By Eche Amos, Media Officer, Nasarawa United FC
Nasarawa United have lost their opportunity to play in CAF’s elite inter-club competition, the CAF Champions League, next season, following their 3-1 defeat in the hands of Abia Warriors at Okigwe on a dramatic final day to the Nigeria Professional Football League season.
United were down to two goals in the first half courtesy of strikes from Obioma Chukwuemeka and Daniel Wotlai.
Nasarawa United thought they had won a penalty when David Ehiaghe was clawed down inside the box in the closing stages of the game only for the referee to wave play-on.
Abia Warriors compounded the Solid Miners’ woes after Godwin Obaje was awarded a soft penalty in the dying minutes of the game which was converted by Fatai Abdullahi, but a refereeing decision which didn’t go down well with the bench of United, while an ensuing altercation between right-back, Chigozie Obasi and the center referee, Ferdinand Udoh, saw the defender sent off after being issued a second yellow card, reducing the visitors to ten men.
But Silas Nwankwo scored a late consolation goal in the added time after being found by Anas Yusuf’s set-piece, as the league’s final day game ended in devastation for the Coach Bala Nikyu-led team, having spent almost the entire campaign in the top three, a result that now saw them finishing the season at 4th position with 65 points and +17 goals, behind Akwa United(71 points), Enyimba(66 points and +8 goals), and Kwara United(65 points with +20 goals).
The Lafia-based Solid Miners can still play in the continent, but in the lower tier of the CAF Confederation Cup, should they beat Bayelsa United in the final of the 2021 Aiteo Federation Cup billed for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State, on Sunday, 8th August.
Silas Nwankwo secured the league’s Golden Boot Award despite tieing with Akwa United’s Charles Atshimene on 19 goals each, but with lesser penalty goals(one against Charles’ three).
