Kwara United claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Heartland FC on Matchday 14 in the NPFL at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin, on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Ogbole’s decisive header in the 21st minute ended Heartland’s five-match unbeaten streak and secured all three points for the Harmony Boys.
The home team started brightly, dominating possession through midfield duo Akanni Akeem and Victor Adeoye, while Ibrahim Yahaya and Kabir Mohammed marshalled the defence with composure. Early attacking threats from Emmanuel Ogbole and Junior Aimufua kept Heartland on the edge before Ogbole converted a perfectly delivered cross from Shola AbdulRaheem to give Kwara United the lead.
Heartland responded aggressively, coming close to equalizing twice. However, the crossbar and goalkeeper Nurudeen Badmus’s sharp reflexes denied them any success, preserving Kwara United’s advantage at halftime.
The second half saw Kwara United pushing for a second goal, but the Heartland defence thwarted the efforts, particularly from Junior Aimufua. Tactical substitutions in the second half included Wasiu replacing Ogbole and Sadiq Yusuf coming on for AbdulRaheem to solidify the team’s shape.
Despite Heartland’s late attempts, including another strike that hit the crossbar, Kwara United held firm to secure the win.
With this victory, Kwara United climb to seventh place on the league table with 20 points. Up next is an away match against Lobi Stars in Lafia on Matchday 15. Heartland, on the other hand, will play Nasarawa United.