El-Kanemi Warriors suffered a 2-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in Matchday 8 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Casmir Azubuike scored both goals for Abia Warriors, securing a well-deserved victory for the home team. This loss sees El-Kanemi Warriors looking to regroup and bounce back in their next fixture.
The clash of the two “Warriors” kicked off at 4:00 p.m., with the home side dominating the opening exchanges. El-Kanemi’s goalkeeper Otuyiga Hakeem produced a series of outstanding saves to keep the scoreline level in the early minutes.
However, Abia Warriors eventually broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute through C. Azuibuike, who calmly slotted home to put the hosts ahead. Just five minutes later, the same player doubled the lead in the 28th minute, giving Abia Warriors a comfortable advantage before the break.
Coach Kabiru Dogo made an early change, introducing Rislanu for Bright Etagrah before halftime, but the first half ended 2–0 in favour of the hosts.
The second half saw a revitalized El-Kanemi Warriors side as Coach Dogo made further substitutions, bringing on Fabiyi, Abdulaziz, and Zakka to inject new energy into the game. Their presence added intensity and attacking intent to the visitors’ play, but despite sustained pressure, the solid defensive line of Abia Warriors held firm to deny any comeback.
Five minutes were added to stoppage time, but El-Kanemi Warriors could not find the breakthrough.
In his post-match interview, Coach Kabiru Dogo commended his players for their fighting spirit despite the challenging conditions.
“My boys played well according to instructions; it’s just unfortunate that we conceded early. Fatigue and the downpour affected our system. We will go back to the drawing board to correct our mistakes. I believe we will return stronger, In Sha Allah”.
The coach also appreciated the fans for their continuous support and assured them of a positive turnaround in subsequent matches.
Source/El-Kanemi Media
