Nasarawa United sustained an outside chance of picking one of Group B’s playoff tickets with a 2-1 victory over Gombe United at the Lafia City Stadium on Thursday.
On the contrary, the result deepens Gombe United’s relegation woes.
Considering how close the teams were on the log prior to the game, anything short of the maximum points could have thrust the hosts closer to the relegation zone.
Well aware of this, the Solid Miners were on the front foot from the moment striker Thomas Adeshina kicked off the game.
They should have met their match in Gombe who needed the game to keep survival hopes alive but the visitors put up very little fight in the first half most times from the lively Chukwudi Samuel.
In a game of two halves, Gombe’s more spirited performance in the second half became late as the hosts’ overwhelming first half dominance proved decisive.
With Abubakar Lawal pulling the strings, Nasarawa put up a performance in the first half that blew the visitors apart.
In the 7th minute, Anas Yusuf nodded Lawal’s inch-perfect cross narrowly wide.
Solid Miners would have opened scores in the 24th minute when Gombe United goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel spilled Ismaila Mayaki’s harmless cross the way of Sunusi Ibrahim but with the net unguarded, the striker blasted wide.
Four minutes later, Nasarawa scored through Adeshina. Sunusi scooped the ball to the big target man who nodded in from close range.
Anas made it two in the 37th minute. After a solo run from the midfield, Lawal had put the ball on a plate for Anas, who drilled it past Daniel.
Nasarawa could have been up by four goals in the first half save for their profligacy in front of goal. They could have rued the misses in the second half when the visitors dominated proceedings.
Gombe reduced the tally in the 47th minute when Adamu Mohammed left Nasarawa keeper Friday Achimugwu sprawling on the floor before tapping into an empty net.
The goal spurred the visitors but Nasarawa had to hang on for precious three points that could be decisive in the quest for playoff places while leaving Gombe with all to do in the battle for survival.
