Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin put up a spirited performance to end the eight-game unbeaten run of visiting Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.
Team captain Kabiru Muhammed and former ABS FC winger Abdullahi Ojifini scored for a 2-0 win for the hosts on Wednesday.
The match was played at the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the rescheduled 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League Match Day 20 fixture was an intense encounter.
Both teams showed quality, but hosts Kwara United warded off early pressure from the visitors to settle into the game and dictate proceedings.
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Kwara United had an early penalty kick appeal turned down, after Shola AbdulRaheem appeared to have been fouled in the box, but the referee waved play on.
After efforts by Wasiu Alalade and Junior Aimafua failed to find range, Kwara United found the breakthrough in the 21st minute.
This was when Muhammed expertly nodded home a cross from Ojifinni, sending the home fans into celebration.
The second half saw Ojifinni doubling Kwara United’s lead in the 57th minute, tapping in after Alalade’s shot rebounded into his path.
Kwara United made tactical substitutions thereafter, bringing on Wasiu Jimoh, Jimoh Gbadamosi, and Lawal Abayomi to see out the game.
After the match, Tunde Sanni, the home coach, praised his players, emphasising however that the team was still a work in progress though on the right path.
On his part, Gbenga Ogunbote, the Head Coach of 3SC, said the hosts were desperate to win the game and duly got it.
Ogunbote said: “It was good for them.
“But there have been lessons from the game for us.
“Because if you win, you celebrate, but if you lose, you look at the issues and move on.”
With this victory, Kwara United now have 32 points from 23 games and move up to eighth on the NPFL table.
They will face Bayelsa United on Saturday in their next fixture in Ilorin.
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