But Cameroonian midfielder Tamen Medrano had the final say when he fired home an 82nd minute penalty to leave the visitors empty-handed.The keenly contested affair took off with chances at both ends. Rabiu Ali had a sniff at goal in the third minute after Amos Gyang had been brought down in midfield but his freekick whistled wide.
Medrano reciprocated at the other end three minutes later, firing wide of David Obiazo's goal.The opener should have arrived in the 10th minute when Jimoh Oni found himself unmarked and in acres of space to receive Luamba Ngoma's cross but his thumping header was straight at Obiazo who clutched gracefully.
Two minutes later, Seka Pascal fizzled his strike over and above the Kano Pillars goal following a lightening counter attack.The hosts kept up with trying to fashion out the chances but Pillars held on.
The visitors took turns in giving away freekicks in their half but their opponents could not take advantage. FC IFeanyiubah captain, Olamilekan Adeleye wasted one of such from a promising position in the 22nd minute before Gambo Mohammed and strike partner Adamu Mohammed both hadhalf chances for Pillars.
The game's breakthrough finally came in the 30th minute after Pillars had given away another freekick in their half. Luamba Ngoma's inch perfect cross was met by the head of Gata, looping the ball over Obiazo and into the goal.
That was the striker's first meaningful contribution to the game and his 12th strike of the season. Pillars nearly hit back almost immediately with a training ground corner kick technique.
Rabiu Ali released Gyang at the edge of the area but the winger's side footed effort was narrowly wide. Seka Pascal then fluffed one of the best chances of the half, failing to beat Obiazo whensent through with just the visiting team's goalkeeper to beat.
Pillars ended the half on top with two late efforts. Gyang danced into the area, leaving Ngoma trailing and cut back for Gambo Mohammed but FC Ifeanyiubah goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa interrupted the move. Moments later, Adamu Mohammed could not finish up a free-flowing Pillars move.
He curled his effort too wide of Ezenwa's goal.Kano Pillars eventually got their reward 10 minutes after the restart when Gambo Mohammed displayed his never tiring predatoryinstincts flicking a good pass over an onrushingEzenwa. It was a brilliant counter executed in a flash.
One moment FC Ifeanyiubah were taking a corner kick, the next Ezenwa was picking the ball out of his goal.FC Ifeanyiubah's attempt at a response saw theintroductions of Bright Onyedikachi and Akide Ibrahim.
After a period of sustained dominance,Seka Pascal was adjudged to have been felled in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. The first attempt was ballooned over by Tamen Medrano but the referee penalized the keeper for stepping off his line.
Medrano stepped up a second time, beating Obiazo and handing FC Ifeanyiubah a first win over Pillars in 11 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please share your thoughts by clicking on POST A COMMENT link or posting in FACEBOOK COMMENT BOX above:
DISCLAIMER:
Opinions expressed in comments are strictly those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of PoliFocus.
Calling the CONTACTS on the comments is at your own risk, PoliFocus is not liable for any SCAM that may arise in the course of that.