Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia on Sunday in Awka began their 2022/2023 Nigeria Professional Football League campaign with a resounding 2-0 win against hosts Rangers International of Enugu.
In the Group B Match Day 1 fixture, the visitors opened the scoring through Bello Lukman’s 42nd minute header.
Monday Yakubu sealed their victory in the third minute of added time after a series of close goalscoring situations.
The Flying Antelopes on their part could not take advantage of their few goalscoring chances.
This was even as the Abia Warriors remained deep in their area for a better part of the second half in defence of their lead.
Speaking after the game, Erasmus Onu, the coach of Abia Warriors, said his players were tactically disciplined and played according to instructions.
Onu added however that his opponents were not a team to be pushed over, and they only took advantage of his good knowledge of them.
He said: “I hope it continues this way for us though, even as every game comes with its unique challenge.
“But, for now, we will celebrate this win and pray it continues this way.”