Rivers United rode their luck and struck a mortal blow late on in a hard-fought 1-0 win over Remo Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday, sports247.ng reports.
The hosts could have been out of sight in the first half but a plethora of missed opportunities plus a man of the match display by Rivers United goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande meant the Port Harcourt club claimed their first away victory of the season said Sammywejinya and Turka to sports247.ng on Sunday.
Remo Stars started the game like a house on fire, pinning United to their half and almost taking the lead inside the opening two minutes through Ekene Awazie who managed to miss from close range.
The hosts kept up their intense start to the game and carved out two openings in the next five minutes but Mayi Seth and Victor Mboama fluffed their lines from promising positions.
United finally enjoyed their first moment of attacking joy on 11 minutes when Ossy Martins managed to carve out space just outside the box before watching in despair as his fierce drive flew just wide.
Then came the Akande show!
The Rivers United goalkeeper produced a save that defied logic in the 14th minute to push out a goal bound Mboama effort denying Awazie in impressive fashion two minutes later.
Four minutes later, the Rivers United shot stopper was on hand to produce a remarkable double save to keep the scoreline blank.
Remo continued to dictate the play and came close to opening the scoring two minutes before the half hour through Abu Azeez whose strike from the edge of the box sailed wide.
Five minutes later the dominant hosts came even closer to taking a deserved lead but Akande was in inspired form between the sticks.
He displayed reflexes an agile cat would have been proud of to deny Victor Chidume whose expertly-struck effort was deserving of a goal.
It was a save of the very highest quality and and it duly drew appreciative effort from sections of the home support.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with the hosts dictating the play and carving chances at will.
Profligacy was however to be their biggest undoing with captain, Mboama, the biggest culprit.
The nadir of his misses was recorded in the 77th minute – a free header from three yards which he inexplicably placed wide with a gaping goal at his mercy.
The Remo Stars trainer, Kenny Boboye had seen enough and hurled off the striker moments later with his replacement, Kingsley Akemini failing to deliver the goods.
United however owed the win, in large part to their outstanding goalkeeper, who did not put a foot wrong in the game.
He was in peerless form on 50 and 57 minutes to deny Mboama and Awoyemi with extraordinary saves that left the Remo Stars players with incredulous looks on their faces.
He suffered a broken head on the hour while making another impressive save but soldiered on with the sole resolve to inspire his side to glory.
When substitute, Justice Charles replaced Bright Onyedikachi in the 66th minute, few could have predicted what would play out in a dramatic twist.
The big Rivers United forward almost scored with his first touch of the game but was denied by a brave save by the Remo goalkeeper.
It was a premonition the hosts failed to heed as the substitute struck a goal of the very highest quality with 20 minutes remaining.
He turned a defender inside out before striking a fearsome effort in off the crossbar from the edge of the box.
The small pack of visiting fans erupted in mass hysteria as they sensed a remarkable result on the cards.
Ossy Martins and Peter Ubakanma had had chances to double the visitors’ advantage but there was to be no more scoring in a tense encounter that left all who watched on the edges of their seats from start to finish.
“We had almost ten chances and they had just one yet we lost,” a crest fallen Chidume said afterwards.
United’s technical manager, Stanley Eguma whose decision to drop Drissa Bamba for Akande proved to be an inspired move took the time to address the official Rivers United media channel.
“I thank my players for the effort they put into today’s game.
“We planned for this kind of result, having lost our last match at home (to Wikki Tourists), and we were able to achieve it.
“We had no choice but to go all out for an outright victory,” he said exclusively to www.riversunutedfc.com.ng.
Rivers United have now moved away from the relegation zone and now occupy seventh place on the standings with 16 points from 12 games.
Squads
Remo Stars
Fabiyi Emmanuel, Awoyemi Abiodun, Dede Muoghara, Edoka Owoicho, Olisa Ndah, Chidume Victor, Abu Azeez ( Ogwuche Mathias 60′), Maji Seth, Ekene Awazie, Mbaoma Victor ( Kingsley Akemini 80′), Shokunbi Dare
Substitutes not used:
Ocheje Moses, Akpojuvwevwo Bright, Oshobe Shuji, Ogbobe Clement and Solomon John,
Rivers United
Akande Abiodun, Peter Ubakanma, Zoumana Doumbia, Kunle Odunlami, Emekayi Temple, Festus Austin, Bright Onyedikachi (Justice Charles 66′), Wasiu Jimoh (Kehinde Adedipe 76′), Ossy Martins, Tofic Omar (Ogar David 83′), Cletus Emotan
Substitutes not used
Onyedikachi Bright, Drissa Bamba, Bamba Bakary and Gbadebo Samson.
Goals: Justice Charles 70′
Yellow Cards
Remo Stars: Awoyemi Abiodun 49′, Oguche Matthias 87′
Rivers United: Peter Ubakanma 45′, Zoumana Doumbia 48′
Red Cards: Nil
Changes to squad from last match day lineup.
In
Akande Abiodun
Zoumana Doumbia
Emekayi Temple
Festus Austin
Esor Okwa Nelson
Tofic Omar
Out
Drissa Bamba
Konan Ruffin
Ogar David
Gbadebo Sampson
Leonard Ugochukwu
Kehinde Adedipe
