Austin Tyowua Media Officer Lobi Stars FC In Ijebu-Ode
Lobi Stars this morning November 20, 2020, at the main bowl of Dipo Dina international stadium Ijebu Ode, beat Crown 1-0 to confirm their superiority over group B opponents, earning maximum points to comfortably sit on top of the group.
Though Lobi Stars had qualified for the quarter-final after their second game but for pride and sporting fairness they have to approach the game in the same way they did others as the game was a decider for the group runners-up.
Crown FC took the kick-off at 7:28 and launched a fierce attack that almost caught Lobi Stars unprepared but the move was scuttled. Two minutes later Lobi Stars initiated an attack on the right, a change of direction found Ebube Duru on left and was brought down for a free-kick for Lobi, the kick was taken by Ebube but Ernest Governor’s header missed the target.
Ebube Duru was on song again in the 7th minute as his brand thunder cross slipped off the shaky hands of Crown’s Goalkeeper Adeniyi Adejare for Segun Alebosun to place home with precision for the only goal of the game.
25 minutes extent of play, Coach Kabiru Dogo took an early substitution decision as Mathias Samuel and Abdulwasiu Mahmud took over from Tiza Samuel and Prince Yoko Ikegbu
The one goal hero Segun Alebosun on two consecutive occasions flopped what would have increased his goal tally for the Pride of Benue in the 27th and 28th minute.
In the 43rd minute, Lobi Stars safe hands Moses Ocheje was shown a yellow card as his mistiming made him late in a face to face situation with a crown forward player and was forced to stop him using an unconventional means. The free-kick was headed off target for a goal kick advantage Lobi Stars. Referee Quadri calls for halftime at 45+2 minutes of play.
The Benue River siders kicked off the second half off the foot of Wonder Kid Abdulkareem Mumini with a renewed zeal to increase the goal margin, the pressure persisted in the early minutes which led Crown’s Owoicho Edoka in to committing a violent tackle to save what would have increased the margin and a resultant red card in the 48th minute.
The 10 man Crown FC kept the fight as the game was a lifeline for them, making several efforts to get a point out of the game as both group B games were played simultaneously.
Governor Ernest went in for a tackle to stern an aggressive move from the tireless opponents and got a yellow card for an unlawful tackle.
62 minutes into the game, Lobi Stars Solomon Agaigbe and new inclusion Imade Osarenkehoe took the places of Abdulwasiu Mahmud and Segun Alebosun to give more comfort to The Glory to Glory boys to hold on to the one-goal lead or increase the scoreline.
The Coach Kabiru Dogo tutored wards resorted to apply caution and play with pleasure as they kept getting comfortable with the one-goal lead.
Homeboy Joshua Abanyi took over from Matthias Samuel in the 82nd minute, 2 minutes to the end of regulation time, Ebube Duru whose daredevil crosses on the left side remains a night to opponents took a 30 meters deceptive shot at goal that hit the side of the net.
Crown showed last moments of desperation to pull down the goal but Lobi Stars defence stood firm as new inclusion Arikpo Victor’s superlative performance in front of the back four proves a major relief.
The Ortom boys are now waiting for a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the quarter-final which will take place on Sunday.
