Striker, Alaekwe Chijioke registered his first goal in United’s colours after his first-half goal gave Nasarawa United a 1-0 victory over regional heavyweights, Niger Tornadoes, in a rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League matchday fourteen derby clash at the Lafia City Stadium on Monday afternoon.
In-form Michael Tochukwu, with his 3rd assist this season, had found the former Kano Pillars’ hitman inside the box and he wasted no time to head home in the 23rd minute in a game largely dominated by the Solid Miners.
Both sides went on to create more goalscoring chances but failed to find any way through as the physical and feisty derby encounter ended in favour of the home side, a result that puts them 8th on the log with twenty points, nine points behind leaders Rivers United and four above the Ikon Allah Boys who are now placed 15th with 16 points.
Nasarawa United will next play Rivers United in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, coming weekend in the NPFL matchday fifteen.
POST-MATCH REACTIONS:
Coach Abubakar Arikya: “We are grateful to God for the victory today.
“We had a great game today against a strong opposition and we hope to keep winning.
“We are aiming for our first away win when we play against Rivers United in our next game.”
Coach Abubakar Bala: “It’s a North-Central derby that brings together some of the best coaches from the region. Normally, it’s going to be a tough game.
“However, it’s a good match, unfortunately, we lost to a very good side, even though my boys gave a very good account of themselves.
“We had actually planned to get something out of today’s game, but we were unable to utilise our chances.
“Nasarawa United are a very good side, and the game was a 50-50 affair but United were lucky after creating some few chances and were able to convert one of those chances.
Alaekwe Chijioke: “It’s a thing of joy; I am so overwhelmed to have scored my first goal since joining Nasarawa United this season.
“I am adapting gradually to the environment and club, and I hope the goals keep coming.
“We are still alive to our ambitions – the league is still thrown open and continental tickets are still much available for all the teams.”
Michael Tochukwu: “I feel good moreso that it’s a collective effort.
“We played well as a team and we have been doing that.
“We lost lots of chances in today’s game but the most important thing is the maximum points.
“We are determined as players not to lose again as we will keep working hard to improve our performance in subsequent games.”
CAUTION:
(Yellow Card):
Munir Idris(TOR)40′
Najeem Adeyinka(TOR)69′
Liman Amodu(TOR)78′
Manga Mohammed (NAS)84′
NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP: Danlami Umar, Abubakar Abdullahi, Ugochukwu Gabriel, Manga Mohammed, Ini Edem, Bashir Usman(Moyi Hassan 66′), Chidera Nduka, Michael Tochukwu, Ikenna Offor(Kenneth Amia 51′), Charles Eguavon(Shammasu Mohammed 51′), Alaekwe Chijioke(Ajibola Otegbeye 66′).
UNUSED SUBS: Mustapha Danjuma, Afeez Bankole, Paul Odeh, Victor Collins, Bassey Bassey.
