusuf wins Pro Star MOTM award as NNL Super 8 enters day two
High riding attacker,, Salau Yusuf, won the Man of The Match trophy at the second match of the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 championship at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium (The Cathedral) in Enugu.
The Man of the Match award, which has ignited actions in the ongoing NNL promotion championship is sponsored by football manufacturing giants, Pro Stars which is in partnership with the NNL.
The action packed match which pitched Ikorodu United against Beyond limits ended in a 1-1 draw with the two teams showing class and growth of the standards of teams that qualified for the NNL Super 8.
Beyond Limits took the lead early in the first half of the game, when lurking attacker, Kparubo Arierhi, volleyed the ball past Ikorodu United goalkeeper Oluwadamilare Aina.
The two teams maintained a good show and measure of size, as the game dragged on before Ikorodu United levelled with a cleaner by Yusuf Toyeed that was beyond the limits of Beyond Limit’s goal keeper, Emmanuel Olisa to return the teams at par before end of the first half.
Ikorodu United came out stronger during the second half as they continuously took the game to the half of their opponents until Beyond Limits succumbed to the pressure, when it’s defender, used his hand to punch a goal bound ball that was almost sailing into the net.
The resultant penalty was however saved by inform Beyond limits goal keeper, Emmanuel Olisa.
Speaking to journalists after receiving his award, Salau Yusuf expressed his appreciation to the NNL and Pro Sports for introducing the MOTN, which he said has motivated him so much since the commencement of the Super 8 championship.
He explained that he knows his opponents very well, having played against them both at home and away stages of the league, adding that he scored his only goal of the NNL against this opponents.
” I feel so great today, winning the MOTN trophy. I know the team very well. My only one goal of the year’s NNL was against this same team. Today’s draw and the award will motivate us the more to focus on our qualifications for the Premier League.
“Yes we lost the opportunity to win the game when we lost that penalty, but we are also happy we did not lose the may h after they score us in the early h
minutes of the first half. I am still hopeful that we will do well in our remaining games to pick one of the qualifying tickets for Premier League,” assured the Oyo state born player.
