Match Report: Nasarawa United vs MFM FC

Recap

*NPFL MD18: COACH BALA DISAPPOINTED AS NASARAWA UNITED PLAY DRAW WITH MFM*

Coach Bala Nikyu is currently not a happy man as his team, Nasarawa United, continues to struggle for balance at the ongoing 2021/22 Nigeria Professional Football League campaign.

Though Nasarawa United are yet to lose any game at home this season, the Solid Miners have only managed to win five out of their nine home games as the mid-season break narrows in.

In today’s encounter against bottom-placed MFM FC of Lagos, the team failed to utilise the avalanche of goalscoring opportunities that came their way, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the Olukoya Boys at the Lafia City Stadium.

United were primed to immediately turn around the result prior to kick-off following their not-too-impressive outing against Kano Pillars at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina, last weekend, but it’s the visitors who landed the first blow within two minutes of kick-off. Chukwudi Ekeocha scored from 30 metres after his side won a free-kick.

The home side pressed on in search of a leveller, but each time they tried, the away team scuttled their efforts.

But the resistance could only last for a time as Aliyu Abdullahi pounced on a deflected ball off Moses Adikwu’ leg following a Michael Tochukwu’s low strike at the nick of half-time to restore parity.

The second-half was more of formality as nothing positive came out of it, with both sides equally sharing the points, the 4th home draw for the Solid Miners, a result that drops them to 12th position with twenty-two points, one point behind their next away opponents, Shooting Stars Sport Club of Ibadan in a week’s time, whereas MFM makes no move from the drop zone.

*POST-MATCH REACTIONS*:

*Coach Bala Nikyu(NAS)*: “Football can be cruel, at times, because if you look at the MFM side, I don’t think it’s a team that can cause upset, but the funny side of the game came to play.

“It’s a disappointing result, but it’s part of the game.

“If anyone had told the visiting team that they would get a decent result here, they would argue it.

“We hope to better our performance in our next game against Shooting Stars in a week’s time in Ibadan.

“We will go all out for the game, and make up for our missed chances here at home.”

*Coach Isiekwene(MFM)*: “Our game plan was to come here and win because our position on the league standings is very very poor, but a draw is not a bad result for us.

“Nasarawa United have a good team. I have been monitoring them for the past few days, and learning more about them. They are, unarguably, one of the best teams in the elite league, and they showed that today again.

“I was contracted not too long ago, and I will continue to pull everyone together to enable us get out of the difficult state we find ourselves.”

*CAUTION*:
(Yellow 🟨 Card):

Coach Christian Isiekwene(MFM)45+1′

Coach Rasheed Balogun(MFM)45+1′

Jerry Isaac(MFM)62′

Barry Legbara(MFM)90+2′

Richie Eguavoen(MFM)90+5′

*NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP*: Danlami Umar, Afeez Bankole, Manga Mohammed, Collins Victor, Paul Odeh, Aliyu Abdullahi, Chidera Nduka(Moyi Hassan 26′), Michael Tochukwu, Bashir Usman(Tolulope Oluwole 65′), Shammasu Mohammed, Uche Ihuarulam(Ajibola Otegbeye 65’/Nentaka Bangs 85′)

*UNUSED SUBS*: Ameh Godwin, Ini Edem, Osas Okoro, Ugochukwu Gabriel, Dauda Maigishiri.