Under Pressure and well-oiled NWFL premier leaguers, Heartland Queens will have their hands full against the most decorated side, Rivers Angels in Wednesday’s matchday 13 clash at the ground of University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers state.
The Owerri landladies have not pedalled at full throttle in all matches since the restart of second stanza except of course the last ditched goalless draw against champions, Bayelsa Queens but those facts are likely to count for nothing not with the kind of motivation and support going into the epic clash coming from no other a person than the number one sports citizen, the state’s Commissioner for Youth, Sports & Social Development, Hon. Emeka Okoronkwo, the sports loving governor, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma and the entire citizens.
It was all barren between the gladiators, Heartland Queens and Rivers Angels in the first fixture NWFL Premiership clash in Owerri, Imo state.
However, the Owerri side are primed and well motivated to win this reverse titanic matchup, at least, to shore up their not-too-comfortable position on the log now that they are complete outsiders to the season’s premium league decider, NWFL Super 6.
Of course, the Jewel of Rivers are not going to lay back and wait to be glenned over after doggedly playing themselves back into reckoning at Naija Ratels to secure a possible seat in the NWFL Super 6 ship at least to prove to doubters that their acronym ‘multiple champions’ is not a fluke.
The Owerri mainstream side are yet to secure an outright victory in all competitions against the Garden City side and must punch above their weights to break the historical jinx.
The job of the Owerri bench manned by Obi Ogbala is clearly straight forward to ring the necessary changes and lineup a no nonsense squad that will squeeze out a cushioning victory by all means.
The side’s first choice goalie, Uchechi Onyechere who was invaluable in the scoreless draw against champions, Bayelsa Queens in Owerri is certain to keep her gloves same as midfield maestros, Favour Dagogo and former junior international, Oluchi Ofoegbu. Also sure starters are strong women, Kelechi Orgii, Victoria Bassey and Onyedikachi Ekezie while lethal finishers, Lucky Mary, Chinwendu Orji, Chizoba Orji, other regulars will be shirted for the survival matchup.
Heartland Queens sit delicately on the fifth spot on the seven-team Group A log on nine points 15 adrift runaway leaders, Delta Queens while the opposite, Rivers Angels are third on 16 points.
After the expected hard as nails dugout in Port Harcourt, the Owerri side will wrap the season’s campaign on home soil next Wednesday against visitors, Royal Queens.
