Match Review: Nasarawa United vs Akwa United

Recap

The Solid Miners began the New Year with a comfortable victory over league defending Champions, Akwa United at the Lafia City Stadium on a blockbuster Sunday.

A goal each in the second-half from Michael Tochukwu and Silas Nwankwo were all the home side needed to register their first victory in the 2021/22 Nigeria Professional Football League.

Before kick-off, both teams were unbeaten in their last three games, but Nasarawa United, determined to change the narrative this New Year, had other plans against the 2020/21 league winners.

After a physical first-half ended nil-nil apiece, Technical Adviser, Bala Nikyu, strategised his approach, with his wards yielding to his instructions, eight minutes into the restart.

An unselfish Aliyu Abdullahi picked up a loose ball and found freestanding Michael Tochukwu in the area and the latter struck a sublime to break the deadlock.

The hosts almost doubled the lead when a dangerous cross from Dauda Maigishiri met the onrushing Abubakar Abdullahi whose goal-bound header was acrobatically palmed into a corner by the goalkeeper, Adewale Adeyinka.

Akwa United weathered the storm and pushed forward in search of an equalizer. Friday Ubong dusting off a powerful shot across the face of the goal.

Still not satisfied, the Promise Keepers’ substitute, David Onovo, after meandering his way through the forest of legs, released a shot from range but was unlucky as it went inches over the crossbar for a goal kick.

Seven minutes to regulation time, influential attacker, Silas Nwankwo, dashed any hopes for the visitors in a build-up that started with Shammasu Mohammed in the centre-half with the youngster finding Aliyu Abdullahi who would then locate Silas, and the striker dribbled past the goalkeeper before slotting home an easy one for United’s second and last goal of the evening as a goalkeeper, Godwin Ameh, kept his second consecutive clean sheet this term.

It was Silas’ first goal of the new campaign after netting nineteen times last season in the elite league.

Today’s result sees Nasarawa United climbing to 7th position on the log with six points, and remain unbeaten since the beginning of this season.

The Solid Miners will be on a long trip to Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, for a tie against Dakkada FC on matchday five on Sunday, 9th January.

POST-MATCH REACTIONS

Coach Bala Nikyu(NAS): “Three draws and one win is a good beginning.

“If you are getting draws and winning, then you will establish the more and continue to refresh and move on.

“The start of the season was difficult for us, but today’s result is a step forward.

“Going forward, we are ready.”

Coach Kennedy Boboye(AKW): “More respect to Nasarawa United. They came out stronger in the second half and needed the victory and they got it

“Players I substituted weren’t giving us what we needed, probably because some of them had problems, but unfortunately, we conceded those careless goals.

“It’s a bad day for us, more so that these are players who have been giving us results, but they are humans and mistakes are bound to happen.

“We will return and continue our work ahead of subsequent games.”

CAUTION
(Yellow Card🟨):

Ugochukwu Gabriel(NAS)51′

Ubong Essien(AKW)52′

NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP: Ameh Godwin, Abubakar Abdullahi, Manga Mohammed, Ugochukwu Gabriel, Chris Madaki, Aliyu Abdullahi, Dauda Maigishiri, Michael Tochukwu, Ikenna Offor(Shammasu Mohammed 72′), Charles Eguavon(Alaekwe Chijioke 72′), Silas Nwankwo

UNUSED SUBS: Danlami Umar, Osas Okoro, Ini Edem, Udom Ekerette, Moyi Hassan, king Osanga, Ifeanyi Ejeh.