Two first-half goals from Abia Warriors youngster, Casmir Azubuike, secured a vital win for the hosts over visiting El-Kanemi Warriors in a Matchday 8 encounter of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Sunday.
It was a game where the hosts made their intentions known from the first blast of the referee’s whistle, having a go at their opponents.
Abia Warriors head coach, Imama Amapakabo, made only one change to the side that lost in Enugu. Sunday Megwo returning to the starting lineup after missing the games against Kwara United in Ilorin and Rangers in Enugu. Shedrack Asiegbu made way for him.
Within three minutes of the game, dazzling winger, Suraj Lawal found his way into the opponents’ box, but his shot was met with a desperate block.
Five minutes later, Emeka Obioma’s shot was parried to safety. The striker was denied again in the 13th minute as El-Kanemi Warriors goalkeeper, Hakeem Otuyiga, parried his shot yet again.
Otuyiga was again called into action in the 20th minute as he doused the panic caused by Suraj’s cross into his box.
But he was helpless as the home side went into the lead four minutes later.
The Umuahia club orchestrated a string of passes, culminating in a simple pass to Megwo, who had roamed into the visitors’ box before backheeling a pass to Casmir Azubuike to score the opener.
Azubuike completed his brace three minutes later as Jubrin Faiz’s delivery into El-Kanemi Warriors’ box caused a mix-up between Otuyiga and his centre-back, Habila David, and Azubuike was quick to put the ball into an empty net.
Lawal was unlucky as his goal in the 36th minute was ruled out for offside. It came on the heels of another enterprising play from Umu Chineke.
The second half saw the visitors come out in search of a goal as they began to find their rhythm. But it was the hosts who could have extended their lead as their penalty appeal was waved away by the Rivers State centre referee, Uchenna Enyadike, in the 51st minute.
Megwo appeared to reach a through-ball in the visitors’ box, only to be brought down by the goalkeeper, Otuyiga, and the referee awarded a freekick instead, to the chagrin of the home side’s bench and the spectators who voiced their disapproval.
Despite wholesome substitutions from both sides, Abia Warriors saw the match through and secured all the three points at stake to stay second on the table.
Up next for Abia Warriors is a date with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Ibadan.