Lobi Stars Football Club on Sunday 9th February, 2020, end the first round of The NPFL 2019/2020 in grand style as they over-power visiting Wikki Tourists Football Club Bauchi inside the main bowl of the Aper Stadium 2-1 to return to the summit of the league log.
Game kicked off at 4:04 as no nonsense FIFA badge Referee Ferdinand Udoh who sounded his whistle for the commencement of his first NPFL game in 2 years for Lobi Stars to swing in to action.
Lobi Stars came close to getting the curtain raiser when a 2nd minute long kick from Goalkeeper Faith James located Austin Ogunye, his mistep could not give him the needed balance as the ball slipped in to the waiting hands of Goalkeeper Ibrahim Pius of Wikki Tourists .
The persistent effort of the coach Gbenga Ogunbote tutored boys paid off in the 10th minute as a well coordinated build up the started from Governor Ernest to Chukwudi Nwaodu, Mathias Samuel, John Lazarus was placed on the right side for a down line running Samad Kadiri whose one time cross was headed home by Utibe Archibong Arit to put Lobi Stars and himself on the score list of MD 19.
In the 15th minute, first goal assist Samad Kadiri needed to provide another assist for Matthias Samuel but had chosen to shoot from a closed angle where the goal posts had the full protection of the visiting goalkeeper ended up a lost opportunity.
A 20th minute throw in resulted to a cross by John Lazarus and was extended with a header by Utibe Archibong Arit for Austin Ogunye who brutally brought for a penalty for Lobi Stars. Ogunye got up and covert the penalty with acute dexterity for the second goal for Lobi Stars.
Lobi Stars kept on the pressure, seeking more goals with scoring possibilities coming their way on an average of one chance every 2 minutes. What obviously had looked like a goal feast averaging one goal in every 10 minutes dried up for the remaining part of the the first half as Centre Referee Ferdinand Udoh sounded his whistle for end of first half at 45+3.
Wikki Tourists took the kick off upon resumption, three minutes in to the second half got a free kick behind penalty arc of Lobi Stars penalty area, the kick was was blocked but Wikki took the rebound and extend to the left for Jackson Daniel but his thunder strike was saved by the excellent Goalkeeping of Lobi Stars Faith James.
Lobi Stars made the first substitution 53 minutes extent of play as transfer window sign-on Sunday Adentunji takes over from Austin Ogunye who was a torn in the flesh of Wikki Tourists defense amidst mixed reactions from fans. Adetunji’s first move towards Wikki Tourists was a counter attack, he attacked the space and put the ball in the direction of Samad Kadiri’s run, the returned pass saw Adetunji face to face with the goalkeeper but unexplainably blew the chance.
69th minute yellow card was issued to Matthias Samuel as Lobi intensify search for more goals but the game steadily drift in to a goal missing galore. Omotayo Adebogun was introduced for the 10th minute goal scorer Utibe Archibong Arit in the 86th minute.
90+3 minutes as the game was been wrapped up and Lobi Stars fans had counted 2 goals in the game, Desmond Agbe stopped an attack, carelessly delayed clearance and ended up handing the ball over to an opposing player who quickly send a pass to his team mate Nasiru Jibrin who drives a last minute shot that beat Goalkeeper Faith James to the far right for a consolation goal for Wikki Tourists, bringing the game to 2-1 in favour of Lobi Stars.
By this victory, Lobi Stars have returned to the summit of the league table with 35 points from 19 games, 2 points ahead of second placed Plateau United FC with 33 points from 19 games. Lobi Stars will follow Wikki Tourists back to Bauchi on 16th February, 2020 to commence the second stanza of the league.
