Smart City FC produced a remarkable second-half fightback to recover from three goals down and force Stormers Sports Club to a thrilling 3-3 draw in Thursday’s pre-season friendly at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
Technical Adviser Eddy Lord Dombraye used the encounter to hand opportunities to several new players as he continued assessing his squad ahead of the 2026/27 Nigeria National League season.
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But the experiment initially proved costly.
Hosts Stormers punished Smart City’s unsettled first-half display, racing into a commanding 3-0 advantage inside the opening 30 minutes and leaving the Lagos side facing the prospect of a heavy defeat.
Dombraye responded by making changes, withdrawing some of the new players who had struggled to make the desired impact and introducing other members of his squad.
The changes transformed the contest.
Smart City returned with greater purpose and cohesion in the second half, gradually taking control and eating into Stormers’ three-goal advantage before completing an impressive comeback to make it 3-3.
The result provided another valuable examination for Dombraye, who was appointed earlier this month to lead Smart City’s push for promotion to the NPFL.
Smart City had already recorded a 1-0 pre-season victory over Ajuwa FA, with the technical crew using their warm-up fixtures to test combinations and evaluate players before the new campaign.
While conceding three times in the opening half-hour will give Dombraye areas to address, the response after the changes demonstrated the competitive depth he is attempting to build.
Three goals down and seemingly heading for defeat, Smart City instead left Abeokuta with a comeback that could prove one of the most useful lessons of their pre-season.
