Hosts Abia Warriors Football Club on Sunday whipped visiting Kano Pillars FC 3-0 at the Umuahia Township Stadium in a 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League Match Day 15 fixture.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that with the result, the Umuahia-based club broke a three-year-old jinx in six straight matches against Pillars.
The former league champions had drawn in Umuahia and won in Kano in both 2014 and 2015, while winning both home and away fixtures in 2016.
Speaking after the match, Coach Abdullahi Biffo said he was grateful to God his team had eventually broken the jinx against Kano Pillars.
Biffo said: “I thank God that we have been able to break the jinx, because I was made to understand that Abia Warriors had never beaten Kano Pillars.”
He said he had feared that Pillars would pose a serious threat to his team in Sunday’s match, leading to their resolve to prepare well.
Biffo said: “We prepared very well and my players played to instructions.
“So, I thank God that we came out with a good result.
“They (Pillars) came with overconfidence, for a draw or an outright victory, because of their history against Abia Warriors.
“But the first goal shattered their game plan.”
Coach Kadiri Ikhana of Kano Pillars, on his part, gave kudos to the home team, saying they played better and were able to convert their chances to goals.
Ikhana however regretted that while his team played well, they were unlucky not to take advantage of the goalscoring chances they created.
He said: “But they have got a victory in Umuahia today, let’s see what happens when they come to Kano.”
NAN reports that Pillars conceded an own goal through Joel Djondan in the 8th minute, while Sheriff Bashir and Sunday Adetunji scored for Abia Warriors in the 45th and 57th minutes.
NAN.
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