Nasarawa United became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals at the on-going 3rd edition of Ahlan Preseason Cup Tournament taking place in Kano State.
Nasarawa United who advanced to the last eight of the four- group competition courtesy of goals from Abubakar Lawal in the 20th minute and a stoppage time stunner from super-sub, Usman Omede, ensured the team continued with their impressive form, to silence Katsina United 2-0 in their last group game decided at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari.
The ‘Governor Abdullahi Sule’ boys took control of affairs from the blast of the whistle, rampaging onto their opponents’ half, and twenty minutes later, their effort would pay off as Anas Yusuf’s 35-yard free-kick caught goalkeeper, Paul Danjuma, napping, as it was deflected into the net by team-mate, Abubakar Lawal.
Both teams went into the half-time with Nasarawa United leading 1-0 in a sunny day in Kano.
At the resumption of second-half, Katsina United began to dictate the pace, with some flashy goalscoring chances, but for the brilliance of goalkeeper, Danlami Umar, Nasarawa United were able to weather the storm.
Usman Omede was introduced in the 58th minute in place of Meshach Chukwubuikem, but both teams kept missing glaring chances.
At stoppage time, Omede scored a screamer from 25 metres in what would be adjudged as one of the best goals of the tournament, throwing the bench of Nasarawa United and the spectators who had come to watch the game into wild frenzy.
For his five-star performance in-between the goalposts, Nasarawa United’s Danlami Umar was voted Man-of-the-Match, beating off competition from team-mate, Abubakar Lawal, and Katsina United’s Nurudeem Ibrahim.
The lanky goalkeeper expressed delight for winning the award:
“I am so happy to win the MOTM award; God is at the centre of it.
“Keeping a clean-sheet in two straight matches will spur me to do more in subsequent games”, he told Nasarawa United Media Team.
In like manner, scorer of the wonder goal, Omede Usman, said he wasn’t surprised about the goal, saying he is used to scoring such.
“I have scored such goal before in my previous clubs because I train for it, even though today’s goal was fantastic”, the former Deportivo Unidad of Equatorial Guinea said.
He said he dedicated the goal to the Technical Adviser of the club, Bala Nikyu, revealing “his presence in today’s encounter was an additional motivation to the team.”
In his post-match interview, Coach Abubakar Arikya said the result was the direct manifestation of the team’s spirit in each game.
“Like I said the other time, we improve in every match we play, and today’s outcome wasn’t an exception.
“We have an existing pattern in the team, and the new players are vastly adapting to it already, especially from our last two games here”, the calm-looking Arikya opined.
Today’s result means Nasarawa United who topped Group ‘A’ with six points from three matches, are joined by Jigawa Golden Stars who have four points and superior goals advantage, while Lobi Stars and Katsina United are eliminated from the tournament following losses in their last games.
Both Nasarawa United and Jigawa Golden Stars will know their quarter-finals opponents after the completion of other groups’ games.
