The Solid Miners avenged last season’s home defeat to eight-times league winners, Enyimba FC, as they recovered from an early goal to win 2-1 against the Aba Elephants in an entertaining and tension-soaked Nigeria Professional Football League matchday ten clash decided on Wednesday at the Lafia City Stadium.
The visitors started the game on a high note, opening scoring as early as in the 13th minute through Victor Mbaoma following a goal-mouth scramble.
Shortly after, United absorbed the pressure and got rewarded in the 18th minute. Debutant, Tolulope Oluwole pounced on an uncleared free-kick from Michael Tochukwu to restore parity.
Both sides pressed on to alter the scoreline before the half-time whistle, including Obioma Emeka striking the upright of the post and Chris Madaki causing ripples in the visitors’ goal area with his long range efforts, but nothing came out of the avalanche of chances created.
After receiving some pep talks from their coaches in the changing room, both sides restarted the second-half on a high pace, United, after some substitutions, posing more threat up front. Lawal Shehu was teed up by Michael Tochukwu after some beautiful football from the home side but the attacker’s effort from the final third got cleared out of the danger zone.
Few moments later, Ikenna Offor was the recipient of a delightful pass from Lawal Shehu, with the former locating Tolulope Oluwole inside the box, only that the debutant’s strike was devoid of the killer venom.
The twice Confederation of Africa Football(CAF) premier Champions League Winners regrouped, turning defence to attack. Austin Oladapo benefiting from an angle pass before releasing a thunderbolt, but like his previous efforts, the shot went haywire for a goalkick.
Former Nasarawa United player, Chigozie Obasi, also was unable to properly deploy his dead ball speciality as each of his attempts was well read by the defence of the home side.
Coach Bala Nikyu fortified his attack with a little less than a half-hour mark to regulation time, introducing Shammasu Mohammed in place of Ikenna Offor.
Hardly had the prodigy settled down than the first opportunity came his way, striking a shot from outside the box off a pass from fellow substitute, Ajibola Otegbeye but was denied by ill-luck.
Chidera Nduka continued the pressure after his defence-splitting pass almost found the well-positioned Abubakar but for the quick awareness of the visitors’ goalkeeper, Djeri Sabirou Bassa.
With five minutes of additional time, United got the anticipated winner. Rising sensation, Shammasu Mohammed put matters to rest from close range after being teed up by in-form right-back, Abubakar Abdullahi, in a build up that began with fans’ voted Man-of-the-match, Michael Tochukwu, the second time the youngster would be coming off the bench to win the game for his side after doing same against Katsina United in their last home game.
2-1 was the full-time score as the Solid Miners immediately returned to the path of winning at the detriment of the Coach Finidi George-led side, a result that sees them move to 10th position from 11th, with 15 points, seven points behind league leaders, Rivers United FC.
The Governor Abdullahi Sule Boys will be on the road for a date with Abia Warriors on Saturday, this weekend, at the Okigwe Township Stadium, the hosts’ temporary ground.
POST-MATCH REACTIONS
Coach Bala Nikyu(NAS): “It was a great result for my team, even though I don’t see it as a revenge for last season’s defeat(1-2) to the same opponents.
“The first-half was a bit difficult and, of course, the players knew that it wouldn’t be nice for us to end the game with a draw or loss after the bizarre adventure in Bauchi during the weekend.
“But I must thank the vociferous home fans for their relentlessness. They are truly the twelfth player.
“In our next game against Abia Warriors, well, you don’t count a game you have not played. Ninety minutes is what count and until the final whistle, no one is a winner or loser, but we will approach every game as it comes.”
Coach Finidi George: “It’s so sad that we had to lose here.
“In the first half, we had a better spell, but we didn’t take few of our chances.
“I think we would have done better, and we should have defended after their equaliser but they had everything working for them – the fans were behind them and they were playing at home, so the confidence was there for them.
“Some defensive errors caused us the game. But we have to turn the page as quickly as possible and see how we can bounce back.
“Generally, I must compliment Nasarawa United for coming strongly from behind to win the game, else, we deserved something better from today’s game – maybe a draw would have been better.”
Michael Tochukwu(MOTM/NAS): “As a team, we did well.
“As for my performance, you know a tree can’t make a forest, so, it’s a collective responsibility which paid off at the end of the game.
“For me, we played better.
“Before the game, I told myself, this is the opportunity I have to prove myself against a household club, and I am happy it ended in praise.
“If we continue this way or improve in our performance, we will win more games, not just at home, even away!”
CAUTION
Yellow Card :
Manga Mohammed(NAS)30′
Ekene Awaziem(ENY)68′
Victor Mbaoma(ENY)71′
NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP: Ameh Godwin, Abubakar Abdullahi, Manga Mohammed, Ugochukwu Gabriel, Chris Madaki, Aliyu Abdullahi(Dauda Maigishiri 50′), Chidera Nduka, Michael Tochukwu, Ikenna Offor(Shammasu Mohammed69′), Tolulope Oluwole(Ajibola Otegbeye 69′), Lawal Shehu(King Osanga 90+3′).
*UNUSED SUBS*: Danlami Umar, Afeez Bankole, Ini Edem, Victor Collins, Moyi Hassan.
