Match Report: Abia Warriors vs Nasarawa United

Recap

Nasarawa United super sub, Shammasu Mohammed says he has no qualms with the appellation if his second half introduction in games will continue to impact positively on the Solid Miners’ league results both home and away.

Shammasu made it three successive games that he has bailed Nasarawa United out with his goal and when the attacker was asked if he would like to be accorded more prominent role in the team in the upcoming matches he disclosed that he would always be happy with the role his coach, Bala Nikyu assigns him to play.

He said his dream has always been to play for the Solid Miners and whether he comes on or start the game he would continue to give his best to ensure Nasarawa United finish the season in a respectable position on the league table.

Shammasu pointed out that they must work on their concentration level after they conceded an early goal when they were just settling into the game and he hailed the Solid Miners’ fighting spirits that led to the equalizing goal in the second half.

“I am grateful for the away point and I thank God for it. We tried as much as possible to get the job done in the first half but we lost concentration and conceded an early goal. But we came back strongly in the second half and got the deserved equaliser,” Shammasu told npfl.ng.

“I am happy to be an impact substitute. I love the role because I know at the right time my own chance to start the game will come by God’s grace.”

The head coach of Nasarawa United, Bala Nikyu told npfl.ng that he was baffled by the performance of his players in the first half but thumbed up the way they responded in the second half after the half time team talk.

The Solid Miners have been fortunate with scoring late goals to decide their games recently after Shammasu Mohammed scoring the matchwinner against Enyimba last Wednesday in the 93rd minute before the same player netted In the 82nd minute on Saturday at the Okigwe Township Stadium, Imo state against Abia Warriors in a 1-1 draw.

But Nikyu noted that with tough teams in Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL) goals may be hard to come by and at times games maybe decided at the later part of the game.

“At times football is like that. You may not have a grip of the game early on. It took us too long to come back into the game. I’m still baffled that we were unable to make headways in the first half. At half time I told them we must get the second half right if we didn’t get the first half right because we didn’t come to Okigwe for a tea party,” Nikyu told npfl.ng.

“Abia Warriors didn’t give us too much pressure that would warrant us not creating our own chances.

“Their goal didn’t destabilize us because after their goal we dominated the game for a while.

“Late minute goal is part of the game. No team is a pushover. You have to appreciate it anytime the goal comes. They scored their goal quite early in the game and we converted ours because we kept on fighting until the end.”

Nikyu admonished NPFL teams to rule out the idea of always thinking that they must have their ways with the three points because they are playing at home.

He said be it home or away, they prepare for all their games with almost the same mindset which is to go in the hunt for the maximum points.

“In Europe we don’t have home or away advantage. It is this idea of I am playing at home that is makes team to be reluctant to prepare for games the way they ought to. Whether home or away, we are always prepared to play,” he concluded.

Abia Warriors drew the first blood in the third minute through their leading scorer, Godwin Obaje who nodded home his fifth goal of the season off a cleverly taken free kick taken by Paul Samson.

But Nasarawa United powered back with the equalizing goal in the 82nd minute through their late goal specialist, Shammasu Mohammed after he got to the end of Shehu Lawal’s effort that hit the crossbar and came back towards his direction.

What the result means

With the home draw, Abia Warriors temporarily occupy 13th spot with 13 points while Nasarawa United moved into the fifth spot with 16 points from 11 games. Their positions may change by the time weekend games are completed on Sunday.

What’s next?

Abia Warriors will make a short trip to Nnewi to be guest of Enugu Rangers on Sunday while Nasarawa United will head back home to face Sunshine Stars in Lafia, also on Sunday.