Two second half goals by Shammasu Mohammed and Morris Daddy secured all three points for Nasarawa United in their 2-0 win over Akwa United on Matchday 5 of the Nigeria Professional Football League at the Lafia Township stadium on Monday.
The defeat in Lafia is the Promise Keepers’ second in their opening four matches with two draws and two points which leave them bottom of the table while the win was Nasarawa United’s second victory in four games which move them to six points and 5th Place on the Group B table
Both teams went into the game occupying the bottom two places on the log, needing victory to climb out of the danger zone. The home side got their first real chance at goal in the 12th minute but Ojo Olorunleke dived at full stretch to save Ikechukwu Nwani’s low shot.
Akwa United’s best chance came in the 28th minute when striker Mfon Udoh reached at the end of Etboy Akpan’s cross but Galadima Mohammed was able to scramble the ball away to safety as the first half ended goalless.
Coach Rafael Everton made two substitutions early into the second half; Ndifreke Effiong and Daniel Ekpo replaced Emeka Atuloma and Jamiu Alimi. And in the 58th minute it was Shammasu Mohammed who tucked in Sanusi Ibrahim’s low cross to give his team the lead.
The Promise Keepers had a golden opportunity to level the score when a mix up in Nasarawa United defense dropped for Mfon Udoh in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper but the striker’s effort agonizingly missed the target.
In an effort to get the much needed goal, Coach Everton introduced Ubong Friday in place of Juwon Oshaniwa towards the end of the game but Mfon Udoh, Ndifreke Effiong, Cyril Olisema, Ubong Friday and Daniel Ekpo could not find the way pass Galadima Mohammed in Nasarawa United’s goal.
The home side doubled their lead in Injury-time when substitute Morris Daddy fired in a powerful left-footed shot to secure all three points for the Lafia based team. The result leaves Akwa United without a win in their opening four NPFL matches and bottom of the log with two points and they will next play Go Round FC of Omoku on Uyo on Sunday 3rd February, 2019 at the Nest of Champions.
