NNL: Kwara United whip FC Zamfara

Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin on Saturday whipped visiting FC Zamfara 4-1 in a Week 8 match of the 2015/2016 Nigeria National League.
The match was played at the Kwara Stadium Complex in Ilorin.
Kwara United’s Coach, John Obuh, made a couple of changes in his team’s line-up as he introduced some of his new signings in the match, with their presence being felt.
One of the new signings was Christian Omeruo, the elder brother of Chelsea of England’s defender, Kenneth Omeruo, and he was the game’s star as he tormented the FC Zamfara defence.
Kwara United winger, Ahmed Jimoh, put his team ahead in the 17th minute, after combining well with Segun Alebiosu.
But the lead only lasted nine minutes as Menaseh Agwaza levelled the game in the 26th minute.
Both teams tried hard to score again but they could only finish the first half 1-1.
Alebiosu almost put Kwara United ahead few seconds from the restart as he fired wide inside the penalty area after a poor defensive display from FC Zamfara defence.
But he made no mistake five minutes later when he fired the hosts into the lead with a penalty kick as Jimoh was brought down after beating an FC Zamfara defender.
The visiting forwards were however always pushing forward to score but the combination of Francis Onyegbula and Cyril Oriaku for Kwara United was a handful for them.
The visiting side were further kept in check by Adeshina Gata, who replaced Bashir Asaadu in the 74th minute, and their defenders were always struggling to cope with his pace.
Gata, the younger brother of FC IfeanyiUbah’s striker, Ismaila Gata, ended a solo run with a good finish to make it 3-1 in the 87th minute.
He went on to set up Michael Ohanu a minute later to put the final scores at 4-1.
Speaking after the match, Obuh said he was happy that some of his new signings responded well in spite of their being new to their teammates.
He said: “There is nothing as bad as when you do a mid-season transfer and the new players couldn’t give you what you wanted.
“I thank God because they gave me at least 70 per cent of what I expected from them.”
On if he was under pressure before the game, considering that group rivals, Dream FC of Makurdi, were one point ahead of his team, Obuh said he was unperturbed.
He said: “I always knew we will overtake them again.”
The former FC IfeanyiUbah coach however pointed out that his team’s defence line was now a source of concern for him with the way “they have been conceding unnecessary goals at home”.
His FC Zamfara counterpart, Alhassan Muhammed, was however in a different frame of mind, saying Kwara United did not win the match in spite of the scoreline.
Muhammed said: “They did not win because they were better than my team, but because the other team had favours from the centre referee.”
He said he would be comfortable to see his team lose 0-6 with good officiating than to lose 0-1 to bad officiating.
Muhammed alleged that Kwara United came with the referee when they visited his team in Gusau.
The coach, who said the game was good, argued that the penalty kick awarded the hosts was unjustifiable, even as he agreed the other three goals against them were deserving.
He said: “The referee should always ensure a level-playing ground.
“If Kwara United gets promotion, we will say congratulations to them.
“We deserved to win the game in Gusau 3-0, but the referee manufactured goals for them.”
Muhammed said the centre referee’s mismanagement of the game demoralised his boys, adding that he was of the belief that this led to their conceding two quick goals.
Kwara United are now back at the summit of their group with 17 points.