Niger Tornadoes Football Club of Minna on Sunday defeated visiting Sunshine Stars FC of Akure 2-1 in a 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League encounter.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the NPFL Match Day 15 game was played at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.
Ifeanyi Okoye got the match’s first goal through a header in the 45th minute after a long throw from Lukas Yahaya from the right side of the post.
NAN reports that Tornadoes had earlier secured a penalty kick in the first minute of the game after Okoye was tripped in the box by Ogoh Kelechi of Sunshine Stars.
The penalty kick was however lost by Okoye after a good save by Sunshine Stars’ goalkeeper. Ojo Olorunleke.
Tornadoes had their second penalty kick in the 67th minute, after Ibrahim Babawo was tripped in the box by Olorunleke.
Unfortunately, the hosts lost the penalty kick again, after Olorunleke saved a direct shot from Sadiq Suleiman.
The hard work and doggedness of the visiting team finally yielded result in the 71st minute, when Kehinde Adedipe equalised through a shot from the right side.
NAN reports that the visitors thereafter looked hungrier for success than the hosts, almost taking the lead in the 83rd minute.
Lukas Yahaya however scored Tornadoes’ second goal in the 90th minute after a Babawo assist.
Head Coach of Niger Tornadoes, Bala Abubakar, later told NAN he was disappointed that his team lost the two penalty kicks they got.
But he said he was happy that the players were determined to win the game.
Abubakar said: “I am excited that we finally secured the maximum three points.”
Sunshine Stars’ goalkeeper Olorunleke also told NAN that he felt disappointed that they lost the game in spite of saving the two penalty kicks awarded to the hosts.
Olorunleke said: “I would have been glad if the game had ended in a draw. Nevertheless, being an indigene of Kogi and playing on my home soil, I had made my people proud.”
NAN.
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