Nasiru Jibrin nicknamed Baggio was the hero for Wikki Tourists as he popped up at the death to score his side’s winning goal to see off Niger Tornadoes by the odd goal in one of Sunday’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixtures.
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium erupted in wild celebrations Jibrin fired home an 87th-minute winner to seal the winner for Wikki.
Jibrin needed just a little over half an hour to make his impact felt after Wikki head coach, Abdu Maikaba sent him on to replace Sadeeq Abdullahi.
From the first whistle to the last, the Bauchi Elephants dominated play, dictating possession and creating several chances but poor finishing and Tornadoes’ tough defending kept the game goalless for most of the evening.
Just when hope seemed lost, Nasiru Jibrin rose to the occasion, breaking the deadlock and sending the home crowd into pure jubilation.
After the match, a delighted Maikaba praised his players’ resilience and determination.
“It was a tough one, but the boys showed great spirit. We’ll now shift focus to our next game against Enyimba in Aba, and we aim to keep this winning mentality,” said Maikaba.
Wikki Tourists will look to build on their win against Niger Tornadoes when they make the trip to Aba to face record NPFL winners Enyimba.