Abia Warriors returned to winning ways after coming from behind to beat Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan 3-2 in a pulsating encounter played at Umuahia Township Stadium.
The Match Day 14 encounter of the Nigeria Premier Football League lived up to its billing and had spectators on edge all through.
The home team started the game with the right mentality and could have gone ahead if their hitmen were more articulate in front of goal.
They were punished for such profligacy when the Ibadan warlords took a shock lead in 39th minute of play completely against the run of play when the home side failed to clear a corner-kick and Anayo Ogbonna pounced to head home the opener.
The goal aroused the Warriors into action and were duly rewarded when Kelechi Nnochiri restored parity: Samson Obi met a long ball inside the 3SC box, his blocked shot saw the ball move to the path of on-rushing Monday Yakubu who placed the ball on a platter for Nnochiri to put Abia Warriors level
Shooting Stars would have gone into the dressing room with some psychological advantage if they converted a first half injury time penalty awarded them after Ifeanyi Anaemena fouled Kareem Ademola in the vital area but their striker shot tamely into the waiting hands of Sharp Uzoigwe who guessed right.
The second period saw the introduction of Arinze Ogbonna and Paschal Nwabueze in the 54th minute by Warriors’ Technical Adviser, Erasmus Onuh and it was the latter that made the difference for the home side. Three minutes after coming on, he won a penalty for Abia Warriors after being brought down by 3SC Keeper Anozie Chinedu, and Ifeanyi Anaemena made up for his earlier mistake by sending the Keeper the wrong way to put the home side 2-1 up.
Paschal Nwabueze was again a torn in the away side’s flesh in the 72nd minute when he dispossessed 3SC’s right back of the ball, ran through on goal in a blistering pace and squared the ball to Samson Obi to tap into an empty net for the third goal.
A momentarily loss of concentration from Abia Warriors defence saw 3SC score their second goal in the sixth minute of added time by Kareem Ademola.
Unfortunately for the visitors there was not enough time to get another goal and Abia Warriors emerged victorious yet again at their fortress.
Up next for Abia Warriors is a date with Bendel Insurance at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City.
Source/Abia Warriors Media
