Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia were handed their first home loss of the season by Nasarawa United who came from behind to win 2-1 at the Umuahia Township Stadium in a pulsating matchday 22 fixture of the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Abia Warriors have been the outstanding team on the road this season winning five of their 11 away games so far but had a taste of their own medicine when the Solid Miners from Lafia netted twice in a space of eight second half minutes to collect all the three points at stake and inflict the first home defeat on Umu Chineke.
Remarkably, it was the Warriors first home loss from a winning position, and the Umuahia warlords have now dropped eleven points at home so far this season having only won once in their last six matches at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
It was a game where misfortune and defensive laxity decided the fate of Abia Warriors, and played a cruel one on the Umuahia-based side.
The Warriors’ gaffer, Imama Amapakabo, made just one change to the side that defeated Kano Pillars away at the Sani Abacha Stadium last time in Kano with Odah Okiemute taking the place of Ali Ishaku in-between the sticks.
The game started in a cagey affair, but the Warriors gradually found their rhythm and mounted sustained pressure on the visitors. They should have been in the lead on various occasions, but the visitors’ goalkeeper, Darling Ovunda, thwarted their efforts.
He was, however, helpless in the 42nd minute as the Warriors took the lead, Chukwuemeka Obioma heading home Ekpere Oguocha’s fine delivery from the right wing.
The visitors drew level in the second minute after restart as complacency on the part of the Warriors’ defence gifted them the equalizer.
A high back pass fell kindly to Habibu Alakija and the Nasarawa United number 22 made no mistake as he floated the ball over the Warriors’ keeper, who was in no man’s land as the ball went into the net for the equalizer.
The visitors took the lead in the 55th minute after Istofanus Gome was allowed time and space to curl his effort into the far corner for their second goal which later proved decisive.
The Warriors rallied in search of the equalizer, and yet again, Ovunda, who was named man-of-the-match, stood against them and the goal they craved for.
Before the game drew to a close, the Warriors had two more chances to draw level, but they failed to take advantage, as Kunle Adeleke was unable to head home from close range in the 86th minute from a free header, while Sunday Megwo was unlucky to have his floated header go narrowly wide with Ovunda well beaten.
Up next for Abia Warriors is another home game against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in a midweek fixture.
