Lobi Stars Aiteo Cup 2021 ambition got shattered on Wednesday July 14, 2021 at the Dan Anyian Stadium Owerri in the round of 16 as Bayelsa United walk away with two first half goals, with the spirited but belated second half dominance of Lobi Stars yielding no fruit.
The attacking duo of Emo James and Okardi Inikurogha converted one goal each in the 20′ and 45′ to keep the new found nomenclature of giant killers afloat for Bayelsa United.
The over-zealousnes and desperation of the Bayelsans manifest as their was chaos on the bench and an official identified as Richard went to threaten the Reserve Referee on the issue of use of match balls and was shown a yellow card by the Centre Referee.
Lobi Stars came in to the game in a manner that made Bayelsa United ordinary but lost the steam as soon as the south Southerners capitalize on a defensive error of Lobi Stars Alex Aghahowa who headed a long thrust from Bayelsa United defending third to the advantage of Emo James whose shot at goal beat Stanley Nwabli on his way to make up for Aghahowa’s error.
Coach Kabiru Dogo in a bid to recreate the lost steam pulled out Nnamdi Mejuobi who couldn’t find his feet all through alongside lacklustre Mathias Samuel and introduced Chinonso Okonkwo and Douglas Achiv in the 35′. As if the change would increase the fortunes of Lobi Stars, they suffered yet another blow in the last regulation minute of the first half, when a cross from Benard Okorowanta was converted by Okardi Inikurogha to end the first half with a 2-0 clean sheet in favour of Bayelsa United.
The Kabiru Dogo tutored boys seem not to get an impact from the the 35′ substitution and have to further reinvigorate the team as Onuwa Chukwuka and Monday Akile took the place of Mutiu Ogundimu and Abdulkareem Mumini during the half time.
Super sub Monday Akile’s inclusion brought life in to Lobi Stars team but the second half dominance of Lobi Stars was scuttled by the youthful Bayelsans in all the front. The trio of Monday Akile, Onuwa Chukwuka and Ebube Duru who was constantly involved in all attacking forays of Lobi Stars couldn’t change the scoreline.
The more The Ortom Boys looked for a goal to build on, the more the Bayelsa United jealousy protect their goal to the amazement of all.
In 56′ Monday Akile dashed with a solo effort with his left legged dribble runs in to the opponents goal area and his pass across the goal located Onuwa who had only Goalkeeper John Shaibu to beat but kicked to his body. Ebube had his opportunity in 67′ but his shot went slightly off target. Right wing forward player Carlos Geleya who failed in the adjusted role of a right full back have to give way for Ozor Chinedu for the last change in .69” .
The pressure against Bayelsa United couldn’t yield any fruit as close as Lobi Stars kept coming, the more the Bayelsans kept vigil.in the second half of the game especially the last quarter, their was occasional counter attack breaks that would have given Bayelsa United a third goal but Stanley Nwabali was playing the role of a Libero and goal keeper at the same time to Wade off any other goal situation against Lobi Stars. The situation remained same till end of 90+4′ added time.
With this result, Lobi Stars are out of The 2021 Edition of Aiteo Cup competition and will be on the road to honor an NPFL 2020/2021 Matchday 33 in Katsina on Sunday July 18, 2021.
