By Amaechi Agbo

Coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL champions, Plateau United, Abdul Maikaba has blamed his side’s 2-0 home defeat in the hands of Kwara United on continenetal exertion and injuries.

Jide Fatokun scored in the 62nd minute of the encounter to give the visitors the lead. And while the home team were rallying to recover form the shock, the Harmony boys added more woes their their pain when Michael Ohanu scored the second goal on the 7 minutes later to condemn the defending champions to their home defeat in the new season.

Plateau United crowned champions of the 2019/2020 NPFL after the League Management Company, LMC decided to adopt Point Per Game, PPG system to end the league.

The club on December 5, 2020 crashed out of the CAF Champions League and three weeks after the league commenced, coach Maikaba has come out to blame continental exertions and injuries as the reason his club lost to Kwara United in Jos on Sunday.

Although coach Maikaba expressed optimism that the team would bounce back from the setback, he revealed that almost all the contingent, including the officials and players has been sick for a two weeks and some for five days

“Continental exertions have taken a toll on my boys, but we remain optimistic of bouncing back from the setback,” the coach said on his twitter handle.

Continuing, he added “The team was injury-hit, eight of our regular players did not partake in this match. The problem has being (been) since we came back from Tanzania (three weeks ago)

“Almost all the contingent, including the officials, everybody has been sick – some for five days, some for two weeks, some, up to today, they are not okay.

“The boys played very well in the first half, but lost control in the second half because of too much pressure.

“This is just the beginning, we just started the league. Plateau United will bounce back in subsequent matches,” he concluded.