Nasarawa United’s excellent Abuja Pre-Season tour was temporarily halted by a determined Standard Football Academy on Saturday afternoon at the FIFA Goal Project Field, National Stadium, Abuja.
After thrashing Access Football Academy 3-0 in their earlier game at the same venue, the Coach Adams Usman’s wards were held back following a 2-2 draw stalemate against their latter opponents.
United went ahead as early as in the 1st minute through Mustapha Bala who capitalized on a poor defensive clearance, but Standard FA drew level from the 12 yards in the 50th minute.
Substitute, Benjamin Oloche, almost restored United’s lead shortly after the equaliser only for his shot off a rebound to be parried off target by the home side goalkeeper.
However, Khalifa Aliyu Bello’s attention-catching header through a well-placed corner kick saw the Solid Miners retaking their lead in the 55th minute.
Determined to prove a point, Standard FA threw everything upfront, and their quest paid off, drawing level in the 80th minute following a goalmouth scramble.
Efforts by both sides to change the scoreline could not produce any further result with the referee sounding the regulation time whistle, the first maximum points lost by the Coach Adams Usman-tutored Nasarawa United since their arrival in Abuja in preparation for the 2023/24 Nigeria National League, NNL, which Kick-starts on Saturday, 28th October, 2023.
Nasarawa United will engage in more friendlies in the coming days in Abuja before returning to their base in Lafia.
