A stoppage time goal by Emmanuel Ogbole helped Kwara United to a 1-0 win over Akwa United on matchday 31 of the Nigeria Premier Football League match decided at the Kwara State Stadium in Ilorin on Sunday.
Both teams went into the game in desperate need of the maximum point in their quest to beat the drop but it was the home team that secured all three points with almost the last kick of the game.
The two teams struggled to detect the pace of the game but their efforts were thwarted by the poor bumpy pitch of the Kwara State Stadium although they managed to create some good chances which were either missed or saved by the goalkeepers.
In the second half, Akwa United’s penalty appeal was turned down by the referee after striker Edidiong Ezekiel was brought down inside the penalty area. The referee instead awarded a free kick outside the box claiming that the incident occurred outside the area.
With time running out, the Promise Keepers thought they would at least be going back to Uyo with one point but the assistant referee indicated that ten minutes of additional time will be played after the regulation time.
The home side were awarded a free kick at the edge of Akwa United’s box after the referee adjudged that Seyi Oguntayo had fouled an attacking player. The resultant free kick delivered into the box was headed into the net by Emmanuel Ogbole in the last minute of the game to seal the win for Kwara United.
The defeat means Akwa United remain 18th on the log with 34 points from 31 games with seven matches before the end of the season.
The Promise Keepers will next take on Kano Pillars on Matchday 32 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
