Niger Tornadoes were left to rue a lack of cutting edge as they fell 2–0 to Ikorodu City in their Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 25 fixture at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
A brace from Joseph Aramula proved decisive, with the forward striking once in each half to hand Ikorodu City all three points in an entertaining contest.
Both sides began brightly in an open, end to end encounter, pushing for an early breakthrough. Niger Tornadoes showed attacking intent from the outset, pairing Ismaila Sarki and Kufre Ebong in attack for the first time this season.
The hosts broke the deadlock after Ikorodu City were awarded a penalty following a challenge by Idris Saidu inside the area. The decision drew strong protests from the Tornadoes bench, who believed the call was harsh, but the referee remained unmoved. Aramula stepped up and calmly dispatched the spot kick past Ifeanyi Nchekwube to give Ikorodu City a first half lead.
Niger Tornadoes sought a response after the interval, with head coach Majin Mohammed making an early change by introducing Rickson Mendos. Sabiu Ibrahim was later withdrawn for Abdulaziz Dalhatu as the visitors looked to gain control in midfield while maintaining their attacking threat.
Despite creating several promising openings, Niger Tornadoes failed to convert their chances. The missed opportunities came back to haunt them two minutes before stoppage time when Ikorodu City struck on the counter attack, Aramula completing his brace to seal the result.
The defeat leaves Niger Tornadoes reflecting on a performance that lacked composure in front of goal and sees them drop to ninth place on the NPFL table as the season enters a decisive phase. While Ikorodu City move top of the log, level on point with Rivers United and Nasarawa United.
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