Lobi Stars suffered a 1-0 defeat in Matchday 29 of the NPFL 2020/2021 on Sunday, June 27, 2021, in Bauchi to Wikki Tourists, though true to type, the defeat was a lifeline to the host as it rekindles their hope of escaping the cold hands of relegation.
The Tourists’ 36″ minute penalty kick, converted by Captain Idris Guda was all that stood between Lobi Stars and their hope of pulling an away result when Lobi Stars Douglas Achiv obstructed the movement of 12 shirted Nazifi Yahaya towards the goal.
The Coach Kabiru Dogo tutored wards took over from Wikki Tourists who took the kick-off 2 minutes earlier than the scheduled 2:30 PM and launched an early attack towards the goal of Wikki Tourists. The incursions were not sustained as Wikki reversed and came close in the 9″ minute but Manu Garba’s shot at goal was blocked into a corner kick by Ebube Duru. The resultant corner was headed into the waiting hands of Aliko Mustapha.
Lobi Stars break the left side defense of Wikki Tourists in the 15″ as Onuwa Chukwuka delivered a precise through pass to Monday Akile on the right, Akile’s cross went further than the intended point but Sani Mohammed managed a counter cross but Achiv final shot was too weak to beat Wikki Tourists Goalkeeper Alladoun Kolimba.
Idris Guda and Nazifi Yahaya came close in the 17″ and 18″ but Aliko Mustapha was always on hand to make sure no harm was done to Lobi Stars. The Ortom boys initiated an attack and lost midway, the reverse found captain Idris Guda who place forward for Nazifi Yahaya, Douglas Achiv who went back deep to protect his goal went between the ball and Nazifi as his position obstructed the movement of the striker and the referee awarded a penalty kick to Wikki and was converted by Idris Guda to give Wikki the one-goal lead that eventually was the final statement of the game.
The first opportunity to equalize the scoreline came to Ossy Martins in the 43″ but his well curled shot to the far-right angle slightly missed his target after benefitting from a well-coordinated build-up delivered to him by Onuwa Chukwuka.
Douglas Achiv got a yellow card in the 45″. Lobi Stars had a last minute of the first half opportunity 45+3″ but a well-thought-out free kick taken by Monday Akile on the right side was effortlessly picked up by Goalkeeper Kolimba. The Referee ended the first half as Wikki maintained the one-goal lead.
Coach Kabiru Dogo rejigged his team as he took advantage of the halftime bonus substitution opportunity to introduce Chinonso Okonkwo and Ozor Chinedu in place of Monday Akile and John Lazarus before Ossy Martins kicked off the second half, five minutes later, Onuwa Chukwuka gave way to Carlos Geleya.
9 minutes in the second half, substitute Ozor Chinedu wasted a goal possible opportunity as he failed to deliver a begging cross but rather hit the side net.
Substitute Carlos Geleya missed the most glaring goal opportunity in the 60″ when he failed to touch the ball into the net as Ebube Duru’s cross left him with a half-empty post. The glory to glory boys put up spirited pressure on Wikki but misses careless attitude, and in other cases good defense work of Wikki Tourists defense, marshaled by peter Ambrose contributed to the overall denial.
Sani Mohammed who was doing the running around and creating most of the openings in the defending 3rd of Wikki rested for Nnamdi Egbujuo in 81″. Ossy Martins who was a terror in the defense of Wikki couldn’t have anything to show for it as the game dragged till 90+4 minutes when The Centre Referee brought the game to an end.
With this loss and Rangers away win over Warri Wolves in Ozoro and plateau united’s home draw to Enyimba, the Makurdi based club dropped to 9th place. Lobi Stars will be returning to base against Heartland in a Midweek cracker of Matchday 30 on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
