A late own goal from Kabiru Adewale was all Abia Warriors needed to see off visiting El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in a scintillating Match Day 23 fixture in the Glo Premier League played at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Saturday.
Abia Warriors Coach, Ladan Bosso, made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 away to Dolphins on Match Day 22, with Mohammed Garba replacing Ogbonnaya Okemmiri. Michael Okoro was preferred to Bolaji Sakin upfront, and Emmanuel Egbom was drafted in for Ifeanyi Onyeali, who could not recover on time from flu.
The visitors had Kelechi Emeteole on the bench as head coach after securing the services of the former Heartland manager on Friday as he returned to a club he once guided from the second tier to the top flight.
The ex-Rangers handler had barely 24 hours to put a formidable squad in place for the match day.
The home side came close to drawing the first blood on the seventh minute, when Ndifreke Effiong struck a 25 yards free kick against the woodwork.
El-Kanemi goalkeeper, Richard Ocheayi, forced a stunning save off Chisom Chikatara in the 10th minute to keep the hosts at bay.
Chukwuebuka Okpara’s last ditch clearance in the 21st minute kept out Okoro’s header to keep proceeding barren, before Ocheayi denied Chikatara in quick succession in the 38th minute.
Francis wasted a glorious opportunity that would have given the away side a surprise advantage, four minutes before the interval, after Anozie’s mistimed kick fell into his path. The forward struck the ball high and above the woodwork from 12 yards out.
The hosts intensified their quest for a breakthrough, with the introduction of Emeka Nwanna, who combined with Chikatara to set up Kalu Nweke on 52 minutes, but the midfielder would only toe above the woodwork.
Anozie needed to stretch at full length within the six-yard area, to deny Ibrahim Mustapha from shocking the hosts in the 70th minute.
The pressure from the home side paid off in the 82nd minute, when Adewale headed Nwanna’s cross into his own net to hand the Umuahia side an easy victory.
The win propels Abia Warriors to fourth place on the log, pending the conclusion of Match Day 23 games on Sunday.
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